Consumer Complaints

The era of radio and telecommunication accelerated the process of globalization. A person can see each corner of the world without leaving home. Every day the world is getting closer to us. We are aware of all the events that take place thousands kilometers away from us. It is impossible to imagine our life without radio and television. It is like losing connection with the world out there.

XM Satellite Radio Inc. XM Radio was founded in 1992. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. due to its partnership the company is a leader in providing satellite-delivered data and entertainment services for the automobile market. The company operates over 170 digital channels of different kinds. XM Radio provides 69 commercial-free music channels, exclusive live concerts and original programming premier sports, talk, comedy, children’s and entertainment programming; and 21 channels of the most advanced traffic and weather information.

Problems? What problems may arise concerning radio broadcasting? They are not many but still are worth consideration. The company does not enjoy positive reputation among numerous consumers. They claim that all the promises are not fulfilled. The sound quality is awful and the customer service seems to be even worse. People make down payments for the broadcasting services and then start receiving additional bills. It is no wonder that customers are not satisfied with the company. People receive a package of XM Radioservices as presents, do not sign any agreements with the company and then are charged and fined for what they thought was free. And one more thing that irritates the subscribers – the channels they pay for do not provide the programs they are supposed to. They constantly change the list of programs which do not fit in the style of the channel. And if a person has paid for a year in advance and is not satisfied with the programs she/he do not get money back. Recently such change, for example, took place on one of their music channels. Why one should listen to country music on the channel for world classics. People do not want to pay for those programs which they can get for free from other radio broadcasters. It is the same that you go to a video store buy a DVD that reads ‘Duck Tales’ and it turns out to be a Hollywood action. Such things disappoint and irritate. Video stores at least give the money back.

If you are reading this article then we have something in common. And that is dissatisfaction with the quality of goods or services you were provided with. Sometime ago complaints were considered to be negative. If a company received a great number of complaints that meant that its rate was steadily going down since very little was done about that. What about nowadays?

Do people complain? Recently surveys have been held to check the current situation on the consumer market. And the results leave much to be desired. People who are not happy with the quality of goods or services do not always complain. They give different reasons for that. The most common of them are – lack of time and too much trouble. And still even among those few who dare to express his\her dissatisfaction 14% are not happy with the way their complaints are handled. When people complain they expect their complaint to be handled within a week or so. The most frequent forms to express dissatisfaction are either to make a call or to do that in person. Maybe because these two ways ensure that the company receives the complaint but still it is not the reason to believe that the complaint will be handled.

The importance of complaints. But organizations try to improve the situation. They change their attitude towards complaints making them one of the main prerogatives for successful business. Top managers realize that clients are as important for the company as the marketing strategies, for instance. Clients are the driving force of their existence in general and success in particular. Dissatisfied customers are like ‘warning signs’. They very specifically point out gaps in services and faults of goods. They help companies to improve and attain a higher position on the market that recently has become very competitive.

Keeping clients. If a company happens to have some problems with customers it should first refund the damage or compensate it somehow and then avoid the same mistakes in future. In this case it is more likely to keep its clients. If a company welcomes complaints then it is easier for the customer to have business with such an organization and its popularity grows.

When you are dissatisfied with the level of service and the quality of goods do not let it go! It will be useful both for you and the company!

It is difficult to acquire a devoted client, but it is far easier to lose him. Much of statistical information in this area testifies if clients believe that their complaints will be treated warmly and will bring to action, it is likely that they again will address the company. In addition it is easier not only to sell the goods to long-term clients – it is easier to serve them, after all, such clients know how to achieve the execution of their hopes. Company’s production, employees and system of business are familiar to long-term customers.

No Chance to Protect Oneself

As soon as people or companies give signs of the suspicious relation to complaints, clients start to show their resistance. Or, what is even worse, they can leave the company silently slamming a door, but later they will begin to give company’s testimonials to people around them. In such a situation the company will have no chances any more to protect itself.

