by Kyle MaCrae
15th February 2002

MAKE A FUSS ONLINE

"YOU don't need to don a donkey jacket and start waving placards if you want to complain about something you've bought. Make your voice heard the easy way instead - online.

"People should speak up when things go wrong," says Stuart McCandlish, the founder and managing director of howtocomplain.com

"But not enough people do. They think it's just making a fuss, or can't be bothered. That's why we set about creating a site that not only gives information but a process that helps remove the hassle factor and lets people complain easily and effectively."

The site works on two levels. On one hand, it pulls together a host of information and advice about how to make a complaint, and it also tells you who to approach and how to safeguard - and exploit - your legal rights.

Howtocomplain.com recommends a four-stage procedure. In the first instance, contact the organisation involved and ask for a refund or replacement.

This might be as simple as phoning or visiting the high street shop and explaining why you're not happy.

Alternatively, use the site's ready-made letter templates to put your grievance in writing.

IF this gets you nowhere, take your complaint to the company's head office.

Still not satisfied? There may be a regulatory body or trade association that can help.

Finally, you can seek arbitration or sue the supplier. The site's legal section explains how to get started, but warns that it's always a last resort - as winning your case doesn't necessarily mean you get paid.

McCandlish believes that it's far better to sort out the problems early on and this is where Howtocomplain.com gets clever.

It lists 3,000 UK businesses across 150 sectors: retail, professional, transport and travel and so on. By registering with the site - which is free - and filling out a form, you can complain directly to any listed business.

Howtocomplain.com passes on your demands to the appropriate department, saving you the hassle of tracking down somebody in a position, and willing, to help. If your particular business is not listed, you can request that it's added to the database.

"The web has many advantages when it comes to complaining," continues McCandlish. "It costs less than writing a letter or making a phone call, it avoids the aggravation of face-to-face confrontation and it's fast." But how successful is it?

"At the beginning of December we launched a feedback service where we invited users to update the status of their complaint and to re-send or escalate it where necessary.

"When a complaint is closed, we then invite some basic feedback on the process and build up a picture of how well companies respond to complaints. So far, 76 per cent of complainants have had their complaints resolved - and 86 per cent of them are satisfied with the resolution. Of the others, 17 per cent were unresolved but had received a response and seven per cent had not had any response. The majority of successful complaints are resolved without legal action."

Certain sectors are more likely to settle a claim than others. Retailers generally do well, but mobile phone suppliers, holiday firms, banks, utilities and internet service providers are slippier. How tocomplain .com's own business model involves helping companies improve customer relations and many are only too willing to address complaints promptly.

The rationale is simple enough: it's better to keep an existing customer happy than to find a new one to take their place. So, next time you get a raw deal, don't take it lying down - log on and demand a fair outcome.

How to get your way

We asked Stuart McCandlish for his tips on successful complaining:

1. Be clear in your mind what has gone wrong - and what you want done about it.

2. Follow the correct procedure.

3. Keep any evidence and a record of events.

4. Be firm but polite. Sarcasm and swearing will count against you.

5. Don't give up.

Useful sites

Trading Standards - www.tradingstandards.gov.uk

Citizens Advice Bureaux - www.nacab.org.uk

Office of Fair Trading - www.oft.gov.uk"