The Art of Complaining

Kathleen H. Brown, a financial consultant, was an associate professor of
Family Studies at the University of Guelph.

The author, Phil Edmonston, well known for his consumer advocacy role in relation to the automobile market, has been very effective in raising public awareness of the need to complain when ears are defective. In The Art of Complaining he has compiled a citizen’s guide to various ways of asserting one’s rights in the market place. When, where, and how to complain is spelled out in some detail. It is stressed that it is important to ensure that complaints reach the person in the firm who is in a position to take action. Very often this can best be done by letter. Even if the initial complaint is made in person, a written statement of the problem should be presented. If the difficulty remains unresolved, Edmonston suggests various follow-up tactics — fifty possibilities in all. To help letter writers, sample complaint letters are included in the book.

In addition to complaint techniques, there are other possibilities for obtaining redness; the Small Claims Courts should be considered in some cases. To facilitate this, Edmonston offers a summary of the relevant legal processes and a compilation of selected court decisions.

The Consumer Association of Canada is criticized for a tendency to compromise rather than confront those whose market practices are not serving the consumers’ interests. Activist Edmonston is impatient with their efforts to effect changes by persuasion. Canadians, he believes, are reluctant to complain and, when they do, they rarely pursue the matter beyond the retail level. To encourage more consumer action and change he offers suggestions for a variety of group projects.

This useful reference book would be even more useful if it contained a good index. In the interests of economy a detailed table of contents is provided instead. However, in spite of this drawback, it is a helpful compilation of information and advice that should be beneficial to many consumers.