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Rob Rinder in the media: past, present and future. In December 2019 Rob Rinder kindly give me a review for my book 101 Habits of an Effective Complainer. Having kept in touch since then, I recently undertook a series of exclusive interviews with him. MORE
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What’s in an award? . People are impressed by awards. At the very least they think someone must be good at something if they have won an award! However, many of the awards in the consumer and business worlds are not as they may first appear. And awards seem to be popping up all over the place. MORE
There is always lots of talk about how to revitalise our High Streets and towns, but who actually asks consumers what they want? As a consumer champion I hear exactly what consumers want. MORE
Today (18 October 2021) the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has filed proceedings against Truly Holdings (TH). It is “… requesting a court order that outstanding refunds be immediately repaid and that, going forward, customers who are entitled to a refund are repaid within 14 days.” MORE
Major supermarket online shopping hit by mystery attack? Tesco’s website was been “down” between Saturday 23 October 2021 and today (Monday 25 October 2021). MORE
Logistics unlocked. Recently I wrote a post Buying from Europe? Import changes made it a whole lot more complicated and costlier! I found that complicated to get my head round and that was just for consumers! When it came to importing for businesses it was even more complicated! MORE
This is a version of the article How to escalate a complaint when customer services fails that first appeared on The Metro website 28 December 2021. How to escalate a complaint when customer services fails. Complaining can often be infuriating. MORE
Is BNPL good for your finances? OR Should you ever “pay later”? Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) is a type of credit which has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Brands include, for example, Klarna, Clearpay, Laybuy and Openpay. MORE
How satisfied with customer service are you? The Institute of Customer Service (ICS) published its bi-annual UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) report today, 7 July 2021. It showed that the number of complaints about poor service in the last six months was at its highest level since 2009! MORE
10 parcels a minute go missing. Research published today shows that parcels in the UK are going missing at the shocking rate of 10 every minute, due to loss and theft. MORE
Customer service: Email still beats webchat and phone calls. Many companies make it difficult for customers to complain. I have always advocated writing to companies when complaining, for several reasons. 1) So that you have the evidence trail should you need to take the matter further. MORE
All businesses need insurance whatever the size. But it’s boring right?! It’s great to be looking for sales and playing on social media etc. but one of the many lessons of the last year has been that anything can happen and you need to make sure you are protected against any eventuality. MORE
The full guide regarding the energy crisis. Gas prices have gone up 250% since January and 70% in the last month. MORE
Today (14 October 2021) is World Ombudsman Day. The theme for this year is “Exploring Options to Resolve Conflict Together”. There are many myths around an Ombudsman and other Alternative Dispute Resolution schemes. And it is not just consumers who get confused. MORE
The trouble with jargon when writing to customers. Jargon. Most of us hate it and yet we see it everywhere. Whilst it can help when talking to colleagues to expedite conversations, it is not a great idea when talking to customers! MORE
The new Winter of Discontent continues. Fuel prices are up because the Government didn’t listen to the warnings 18 months ago. Government was warned that energy companies could collapse 18 months ago, Ofgem reveals. MORE
Vulnerable people are frequently left without a resolution to a complaint. They can find it difficult to know how to complain, what route to take, what language to use, and if they don’t get a satisfactory response they will give up more quickly. MORE
A series of interviews by The Complaining Cow. In my series of interviews with people in the consumer world, today is the turn of Matt Allwright. 1) Generally, do you complain to a company regarding a faulty item? Yes, but always from the point of view that we both have something to gain. MORE
We all know that energy prices are rising significantly due to a variety of reasons. So, how can we reduce our energy costs? There are a number of things we can do, ranging from smaller changes that add up to a bigger saving, to more substantial savings. MORE
Matt Allwright wrote a review of my second book 101 Habits of an Effective Complainer. You’d think I would have got round to writing a review of his book Watchdog – the Consumer Survival Guide by now! But better late than never… Watchdog The Consumer Survival Guide *. MORE
As we approach Christmas, the signs are that the High Streets are beginning to turn back to pre-COVID levels. As people try and get back to normal there is an increase in footfall and possibly even purchases to try and treat themselves after such a horrid time. MORE
Going anywhere nice this year? The UK is bracing itself for news of the lifting of national and international COVID-19 travel restrictions as early as 7 May 2021. MORE
Tesco fails to plan for Christmas. For many years now Tesco like other supermarkets has offered home delivery of your shopping. You can book hourly slots or flexible slots from 6.00am to 11.00pm every day. MORE
