Make Your Voice Heard
© Mary Wilson
There are several ways for a disgruntled consumer to make his or her voice heard, and most of them take very little time and/or energy. First, most companies provide a toll-free number to call with comments or complaints. If a company's actions don't seem right, call them. Do you not like marketing practices? Is their packaging difficult to open? You don't need to call with Earth-shattering revelations.
Secondly, write. Again, most companies provide consumer correspondence addresses. You may receive a nice form letter in return; however, keep the faith that the more people the right, the more the company has to listen. If enough people become upset on a topic, the manufacturer will change.
Finally, remember the power of the dollar bill. One of the most common topic on internet bird lists is the way large chain pet stores treat their birds. If you don't like something you see in the store, talk to the manager. If the manager doesn't act appropriately, quit shopping there. Tell everyone you know to quit shopping there and why. In the corporate world, there is an adage that is told to every single customer service employee -- A happy customer will tell 1 other person, an unhappy customer will tell 10. This is true, and it is a powerful factor in getting things changed.
If you do not like a company's products, then don't buy them. If you don't like a store, don't shop there.
As a consumer it is hard to feel empowered when faced with a large, multimillion, or multibillion, dollar corporation. You voice is not too small. You can change the world.
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