It's Good News Week

[Dave's Office]

I had some good news this week from an appliance company after complaining to them about a stick blender that's shaft had sh** itself. The blender was a year past it's warranty expiry and the company initially said because of that, they considered the appliance to be "naturally worn out by the user and they aren't responsible for any repairs or replacement." I polity pointed out that they have a duty of care to their customers to supply goods that are fit for purpose and anyone buying this item would expect it to last much longer than it has. I asked them to "please send me a replacement shaft for the blender, this is a very reasonable request, and if you refuse to do so I will lodge a complaint against your company with Consumer Affairs." I signed the email Kind Regards from David, and the same day received a reply saying "As a good will gesture we are going to send you a replacement blender". And it arrived today. It just goes to show, you should never let company's fob you off, it pays to stick up for your rights.

 

[Hawkear]

Well done Dave

I used to work in telephone complaints for around 20 years and can offer some general suggestions that might help people get their complaints resolved.
Always persevere until you get past the front line staff and even their supervisors if they are proving stubborn. If you have to, ask for referral to a manager because if there is one thing managers hate, it is actually having to deal with customers.
Always remain polite. Companies are required by law to resolve complaints, so don't give them an excuse to terminate a discussion.
Know what the result is that you want to resolve the matter and don't be afraid to make it clear and ask for it. Just don't ring (or email) with the idea of having a grizzle, give the company a specific idea of what it will take for you to go away
Bodies like the ACCC and Ombudsman's office keep statistics against various companies and there is a risk that companies can be named publically. Also the Ombudsman's office actually charge the company for every complaint they refer regardless of the outcome even if they find the company in the right.
So don't be afraid to wave the big Ombudsman or ACCC stick, politely of course because if the matter is taken on board by those bodies, it can be expensive, time consuming and a risk to a company's reputation.