It can be highly frustrating to feel like you are taking to a brick wall when it comes to contacting company representatives. It can be downright aggravating when you still don’t get the results you hoped for from a company you used to like. Here are some tips for dealing with poor customer service as well as how to move forward with more success:

Be Courteous If Expecting Courtesy

If you expect a company representative to treat you well, you must offer the same courtesy. When making a first contact, wait until you have calmed down if you are particularly riled up. Be concise in your explanation of the problem and treat the person on the other end of the conversation with respect. Even if the customer representative gets out of control, do what you can to maintain your composure. As the saying goes ‘you get more flies with honey than vinegar’.

Take Notes

If things start to go downhill fast and you don’t foresee a positive outcome, start taking detailed notes including the time of your call, the name of the person you are speaking to, and details of the representative’s responses. These notes will help you recall details at a later time if you have to pursue further action.

Go Higher

If you find things with the customer service representative is not going in a positive way, ask to speak with a supervisor immediately. If the representative is unwilling to transfer your call or becomes hostile, just hang up the phone and place another call. Since many companies have call centers, you likely will not get the same person again. Ask immediately to speak to a manager or supervisor and then detail your initial issue as well as the problem you had with the company representative in the previous phone call.

Write a Professional Letter

There are many stories of consumers who were so unhappy with a product or service they took it all the way to the top by writing a letter to the attention of the company president or owner. In many cases, the upper management had no idea how bad things were in the way of customer service and appropriate action was taken. While there is no guarantee your letter will be read, be sure it is professional-looking and details the specific situation rather than filled with foul-mouthed, choice words. The Internet will often provide you with a direct contact address for the higher-ups at a company.

Be Proactive

Don’t dismiss the importance of quality customer service when looking into a new product or service. When comparison shopping, take the time to place a phone call into the company and ask a few questions. You can use your gut instincts to judge which company would be helpful in a problematic situation and which company is poorly represented by their customer assistance staff. You want to make sure the companies where you take your business will be ready and willing to take you seriously when you need help.

How to Deal With Poor Customer Service was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Most vehicles contain computers that help run the essential systems. Electronic ignition, anti-lock brakes and other functions use the computer in a vehicle. Also the computer serves as the central repository for data about which systems are operating correctly and which are not. This makes the following story very important to car owners.

In Massachusetts state lawmakers are looking into a bill that will require auto manufacturers to supply vehicle repair codes to independent auto repair shops. These repair codes are cryptic numbers and letters that tell a driver what system is malfunctioning. All the driver currently gets is a light on the dash display that says ‘check engine.’

Independents Losing Business

There is friction because independent auto repair shops accuse the manufacturers of trying to keep them from being able to repair newer vehicles thereby creating a monopoly. Auto manufacturers rebut those charges by stating that independent auto repair companies have the same access to the codes if they are willing to purchase systems that are capable of reading them.

Dealers Try to Protect What’s Theirs

Dealer repair shops counter that the computers are manufactured by the auto-makers and therefore are proprietary. Car computers are sensitive and they are not only trying to protect what is theirs, but prevent damage to the computer systems as well.

Little Choice for Consumers

As for consumers, they are concerned because the cost to repair vehicles is prohibitively high. They would like to make sure that competition is encouraged. Dealer repair shops have always had the bad rap of being more expensive and this bill would help to bring cost containment into the picture.

DIY’ers Left Out

Another off-shoot of this- the discussion about owner repairs is an issue as well. Those who like to repair their own vehicles are rebuffed in their efforts because of this same situation. Some auto parts retailers have taken to keeping code readers in store for owners to borrow or rent. That way, the parts can be purchased with no question as to whether or not the owner is repairing or replacing the right part.

It is a quandary that is not likely to go away any time soon. Similar legislation has been defeated in other states, yet those who are concerned about competition and pricing keep trying to do what they can to move the concept forward. According to them, it is all about the consumer and providing the most and best options for vehicle repairs.

Auto Repair Bill Seeks to Level Playing Field was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

The New York Attorney General has just shut down a collection operation that has been using illegal tactics nationwide. While it is true that creditors have every right to try to collect money owed to them, there are certain lines that cannot be crossed to protect consumers from illegal tactics. The rules differ depending on who you are dealing with, an original creditor or a collection agency which has bought your debt from the original creditor or another debt collector. The company that was the recent target of Attorney General Cuomo’s investigation has been shut down after it was discovered they (collectors) were pretending to be police officers, threatening to throw consumers in jail and using scripted telephone calls designed to intimidate consumers into paying debts according to a Consumer Affairs report. The following tips can serve as a reminder of your rights if you are struggling with debt and dealing with collection agencies.

• Debt collectors cannot contact you whenever they choose. They are limited to contacting you between the hours of 8am and 9pm and shall not contact you at work if you have relayed to them you are unable to receive this type of call at your place of employment.
• They may not discuss your debt with third parties, such as a relative, neighbor or employer. They shall only relay information regarding the debt they are attempting to collect to your attorney or to you directly.
• Debt collectors cannot misrepresent themselves as anyone other than a debt collector. This makes it illegal for a debt collector to claim to be a police officer, an attorney or anyone else for that matter.
• Legal action can be taken against you in an attempt to recover money owed, however debt collectors cannot threaten legal or other repercussions without the express intent of following through. This means unless they are actually in the process of taking legal action they cannot threaten to do so. Remember your wages cannot be garnished until legal action has been taken and a judge has imposed a wage garnishment. In that event you will receive written notification well in advance of any garnishments. Do not fall for the oldest trick in the book, which is to threaten your very next paycheck.

More information is available by reviewing the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Remember that the law does not apply to your original creditor.

In an ideal world you would not have to worry about debt collectors because you would not be behind on any of your accounts. Unfortunately that is not the world we live in. If you are experiencing a financial hardship, you should seek immediate assistance to try and resolve your outstanding debt. While you are offered some protection through the law, in the end you still owe the debt. Paying it off is the only way to completely avoid problems that arise from debt collection efforts.

Know Your Rights If You Are In Debt was created by and is property of American Consumer News.