Making a stink 101
February 6, 2012 12:52 PM Subscribe
How do I get my grievance about poor customer service out to the public?
I usually just let things go but I feel pretty ripped off by a company, how do I voice this? What are the websites people use for consumer complaints? I have given up on being compensated, I just want to share my experience, partly to vent but also to warn others.
I usually just let things go but I feel pretty ripped off by a company, how do I voice this? What are the websites people use for consumer complaints? I have given up on being compensated, I just want to share my experience, partly to vent but also to warn others.
Do they have a Facebook page you can comment on? File something with your local Better Business Bureau? Yelp? Angie's List?
posted by Admiral Haddock at 12:55 PM on February 6, 2012
posted by Admiral Haddock at 12:55 PM on February 6, 2012
I always go to twitter when I have an issue. I look up their twitter account and reply or hashtag it.
It netted me lots of coupons for free kraft products once.
Yelp is also a good place.
posted by royalsong at 12:57 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
It netted me lots of coupons for free kraft products once.
Yelp is also a good place.
posted by royalsong at 12:57 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
Possibly Yelp depending on type of business.
posted by bquarters at 12:57 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by bquarters at 12:57 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Yellow Pages and similar sites that have customer reviews. Try googling for [type of business] and [your town] and you might find some more.
If it's the sort of business people would talk about on a forum (for example, if it's a vet and there's an Roslindale Dog Lovers forum), you can probably post there.
I found someone I dealt with before on Ripoffreport.com by googling their name and 'rip-off' one day.
posted by K.P. at 1:04 PM on February 6, 2012
If it's the sort of business people would talk about on a forum (for example, if it's a vet and there's an Roslindale Dog Lovers forum), you can probably post there.
I found someone I dealt with before on Ripoffreport.com by googling their name and 'rip-off' one day.
posted by K.P. at 1:04 PM on February 6, 2012
Yelp is great, but only if you have an existing account and have posted other reviews previously. Otherwise their algorithm will filter you out as a drive-by griper.
Google Places reviews are effective if it's a local business.
posted by BurntHombre at 1:15 PM on February 6, 2012
Google Places reviews are effective if it's a local business.
posted by BurntHombre at 1:15 PM on February 6, 2012
I've found that Twitter can work really well, just send a tweet saying something like:
Really unhappy with @business, can't believe their service!
It's out in the public, and they cannot delete it. I've got better responses from this than I have "traditional" routes of complaint.
posted by chrispy108 at 1:29 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
Really unhappy with @business, can't believe their service!
It's out in the public, and they cannot delete it. I've got better responses from this than I have "traditional" routes of complaint.
posted by chrispy108 at 1:29 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
Whenever I feel ripped off by a company, I bring it up the chain of command at the company, first. Even if the manager or store wasn't able or willing to help you, I have found that going to the regional or national level (if possible for this company) can get you results. There's a chance that the company might still be able to help you out on this one.
If not, you could see if one of the local news "trouble shooters" (consumer advocate reports) could help you out. They tend to rely on sensationalism and "gotcha" style reporting, but they can often shame the company into resolving the issue. And it's a public shaming, which gets the word out.
posted by Nightman at 1:51 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
If not, you could see if one of the local news "trouble shooters" (consumer advocate reports) could help you out. They tend to rely on sensationalism and "gotcha" style reporting, but they can often shame the company into resolving the issue. And it's a public shaming, which gets the word out.
posted by Nightman at 1:51 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
Is there something similar to this where you live? Probably get you more traction than just ranting on a website.
posted by timsteil at 2:07 PM on February 6, 2012
posted by timsteil at 2:07 PM on February 6, 2012
You might try your state's Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General. I had success getting money back from Sprint when they overcharged me on my phone bill by going to my state (Iowa at the time) Attorney General.
I also wrote the FCC, however the Sprint representative who resolved my complaint said it was the Attny General's complaint they were responding to.
posted by ephemerista at 4:09 PM on February 6, 2012
I also wrote the FCC, however the Sprint representative who resolved my complaint said it was the Attny General's complaint they were responding to.
posted by ephemerista at 4:09 PM on February 6, 2012
My friend Barry's bike was stolen and determined that it was because of a faulty lock, though it was a premium brand.
He tried calling and complaining but he got brushed off. So he went onto Youtube and ranted, demonstrating exactly how you could rattle the lock apart without even having to pick it. He tagged the company in the video, posted a link to the video on his twitter and facebook accounts, and sent the company a link too.
They mailed him their top-of-the-line lock with an apology.
posted by lizbunny at 4:09 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
He tried calling and complaining but he got brushed off. So he went onto Youtube and ranted, demonstrating exactly how you could rattle the lock apart without even having to pick it. He tagged the company in the video, posted a link to the video on his twitter and facebook accounts, and sent the company a link too.
They mailed him their top-of-the-line lock with an apology.
posted by lizbunny at 4:09 PM on February 6, 2012 [1 favorite]
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posted by griphus at 12:53 PM on February 6, 2012