Long-term Outlook

You can tell that consumers of cheap services are unworthy of big expenses. But here companies should see long-term outlook. Each cloth cleaning can cost about 10-15 dollars. However during life the client easily spends about 30000 dollars for it, not to mention his friends and relatives whom he will recommend to address to this dry-cleaner. In company Domino Pizza calculated, that regular customer spends about 5000 dollars during a period of 10 years. According to data of consulting group “Bain and Co.”, possessed in Boston, the profit can grow from 25 to 95 % - simply because of negative testimonials will decrease to 5 %. What easier way to save a client can be than attentive attitude to his complaints?

Increased Annual Income

No doubt researches show that because of rejection of complaints not 5 % of clients leave the company but much more. According to IBM, only less than half of consumers, whose problems were not decided, are going to work further with the company which have disappointed them. But practically all clients who think that everything can be settled to their pleasure say that they will give the company one more chance. Every year the saved client gives more profit.

Some companies fight for increasing of sales volumes to regular customers, for «a share of the buyer»; the concept “market share” means to work with a maximum quantity of buyers. Two thirds of sales in most of companies take place at the expense of regular clients. At least, the company usually knows that what kind of people are their clients and can interrogate them in the shops. While sometimes companies have no choose but it is easier and more cheaply to work with regular customers.

Ideally, it should not be necessary to complain, since in business everything should be done so carefully that no mistakes are made and nothing is damaged. Unfortunately, things do not work out perfectly. Errors occur and goods are mishandled, usually because of haste and lack of supervision. There is often a shortage of staff owing to illness or holidays, and there is sometimes a shortage of sufficiently trained staff, so mistakes are inevitable and customers complain. In my article you will find several rather useful pieces of advice to write successful complaint letter.

Consumer’s plan of actions

If a customer is dissatisfied with the execution of his order, he will complain. In doing so he should refer clearly to the articles in question, by referring to his own order number or to that of his supplier’s invoice, or both. He should then specify the nature of his complaint, and finally state what action he wants his supplier to take, if your letter expresses just negative emotions, but does not have clear demand, the letter will be of no effect. So the consumer should reach a goal – to receive compensation for failure to implement of business commitments.

Receive Compensation

On receiving the complaint letter the sellers will make investigations, and if the complaint is justified they will at once apologise to the buyers and suggest a solution. It should be a point of honour with a firm never to blame its employees when writing replies to omplaint letter: the firm has undertaken the work and the staff arc part of the firm, therefore the firm itself is at fault and must take the consequences.

Plan of Complaint Letter

1. Specify the nature of your complaint and use facts (date, sum, order number and so on.).

I am writing to you to complain about:

We very much regret to inform you that the quality of… We refer to the above order for

2. Use in your complaint letter phrases like these:

Unfortunately, I very much regret to inform you that, However, we have to point out that. As you will no doubt understand.

3. You may express your feelings, suggest some causes of the problem:

We very much regret to inform you that:. We can only presume that a mistake has been made…

We have always been able to rely on the high quality of the materials you sent us and we are all the more disappointed in this case

4. If it is appropriately, describe your acts to solve the problem.

As we shall have to take it back we must ask you to let us know, without delay, what you can do to help us in getting over this difficulty… You will find a list of the damaged and missing articles enclosed.

5. Demand from the company explanations, indemnification for the caused damage, and compensation of moral and material costs.

We must, therefore, insist that you observe delivery deadlines for future orders.

We must demand that you have to cover our expenses:.

Please arrange for the dispatch of replacements at once..

Could you please offer an explanation for this poor quality of your service.

6. Inform about measures which will be undertaken if your requirements will not be satisfied.

We must ask you to arrange for the dispatch of replacements for the missing forks at once, as we must meet a delivery date to our own customers. We must, therefore, insist that you observe delivery deadlines for future orders.

7. The standard ending of the letter.

We hope lo hear from you soon.
Yours faithfully.
Yours sincerely.

