Consumers demand that sales outlets establish centers to resolve complaints

Consumers demanded that major sales outlets establish specialized centers that receive complaints, work on researching them, finding solutions for them, and listening to consumers’ suggestions regarding ways to improve the services provided to them, provided that they are available in their large and main branches, especially in commercial centers and large residential complexes, with supervision over them from official bodies concerned with resolving consumer complaints.

They explained to “Emirates Today” that the presence of these centers, supported by qualified employees, facilitates the process of submitting complaints and resolving them quickly and efficiently, explaining that they tried to communicate with sales centers to resolve complaints regarding high prices, the presence of unreal offers, replacing defective goods, and resolving warranty problems, but they informed them that there are no officials authorized to resolve complaints.

They noted that some of the official government agencies authorized to receive complaints deal with a large number of complaints in various commercial fields at the same time, which requires a great deal of time and effort. It is sometimes impossible to reach some agencies and submit complaints, and some complaints take a long time to resolve.

In turn, two officials at two sales outlets welcomed the proposal, and stressed that it is in the interest of both the outlet and the consumer, and contributes to the speedy handling of complaints, which enhances consumer confidence.

In detail, the consumer, Maryam Al-Ketbi, called for the establishment of complaints and suggestions centers affiliated with major sales outlets and available in their large branches to receive consumer complaints, research them and find solutions to them, with supervision by official bodies concerned with resolving consumer complaints.

She explained that establishing these centers facilitates the process of resolving complaints and treating them more quickly and efficiently, especially in light of direct communication between the two sides in a timely manner.

She pointed out that she had previously tried to submit several complaints to outlets regarding high prices and the presence of unreal offers, but the outlets informed her that there were no officials authorized to resolve complaints, and it was also impossible to submit them to the relevant official authority due to hearing a recorded message at different times that all lines were busy.

The consumer, Salah Riad, called on the major sales outlets to establish affiliated complaints and suggestions centers, available in their large branches, especially in commercial centers and large residential complexes, supported by competent employees authorized to resolve complaints and listen to their suggestions to improve services on an ongoing basis, with supervision over them from official bodies, with the possibility of escalating them to one of the relevant government agencies, if the solution is not satisfactory. For the consumer.

He said that he had previously tried to file a complaint with one of the outlets to replace a defective electrical product by communicating with officials at the outlet. They informed him that they were not authorized to resolve complaints, and promised him that they would try to resolve them. However, he waited a long time and it was not resolved, and he was not contacted after that to inform him of the result. He pointed out that some of the official government agencies authorized to receive complaints deal with a large number of complaints in various commercial fields at the same time, which It requires a lot of time and effort, and it is sometimes impossible to reach some parties and file complaints, and some complaints take a long time to resolve.

The consumer, Mazen Essam, stressed the importance of having centers affiliated with sales outlets that have qualified employees who have decision-making authority to solve the problems facing consumers, especially simple complaints, with supervision from the authorities concerned with resolving complaints and their intervention in the event that the center fails to resolve the complaint.

He said that he tried to file a complaint with one of the concerned authorities after a problem occurred regarding the warranty of an expensive electrical item that he purchased from an outlet. He succeeded in filing the complaint after several attempts, but no one contacted him and he was not informed of the fate of the complaint for several weeks.

On the other hand, an official at one of the sales outlets, Abu Bakr Hafeez, said that in some outlets there are customer service employees who sometimes assist in resolving some simple complaints, but allocating an integrated center and a specific crew to resolve complaints is also in the interest of the outlets and not just of consumers, because repeatedly not resolving complaints may cause the consumer to abandon purchasing from a particular outlet, especially in light of the presence of a large number of outlets. There is intense competition among them in providing offers and services to consumers.

An official at another sales outlet, Rajeev Tamara, added that some simple problems are sometimes solved directly at the outlet, but in some outlets there are no employees authorized to solve them and they do not have the authority to make decisions to resolve some complex complaints, which makes them pending for a long period, indicating that the presence of supervision from approved official bodies supports confidence in resolving the problem.

He pointed out the importance of cooperation on the part of outlets to resolve any consumer complaint, because repeated failure to resolve complaints weakens consumer confidence in the outlet, and causes them to turn away from it to other outlets that are more cooperative in resolving complaints, especially for durable goods.