Get to know the arbitrators! The 8 October 2020 is International Ombuds Day. The second Thursday of every October its aim is to raise awareness of what an Ombudsman does. What is an ombudsman? An Ombudsman is an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider. MORE
I keep saying that social media isn’t always the best way to complain! This has been borne out in recent a survey of more than 5,000 people undertaken by the consumer organisation Which? MORE
This is a version of the article How to book a holiday during the Covid pandemic that first appeared on The Guardian website 17 January 2022. How to holiday in the time of COVID. MORE
Awards abound for all sorts of things. You name it, there’s probably an award for it! Frequently these awards are paid for. Many consumers don’t realise that often when they see “Award winning” on a product or a website that businesses have paid to enter and compete. MORE
Government Consultation on Competition and Consumer Policy. On 20 June 2021 the Government finally published its consumer paper for consultation. It is titled Reforming Competition and Consumer Policy. The closing date for responses is 11.45am on 1 October 2021. MORE
This week is Big Energy Saving Week, run by Citizens Advice and the Energy Trust. We all know that this coming year is going to be incredibly tough for us all with energy bills. MORE
New £100 contactless limit – is it safe? On 15 October 2021 the contactless payment card spend limit increases from £45 to £100. According to a survey of over 1,000 people I undertook, 51% of people didn’t think it should be raised, whilst 47% thought it should and 2% were undecided. MORE
Rob Rinder – From Barrister to TV Judge. I had the great pleasure of chatting with Rob Rinder in a series of exclusive interviews. He is extremely knowledgeable, very warm and open. And he can talk big time! He spoke about life as a barrister, in the media and his own personal complaining habits. MORE
Helen Dewdney
JANUARY 6, 2022
Is BNPL good for your finances? OR Should you ever “pay later”? Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) is a type of credit which has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Brands include, for example, Klarna, Clearpay, Laybuy and Openpay.
Helen Dewdney
NOVEMBER 29, 2021
We all know that energy prices are rising significantly due to a variety of reasons. So, how can we reduce our energy costs? There are a number of things we can do, ranging from smaller changes that add up to a bigger saving, to more substantial savings.
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Helen Dewdney
JANUARY 18, 2022
This week is Big Energy Saving Week, run by Citizens Advice and the Energy Trust. We all know that this coming year is going to be incredibly tough for us all with energy bills.
Helen Dewdney
JANUARY 20, 2022
This is a version of the article How to book a holiday during the Covid pandemic that first appeared on The Guardian website 17 January 2022. How to holiday in the time of COVID.
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Helen Dewdney
SEPTEMBER 3, 2021
All businesses need insurance whatever the size. But it’s boring right?! It’s great to be looking for sales and playing on social media etc. but one of the many lessons of the last year has been that anything can happen and you need to make sure you are protected against any eventuality.
Helen Dewdney
OCTOBER 20, 2021
Awards abound for all sorts of things. You name it, there’s probably an award for it! Frequently these awards are paid for. Many consumers don’t realise that often when they see “Award winning” on a product or a website that businesses have paid to enter and compete.
Helen Dewdney
OCTOBER 14, 2021
New £100 contactless limit – is it safe? On 15 October 2021 the contactless payment card spend limit increases from £45 to £100. According to a survey of over 1,000 people I undertook, 51% of people didn’t think it should be raised, whilst 47% thought it should and 2% were undecided.
Helen Dewdney
OCTOBER 29, 2021
What’s in an award? . People are impressed by awards. At the very least they think someone must be good at something if they have won an award! However, many of the awards in the consumer and business worlds are not as they may first appear. And awards seem to be popping up all over the place.
Helen Dewdney
DECEMBER 29, 2021
This is a version of the article How to escalate a complaint when customer services fails that first appeared on The Metro website 28 December 2021. How to escalate a complaint when customer services fails. Complaining can often be infuriating.
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We’ve all had surveys that we’d rather forget, but surveys are a critical element of your overall customer experience. Download this eBook and get the four key elements of a brand-building survey program. Use these tenets to help your surveys deepen your customer’s relationship with your brand.
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Helen Dewdney
JULY 28, 2021
10 parcels a minute go missing. Research published today shows that parcels in the UK are going missing at the shocking rate of 10 every minute, due to loss and theft.
Helen Dewdney
APRIL 19, 2021
Rob Rinder in the media: past, present and future. In December 2019 Rob Rinder kindly give me a review for my book 101 Habits of an Effective Complainer. Having kept in touch since then, I recently undertook a series of exclusive interviews with him.
Helen Dewdney
AUGUST 16, 2021
There is always lots of talk about how to revitalise our High Streets and towns, but who actually asks consumers what they want? As a consumer champion I hear exactly what consumers want.
Helen Dewdney
AUGUST 2, 2021
A series of interviews by The Complaining Cow. In my series of interviews with people in the consumer world, today is the turn of Matt Allwright. 1) Generally, do you complain to a company regarding a faulty item? Yes, but always from the point of view that we both have something to gain.
