The Irish are the third least likely people to complain to shops or companies, but RÓISÍN INGLE's guide is designed to help customers get what they want
AS Joe Duffy can attest, there’s no shortage of people lining up to whinge about everything from Nama to head shops to the weather in this country. But research published this week by Eurobarometer, which conducts surveys for the European Commission, revealed Irish consumers are the third least likely in Europe to complain or seek redress from companies. To help us improve, we have compiled a handy guide to the art of complaining. All together now: Could I speak to your manager?
The complaint:You just spent a small fortune on highlights in a fancy hair salon but when you get home it reminds you of the time you were 16 and a bit flathúileach with the Sun-In.
What to say:The canny complainer will resist attacking the work of the stylist. "We do a very comprehensive consultation before we cut or colour hair, so if a customer complains, it's usually because they just don't like it," says Leonard Daly of Queen Beauty Emporium in Dublin. Say "it doesn't suit my colouring", rather than "the colourist should be shot".
What to expect:A re-do. "We don't want someone walking around with a hairstyle they don't like, so we would invite them back in to sort it out," says Daly.
The complaint:You check into your five-star hotel. It's a precious night away from the children, so you've requested a quiet room. All is fine until you hear Lady GaGa from the 21st birthday party below. You want to hang the DJ but settle for a word with the hotel manager.
What to say:The first thing, according to Ettienne Van Vrede, general manager of the Hayfield Manor Hotel in Cork, is to stay calm. "Everyone tends to be more responsive to a complaint when it's delivered in a civilised manner," he says.
What to expect:"We want the customer to return, so if it's a valid complaint I would usually invite them to return, with our compliments," says Van Vrede.
The complaint:Dancing the night away, the killer heel on your new shoe snaps off. Cue mortification on the dance floor.
What to say:"I always tell customers to ask for the manager when they go into the store and make your complaint directly to them," says Harry Bhardwaj, assistant manager of Clarks in Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin.
What to expect:Replacement shoes. And, says Bhardwaj, be grateful you are not in India. "If you complain in my country, nobody is interested," he says.
The complaint:You've ordered a vegetarian pizza, and the beers are nicely chilled, but when the doorbell rings you are handed a meatastic monty, with extra meatballs.
What to say:"Just tell us the problem and we will sort it out," says Tom Smahaj, Domino store manager in Ashbourne, Co Meath. "We always take the blame whether it is our fault or not." Smahaj reckons 90 per cent of customers who get the wrong pizza don't complain. But they really should. "Just don't scream and shout down the phone, because we are only human," he says.
What to expect:"We will apologise, offer a replacement pizza, money back or something extra for the customer," says Smahaj.
