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Introduction

ENTER THE CONSCIOUS CONSUMER By Anna Karyl It's probably happened to you... You take your hard-earned money and exchange it for a product or service. All you want is a fair deal. The company has promoted its product or service through advertising and marketing. They made certain promises, either stated or implied. You have certain expectations. But in the process, something goes wrong. You pay the price, but you don't get what you pay for. Maybe the company staff was incompetent or rude. Maybe the product or service was inferior. Or maybe the company didn't play by the Marquess of Queensbury rules. Either way, you are not happy. The company promised the moon, but you've been saddled with a load of Swiss cheese. You feel slighted. Or cheated. You try to correct the situation, but the company drones give you double-talk or the runaround. Maybe they try to convince you that you really ought to be pleased with your inferior product. ...read more.

Middle

But what you're really after is the fair deal -- getting the product or service that you paid for. The best way to get what you expect is to be conscious of consuming by recognizing that you hold the keys -- your choice and your money -- in your hand. And in exchange for giving your money to a business for their advertised and marketed product or service, you want to be satisfied that they delivered on their promises. You want your expectations met. And you want to be treated with the respect that everyone deserves. When you are not getting your money's worth or you're not treated with any worth at all, you can change the situation. You have the power... 1. Write a letter to the company president, complaining about the product or service that was inferior. Be respectful, but make your point. 2. Make a telephone call. ...read more.

Conclusion

Companies behaving badly need to have their consciousness raised, too. You, as their consumer who butters their bread, can help. If you don't get satisfaction from the company, don't buy their product, don't use their service, and tell your friends why you won't do business with that company anymore. But what about when the company does it right? Conscious Consumers can work wonders here, too. If you have gotten more than you expected, either in product or service, write the president or the customer service representative of the company and tell them your story. Positive reinforcement is a boon to good business relations. In nearly every case where I have shared my positive statements with companies, they have responded with gratitude (and sometimes even with a coupon.) When I discover a company that goes beyond the call of duty, I favor them with my business big time. So it behooves The Conscious Consumer to let the companies know how you feel about their customer service. When enough Conscious Consumers act, the world will change. And it will be much more to our liking. ...read more.

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