Everybody should remember that the society we live in is eager to be considered a perfect democratic society which cares for the interests of the common people first of all. But all these slogans and ideas are misapprehended and misinterpreted by people because of their often use in the different irrelevant situations. But still, even kids nowadays know that they have certain rights everybody else should respect. And one of these rights is a consumer right. This is about the rules how goods and services should be provided and how we are protected by law in different problematic situations. If you want to be a well-informed member of the society, go on pissedconsumer.blogspot.com.

You should complain. Reading various consumer reviews on pissedconsumer.blogspot.com you will understand why you should post your complaint; stand on your rights and in such a way to gain your end. You may have no desire or too many grounds not to post you complaint letter. But after reading all the pieces of advice on pissedconsumer.blogspot.com you will see why it is always better to make your consumer complaint public. You may have some prejudices or be scared, but you have to understand that only in such a way you will be able to fight against the company that provides unworthy goods. You have to remember that law is on your side and will be of great help. Besides, maybe the company that violated your rights was not that bad and it was just a single instance and they will be able to set the things right.

How pissedconsumer.blogspot.com can help. Reading articles on our site, you will understand how to write a good consumer review for the common good. You may annoyed and angry, wanting just to blow off the steam, but on pissedconsumer.blogspot.com you will find a well thought-out exact plan of actions and points created to make your complaint work. You can read interesting and even entertaining consumer complaints and find some more tools to use against the company you want to make notorious. You have to keep in mind that consumers have to stand out and speak in order to help themselves and others.

When you are ripped off and feel yourself the most furious person in the world there is no need to centre out on your friends and relatives. That is not the way out and besides, it will not help anyways. What you really have to do is to cool down and try to remedy the problem somehow. The best thing you can do is to write complaints. And you have to do it nowhere but on RipOffComplaints.com website. This is the best site that can really help you.

Follow the advice. This is not the way out to sit and think of what you have lost. You have to act and to act competently. RipOffComplaints.com can guide you in this not easy situation. The thing is that you have to know that there is always next time. First of all, there still exists a legal protection of consumers’ rights. By writing a right complaint, you can force those scammers to pay you. If you were ripped off, if some merchandise was defected or damaged, or service was inadequate and delayed, that means that the providers owe you. They owe you the compensation for a faulty product, and not just the compensation but also some reassurance that they take care of the problem and try to fix the things. That is why your rip off complaints should be formal letter and you have to maintain poise and diplomacy no matter how huge the gripe and anger is.

Live and learn. RipOffComplaints.com can be very useful for people just to check it from time to time to be aware of scam. People write about the swindlers for the others to know and to keep away from those companies that cheat their customers. If the whole society will be well aware, then those scammers will have nothing to do and maybe they will switch to some fair and honest way of earning money.

The twenty first century is characterized by a protection of the consumers. With the development of the economy, industrial production and living standard this issue has become one of the most crucial. People are being grown up as independent individuals knowing their constitutional rights and freedoms. But just to have this knowledge is not enough. It is very important to know how to use it. And if somebody has provided you a faulty product, you have to be aware that you can file a complaint and assert your rights. And then all your losses will be compensated by the company.

Product complaint. It is a very disappointing thing when you have bought some product and the quality of it was much to be desired. Then you surely have to write a product complaint. You have to state, where and when you have bought this thing. It is very important because besides poor quality the employees could be rude and you can make their management aware of that fact, too. Or there could be an expiration date and the company can state that it was over, but you will prove that it is not. Then you should mention what exactly is wrong. And you should add the proves, like pictures and checks or some other papers. Everything this should be attached to your product complaint, but do not forget to send the copies of the documents, not the originals!

Product complaint benefits. If the company you have complained against is quite reputable, then your issue would be settled. You would be suggested either the exchange of the product, or money refund, or the problem can be just fixed. Besides, it is very important to write product complaints for the other people to know that these goods are not worthy and it is better to avoid these stores. Because our actual strength is in unity, and if you will be a help to somebody, then somebody can help you.

