First Things First

•Give the merchant the first chance to solve the problem. Contact the salesperson, retailer or business when you have a complaint about any goods or services you bought. When there is a complaints department, use it. When there isn’t, talk to someone in authority, such as a manager. A face-to-face discussion is best. Be firm and businesslike, but polite. Calmly and accurately describe the problem and what you want the company to do to resolve it.

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If the problem is not resolved that way, ask for the telephone number of the company headquarters and contact the customer service department. Request specifics about how and when something will be done, and get the company representative’s name in case you have to refer to the conversation later. Write down any details of your complaint and keep them in a file. Make sure to date your notes.

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If your call doesn’t produce satisfactory results, write a letter to someone higher up, such as the general manager or owner (see sample letter). Provide all the details of the problem and explain your efforts to resolve it. Ask for action. In the case of products, send a copy of your letter to the manufacturer, and be sure to keep a copy of it yourself.

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If none of these steps work to your satisfaction, consult the key consumer contacts of this Handbook for government offices and consumer organizations that apply to your situation. If you don’t know where to start, call the federal-provincial-territorial government consumer affairs office where you live. Someone there will direct you to the right organization. Or, use the Complaint Courier to file your complaint online.

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Taking legal action should be your last choice. If you decide to sue, remember that there are often time limitations on filing lawsuits. You may wish to check with a lawyer about the legal process and any limitations that may apply to your case in your province or territory.

Strategies for Success

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Do not be afraid to complain. Good businesses will be pleased to correct any mistake on their part. They know that customer goodwill is the best form of advertising.

•Always keep a file of important information related to your purchase, include the sales receipts, repair orders, warranties, cancelled cheques, contracts and any letters you have written to or received from the company concerned.
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Do not procrastinate. When a product is defective or unsatisfactory, it is important that you return it quickly so that you do not lose the right to get your money back or to collect damages in some cases. Always check the return policy before you buy.

What to Do When You Have Complained Without Any Results?

If you feel you have given the company enough time and that your problem has not been resolved, send a copy of your complaint letter and copies of supporting documents (not originals) to, or file a consumer complaint with, your provincial or territorial consumer affairs office or Better Business Bureau. If you use the Complaint Courier it will give you the option to automatically forward your complaint to the appropriate government office.

Small Claims Court

Small claims court can be an informal and relatively inexpensive way to resolve disputes when the amount involved is less than $3,000 or, in some provinces, up to $25,000. However, you will have to pay a fee to file a claim. Once the suit is launched, you may have costs for such things as serving orders, payments to witnesses and travel expenses.

You do not need a lawyer to go to small claims court, although in most provinces and territories the help of a lawyer is allowed. The court staff is experienced in helping consumers prepare the necessary forms, and the judges have the power to settle disputes. This court allows each side to explain its story and does not expect consumers to know legal technicalities.

For information on how to proceed, contact the small claims or provincial or territorial court nearest you (look in the government listings in your phone book). The websites of these courts also often list the procedures to follow and have copies of the forms you will need to complete.

On November 4, McKenna responded by posting a video online, in which she teaches a friend who failed at making BabyCakes’s banana bread the correct way to follow the recipe. “For my reputation, I wanted to clear the air,” McKenna told PW. “We were getting such mixed reviews from customers. Some people would buy the book and send us pictures of what they did and it was perfect. Other people were posting on Amazon about the recipes and saying they’re all wrong, and they don’t work, and the book is a piece of trash.” McKenna said the video (pictured, right) was meant to be “a clever way to get people to understand a few things they needed to be clear on,” such as using her preferred brand of flour and melting coconut oil before adding it to the batter.

IHOP claims that its eggs are “cruelty free” and animals used for its food receive “dignified, humane treatment.” The animal welfare group said that’s not true and filed complaints with federal regulators saying the Glendale-based company is engaged in “false or deceptive advertising.”

The complaints allege that the eggs for IHOP’s 1,421 U.S. restaurants come from chickens raised in cramped cages that do not allow them to stretch their wings, walk around or nest.

That doesn’t meet a consumer’s reasonable expectation of what “cruelty-free” means, the Humane Society said.

“Consumers do not consider it `humane,’ let alone `cruelty free,’ to confine hens for life so tightly in wire cages that they cannot fully spread their wings, as IHOP’s standards allow,” the group said in its complaint.

The Humane Society and its supporters have waged a long-running battle against the restaurant industry over the conditions in which chickens are raised. They have persuaded national food outlets such as Burger King Corp., Costco Wholesale Corp., Denny’s Corp. and Wendy’s/Arby’s Group Inc. to buy at least some of their eggs from producers that allow their hens to roam

The move comes amid global concern over the link between some fast food and illnesses such as diabetes, as the U.S. Congress considers requiring chain restaurants to disclose calories on their menus to help fight endemic obesity.

Prosecutor Marcio Schusterschitz, a federal prosecutor in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state, said fast-food toy promotions encourage children to buy high-fat meals through “the abusive creation of emotional associations” that turn them into life-long eaters of high-fat foods.

A judge must first decide whether or not to hear the request, which targets combination meals offered by McDonald’s, Burger King and Brazilian chain Bob’s that typically include hamburgers or chicken nuggets, french fries and soft drinks.

“It is necessary to remove toys that are used to leverage the sale of food that has little nutritional value,” said the statement. “The (meals) offered are promoted with the clear objective of increasing juvenile consumption of fast food.”

If you haven’t you’re part of the silent majority, it doesn’t seem to matter if your steak is haemorraghing, the service is slow or the waitress is grumpy – truth is we don’t like to make a fuss.

Some do send their food back to the kitchen but the majority will just shut up and put up.

Maybe we’ve all heard the stories about what the kitchen staff do to your meal before it comes back or maybe we’re just too shy.

So if you’re too shy to speak out, would you text instead?