Ever felt frustrated about a service or purchase, made a complaint, but ended up getting nowhere? To avoid this, there is an art to complaining that ensures your concerns are heard and taken seriously.
Ever felt frustrated about a service or purchase, made a complaint, but ended up getting nowhere? To avoid this, there is an art to complaining that ensures your concerns are heard and taken seriously.
Winnie Lau is a psychologist who deals with complaints on a daily basis. She is used to hearing all the things that get on her patients’ nerves. Lau’s advice is to manage the issue early before it reaches boiling point.
What if your frustration comes from a bad purchase or service? Lau says understanding someone else’s perspective can help in communicating your complaint.
New South Wales Fair Trading Commissioner Rose Webb says the process of making a complaint can be harder to navigate for older people who are not fluent in English. Consumers in NSW can call the language assistance hotline on 13 14 50 for interpreter services.
People over the age of 45 tend to complain about larger purchases such as faulty electrical or white goods, buying or repairing second-hand cars or handling tenancy issues. In the first instance, Webb suggests you should take your grievances to the person who provided you with the service. She says you need to keep good records and supporting documents of the case to support your argument.
Carmen Lazar works as the community settlement manager at the Assyrian Resource Centre in New South Wales. Part of her job is helping older clients lodge a complaint with NSW Fair Trading. She says the key to resolving complaints is to familiarise yourself with your rights as a consumer.
As the senior policy officer at Consumer Action Law Centre in Melbourne, Katherine Temple regularly advises older people on handling complaints. These complaints are often about procedures relating to the energy, water, finance and banking industries. If you feel like your complaints are falling on deaf ears, Temple says there are strategies to reach a satisfactory outcome.
If you’re unsure of how to write a complaint letter, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission website has a simple tool to help you structure your concern. And if all else fails, amplifying your concern on social media can also be of some help.
Older People Speak Out, a Brisbane-based advocacy group for the elderly, has developed a website where older people can file complaints about their experiences. Titled “Your Say on Aged Care”, it encourages people to contribute to the future of Australia’s aged care regulation.
Acting president Majorie Green explaining how the idea came about.
Green says the reason why many elderly suffer is because they're not used to voicing their discontent.
