Is your voice still not being heard? Is the company giving you the run around or maybe even ignoring you? Is the system they have in place leaving you in limbo? Have you now done some research and realized the company you are dealing with has a poor track record when it comes to making their customers whole? Have they been flat out accused of being scammer? It’s time to bring out the big guns. You may want to enlist the help of consumer advocates and/or media representatives.
Remember to always try to get satisfaction on your issue by going through the standard support channels. Give the company the benefit of the doubt, but when things start to go sour and you have given the company opportunities to correct the issue, you need to escalate further.
In some cases the threat of enlisting a consumer advocate or going to the media is enough for companies to pay attention.
In other cases, carbon copying an individual on an email or letter will prompt the company into action. However, having someone with clout argue your case, when you can no longer progress will likely get results.
Do some research on consumer advocates in your area. Also find out what newspapers or TV stations run segments on consumer protection. Find their contacts and send them a concise and well documented story. With my contacts, I can certainly help make your case and put pressure on companies who are unwilling to make you whole. I have been inspired by the best.
Among the best is Ellen Roseman. You can read her Moneyville blog or her original blog. She is a consumer advocate and a Toronto Star writer. She has contacts at many companies, and takes on many customer complaints (probably more than she should). 
Ellen is tough but reasonable. If she sees a customer that is plainly in the wrong, she won’t take up the case. If a customer is being mistreated by a company, she steps up to the plate and evens the playing field.
I have been following Ellen’s blog and columns for quite some time and have only good things to say about how she has helped so many people who were stuck with no resolution to their problem. Sometimes these individuals were out of pocket thousands of dollars, or the issue had dragged on for many months before she stepped in.
Readers: Have you ever had to go this far with a company? Tell us your story. Are there any other consumer advocates that have been particularly helpful?
In a recent recall notice the mazda tribute SUV 2001-2002 models years was recalled for brake fluid leeks. I own a mazda tribute SUV 2003 model year and has the same
mechanicle problems discribed in the 2001-2002 recall.
How can I get the recall extended to my vehicle model year as it appears to have the same mechanicle faults as the listed recall but just not included!
May 16, 2012
Sir Hakim,
Hakim Optical
Head Office
128 Hazelton Avenue
Toronto, ON M5R2E5
Dear Sir Hakim,
I wrote to you on April 14 and as of this date, never received a reply to my letter. This is what I said. Right now I have to wear an old pair of Hakim glasses because your company will not repair the transition lenses glasses I purchased less than 3 years ago. They are sitting at your Finch and Tangiers store at this moment. Something has happened to the glasses I purchased from your Sheppard and Yonge Store and I cannot use them. The coating has disintegrated and smears around on the glasses causing scratches (they are scratch resistant supposedly) the degradation is leaving patches of uncoated and coated lens.
Your employees are not a very good representation of old fashioned customer service your company boosts of and I am very upset with the attitude. If this is the way you would want your mother to be treated, your company is in trouble. I am a senior and when I pay a month in old age pension for glasses I expect them to work and become upset when I am told I have to pay again for something that is not my fault. All I asked is to have my glasses replaced so I can see again.
I would appreciate you looking into this matter a.s.a.p. and get back to me as to what you can do to rectify this situation. A very disgruntled and long-time customer.
Please would you arrange to have my glasses replaced as I am using my old glasses and getting headaches and sore red eyes. I am very uncomfortable and the longer you make me wait the worse it is getting.
Yours truly,
Nadine B.
Address & Phone Redacted
@Nadine Hakim Optical is not known for the best customer service. In fact, I have heard many stories about their poor handling of customer cases. They aren’t big enough to have as many complaints as they get.
You may want to try a few avenues to get some attention.
The College of Opticians is required to investigate and respond
http://www.coptont.org/complaints/process.asp
You may also want to post on their Facebook wall with your experience. That may get some attention.
If you are still not getting any joy, please let me know and I can help out.
Good morning. I came across posting here as a result of extreme frustration from a customer experience we’re having with Sears. A $2,500 sectional sofa was delivered to us last May 26,2012 with a missing leg. Since that day, we’ve called the Sears Customer Service line countlessly, as you can imagine. I just got off our nth call, and I was surprised to find myself sobbing at the end of that call. On paper, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. But the fact is, we’ve been unable to sit on that sofa since we got it last May, for fear of voiding any warranties and because, how the heck do you that with one leg missing? We are unable to invite friends and family over either, as there’s no place to sit. Seems like such a small problem, and we fully elected Sears to resolve immediately. We were provided a work order (#196483) for reference. First, they sent the wrong part. Then, they confirmed their part was sent June 14. But oops, not really. It was actually sent June 18. Well, it’s June 24 now and the service rep’s still unable to give me tracking number. I complained that at this point, they should be couriering the missing part to us for same-day delivery, given all that we’d gone through. I just finished posting a complaint in their Facebook site, but other than that, I just don’t know where to turn to next. I don’t want to deal with customer service anymore., and we are seriously thinking of taking legal action.
@Frances I’m sorry for your poor experience and understand the pain you are going through. This can feel like you are a hostage in your own home. I have been in contact with Sears and will update you soon.
Hi,
I purchased sofa and carpet from Lastman’s Bad Boy Brampton superstore in December 2012. I paid for my purchases in full already. The company delivered the sofa’s but still the carpet delivery is pending. Its April now. I keep calling them regularly and I even visited their store 3 times. I talked to senior manager as well but still no luck. They tell me they have the carpet in stock and will get it to me in a week time. Please can you help with this. Let me know if you need any more details. I have the invoice, billing all the information.
Regards,
Ismail S. Husain