It is very strange and unnatural that providers of the services or suppliers of the goods do not understand the value of a complaint letter, do not like complaints. If there is a complaint, there is bad reputation and the customers make you aware that something is wrong or not how the customers would like it to be. Companies neglect and ignore these papers which can be a gold mine for them. That is why it is very necessary to take this fact into consideration when you are really pissed and you are itching to write a complaint.

What is a complaint? Before starting the writing of a complaint letter , you have to be aware of some main details. A complaint against any company is some kind of expressed disappointment. But this disappointment can be useful for that company and as well as for you. And you have to write your complaint in such a way that the company can understand this value. If you really want your problem to be solved you can express initiative and hint at some ways how the drawbacks and defects can be abolished. Nowadays just the angry complaint letter does not work. You have to resort to diplomacy to have your issue fixed.

Stick to the style. There can be distinguished a specific style of writing consumer complaint letters. It consists of several points. First of all, you have to be precise and laconic and at the same time include all the necessary information. Then, you cannot forget about the fact, that this is an official document – you have to control you temper. Besides, you better should not make any threats because it would not help anyway. And you have to express the readiness to cooperate and to remain a customer for the company to react properly.

Adhere to the structure. It means that you have to know the structure of the complaint letter . In the beginning you introduce yourself and make a statement of facts. Then you explain what was wrong and bring the arguments. Then comes the assumed way of settling the issue. And exactly here you should better make a hint, how good could it be for the company to take care of it. Besides, you can mention that you have already filed a complaint to other places such as BBB, etc. Do not forget to attach the copies of all the papers needed.

You do not have to consider consumer complaints as something irritating and annoying. All the medals have two sides, so let us just look at the other side. The truth is that with the help of complaints and consumer complaint letters you can win a lot. You can turn them to your own advantage. Because actually any consumer complaint is an economical and effective way to improve your products or services, employees and business practice.

Pissed consumer can do you good. Usually people are calling your company client service number not just because they are lonely and they need to talk to somebody. If they are doing this, it means that there is some trouble. And these troubles strictly split into two groups: their own trouble and your trouble or trouble with your goods or services. Of course, it is much easier for your employee to be rude on the phone, to give the customer a run around and forget about this. But there should be another policy in your company, from which you can benefit. The client service representatives should be very polite to understand what actually has happened and how to fix it. Because then a complaining consumer or a complaint letter can show you, what has to be done to make the quality of your goods better. And the better the quality, the higher the sales.

Proper handling of complaint is your best advertising. If the pissed consumer encounters good attitude, and his complaint is viewed and at least replied, then the possibility that he or she would stay you customer increases right away. The customer can understand that he is not neglected, he is being worked with. And that favors the creation of good friendly relations with the consumer. And then the word is spread and it is most likely that he or she would tell about this case to friends, relatives, colleagues. And maybe even recommend you. And what is better for a company than good feedback of the customers?

There is a huge number of ways how to get from one place to another. And traveling sometimes is not a whole entertaining thing as we might think. Especially if you have to make a very long trip and in you are kind of short on money. When it comes to the Auto Train, you may encounter a lot of complaints against it. People are furious with services and whatever and just regret for the spent money. But they say - as many men as many minds. And not everything is so horrible and gloomy concerning the Auto Train. And some people have even enjoyed traveling with it.

Research before you travel. If you are going to take the Auto Train and not to regret it, not to have that bad experience, you should better make a small research concerning it. You have to be prepared to some things if you consider them to be unpleasant and to cancel your trip in advance. You also would like to know that it is much better to spend a bit more money on a separate roomette to have some more comfort.

What you have to know in advance. You should always keep in mind that there is such a custom of the Auto Trainas to be late. So, you have to know that it can arrive not on time. And you have to be aware that you trip would be rather long, so you have to take something with you like a CD player or some books and newspapers. It will kill the time and you would not be so bored. Or you can take some more food with you like snacks pr something else. This is also not a bad way not to waste time.

And after having done all this, you will probably enjoy your trip, especially being nice to staff. Then they will attend you better and you would like traveling with the Auto Train.