Customers Take to the Net to Complain
When Jimmie Williams Jr. recently tried to exchange a pair of ski pants he bought two days earlier at the Ski Racquet, it was disallowed because the original tags on the pants were removed. For the ski shop in Olney, Md., it was a matter of standard store policy: no tags, no return. For Williams it was “a poor example of customer service.”
“Whatever happened to the phrase ‘The customer is always right?’ It’s like companies nowadays don’t value their customers,” said the Olney resident and government attorney.
Remembering a TV ad about an online consumer complaint Web site called PlanetFeedback, Williams decided to give it a try. Using Planetfeedback’s complaint letter generator, he wrote to the Ski Racquet detailing his dispute, and the site delivered it. “It gave me a convenient opportunity to express my frustration in writing, without having to go through the extra ordeal of drafting a letter and mailing it,” he said. He hasn’t heard back yet.
For some consumers, the Internet is becoming a court of last resort when waging disputes. Over the last year or so, several consumer complaint sites have cropped up in response to consumer frustration with products and customer service.
Sometimes they are nothing more than relief valves for steamed customers, but several sites assist consumers in writing complaint letters to corporate brass. Some even claim to turn unsettled disputes into marketplace miracles. Here are some of the online complaint sites offering free services to registered users:
* PlanetFeedback.com: This slick site (https://planetfeedback.com) was launched last February to “rewrite the rules of consumer feedback.” It helps consumers write complaint letters, locates the corporate address and delivers complaints by e-mail, fax or postal service. It posts complaints online as well and rates companies and their responses to disputes. Other features: surveys, articles, tips and general topic sound-offs.
* My3cents.com: It went public in November with the motto “The consumer revolution starts here!” Its centerpiece is the “Consumer Incident Report” letter generator, which helps customers write complaint letters and then delivers them. Users at (https://my3cents.com) can log on and voice opinions about companies without filing more formal complaints, access company information or just read other consumers’ opinions and complaints.
* The Complaint Station: It claims to be “The King of Complaints--over 6 million served.” Besides posting serious complaints at https://thecomplaintstation.com, users issue vindictive rants, argue, propose class-action lawsuits and indulge in name-calling and all sorts of rowdy online behavior. Posts are sorted into “complaint stations” for each company. Corporate sites are hot-linked when available, as are consumer agencies and recall information.
* UGetHeard.com: What’s most impressive about this rave-or-rage site (https://ugetheard.com)is its “complaint resolution service,” which lets consumers file their beefs not only to spread the word but also to pressure companies into resolving problems. Consumers fill out detailed complaint forms that create letters and automatic follow-ups that are sent to the offending companies. The site claims a 90% resolution rate.