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Helen Dewdney
APRIL 12, 2021
Rob Rinder – From Barrister to TV Judge. I had the great pleasure of chatting with Rob Rinder in a series of exclusive interviews. He is extremely knowledgeable, very warm and open. And he can talk big time! He spoke about life as a barrister, in the media and his own personal complaining habits.
Helen Dewdney
MAY 4, 2021
Logistics unlocked. Recently I wrote a post Buying from Europe? Import changes made it a whole lot more complicated and costlier! I found that complicated to get my head round and that was just for consumers! When it came to importing for businesses it was even more complicated!
Helen Dewdney
NOVEMBER 8, 2021
Matt Allwright wrote a review of my second book 101 Habits of an Effective Complainer. You’d think I would have got round to writing a review of his book Watchdog – the Consumer Survival Guide by now! But better late than never… Watchdog The Consumer Survival Guide *.
Helen Dewdney
DECEMBER 13, 2021
As we approach Christmas, the signs are that the High Streets are beginning to turn back to pre-COVID levels. As people try and get back to normal there is an increase in footfall and possibly even purchases to try and treat themselves after such a horrid time.
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How has the pandemic changed customer expectations and CX strategies? From several verticals and a wealth of VOC data, we share key insights and examine if NPS has the same predictive power. See how you should adjust your metrics!
Helen Dewdney
MARCH 4, 2021
Vulnerable people are frequently left without a resolution to a complaint. They can find it difficult to know how to complain, what route to take, what language to use, and if they don’t get a satisfactory response they will give up more quickly.
Helen Dewdney
MAY 7, 2021
Going anywhere nice this year? The UK is bracing itself for news of the lifting of national and international COVID-19 travel restrictions as early as 7 May 2021.
Helen Dewdney
OCTOBER 7, 2020
Get to know the arbitrators! The 8 October 2020 is International Ombuds Day. The second Thursday of every October its aim is to raise awareness of what an Ombudsman does. What is an ombudsman? An Ombudsman is an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider.
Helen Dewdney
JULY 7, 2021
How satisfied with customer service are you? The Institute of Customer Service (ICS) published its bi-annual UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI) report today, 7 July 2021. It showed that the number of complaints about poor service in the last six months was at its highest level since 2009!
Advertiser: ZoomInfo
What is conversational marketing really about? This guide will examine the market forces at play, shifting buyer trends, how to leverage conversation marketing, and the tactics involved in adopting it for a B2B demand generation strategy.
Helen Dewdney
OCTOBER 18, 2021
Today (18 October 2021) the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has filed proceedings against Truly Holdings (TH). It is “… requesting a court order that outstanding refunds be immediately repaid and that, going forward, customers who are entitled to a refund are repaid within 14 days.”
Helen Dewdney
SEPTEMBER 22, 2021
The full guide regarding the energy crisis. Gas prices have gone up 250% since January and 70% in the last month.
Helen Dewdney
OCTOBER 14, 2021
Today (14 October 2021) is World Ombudsman Day. The theme for this year is “Exploring Options to Resolve Conflict Together”. There are many myths around an Ombudsman and other Alternative Dispute Resolution schemes. And it is not just consumers who get confused.
Helen Dewdney
MAY 26, 2021
The trouble with jargon when writing to customers. Jargon. Most of us hate it and yet we see it everywhere. Whilst it can help when talking to colleagues to expedite conversations, it is not a great idea when talking to customers!
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Helen Dewdney
SEPTEMBER 15, 2021
I keep saying that social media isn’t always the best way to complain! This has been borne out in recent a survey of more than 5,000 people undertaken by the consumer organisation Which?
Helen Dewdney
SEPTEMBER 27, 2021
The new Winter of Discontent continues. Fuel prices are up because the Government didn’t listen to the warnings 18 months ago. Government was warned that energy companies could collapse 18 months ago, Ofgem reveals.
Helen Dewdney
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
Government Consultation on Competition and Consumer Policy. On 20 June 2021 the Government finally published its consumer paper for consultation. It is titled Reforming Competition and Consumer Policy. The closing date for responses is 11.45am on 1 October 2021.
Helen Dewdney
NOVEMBER 13, 2020
Tesco fails to plan for Christmas. For many years now Tesco like other supermarkets has offered home delivery of your shopping. You can book hourly slots or flexible slots from 6.00am to 11.00pm every day.
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Helen Dewdney
JULY 2, 2020
Customer service: Email still beats webchat and phone calls. Many companies make it difficult for customers to complain. I have always advocated writing to companies when complaining, for several reasons. 1) So that you have the evidence trail should you need to take the matter further.
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