CONSUMER REDRESS - SOME ENCOURAGING SIGNS (FROM CONSUMER COMPLAINTS - PUBLIC POLICY ALTERNATIVES, 1975, BY SAL DIVITA AND FRANK MCLAUGHLIN - SEE NCJ-57896)

• NCJ Number: 57897
• Author(s): V H KNAUER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Acropolis Books
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DEVELOPMENTS IN CONSUMER COMPLAINT HANDLING BY BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY INDUSTRY SPONSORSHIP OF CONSUMER ACTION PANELS, ARE THE FOCUS OF REMARKS BY THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS (1974).

Abstract

THE REMARKS WERE MADE BEFORE A GATHERING OF GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, AND CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVES INTERESTED IN IMPROVING MECHANISMS FOR RESOLVING CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. THE DISCUSSION TOUCHES ON THE TENDENCY OF THE CONSUMER MOVEMENT TO BE CONCERNED PRIMARILY WITH PREVENTION RATHER THAN REDRESS, THE NEED TO EVALUATE EXISTING COMPLAINT-HANDLING MECHANISMS AND TO TEST NEW ONES, AND INDICATIONS THAT EXISTING MECHANISMS ARE INADEQUATE. PROGRESS BY BUSINESSES IN HANDLING CONSUMER COMPLAINTS IS NOTED, AS IS THE NEED FOR COMPANIES TO CONCENTRATE ON ELIMINATING THE COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS THAT ARE AT THE HEART OF MANY CONSUMER-BUSINESS DISPUTES. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO THE GROWTH OF INDUSTRY-WIDE CONSUMER ACTION PANELS, WHICH RESOLVE COMPLAINTS THAT CANNOT BE HANDLED DIRECTLY BY INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES. THE PANELS ARE INNOVATIVE IN THAT THEY INCLUDE CONSUMER AS WELL AS INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES AND PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR INDUSTRY ACTION. PANELS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE MAJOR APPLIANCE, CARPET AND RUG, FURNITURE, AND AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRIES, AND ARE BEING BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF CONSUMERS THROUGH THE MEDIA AND BY BUSINESSES. THE DISCUSSION ALSO NOTES BRIEFLY DEVELOPMENTS IN MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION SERVICES AS A MEANS OF HANDLING THE MOST INTRACTABLE BUSINESS-CONSUMER DISPUTES, AND THE GROWING NUMBER OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONSUMER OFFICES (16 IN 1969, 225 IN 1974).