b'Customer Complaints- Closing the Gap Three factors figur prominentlyof Dave Mu n , Jr.,iden listedrepair;percent ednge ast pres t,poQrwork 46 with more than 700 dissatisfied cus Mungenast Automotive F ily andm in m nt and disam entionedco petetomers, who had filed complaintschair, Americ Internationalcourteousworkers;38percent anAuto w the St. Louis Better B Dealers Association; John Mcln me dec veising; ithusinessntionedepti advertBureau(BBB},accordingtoatoc 1 president, New Yorkan 36percent mentionedd a in h,1,Cle el ys recently released study. Theseers and Apple Cleaners; Randy Pre delivery;20 percent mentioned and issues, whichaffectedeachwitt,president,M Floorbilling. id-Westerrorsindustrydifferently,are:Company and president,ooringT survey waspreceded by Fl he quality,deceptive salesIn tryCoun l ofGreaterSt.seven focus groups of the indusdus ciand poor repair work.Louis;andGene DeBoef, vice tries stu ed: floor covering, dry diT studywaspresidenl,lla, Inc.Pella, Iowa.cleaning, franchised auto dealers, hePe of sponsoredThisfirst-of-its-kindsurveyau dealers sed,auto repair to-uexamined the top 10 in withshops, home rem elingdfdustriesod an roothe m complaints filed w hing. Themes emerging from thostit theose 1997identify BBB intothe underly focus groups included: ing causes ofm deter eis very important toline in the co plaint,Itoutmine similarities and dissimilaritiesany sales agr specifeement what industrydetermi Idonecuswithin eachandneica ly will beby thewhat can be done toidreto ormer. avo futu merso othe partyrecurring problems.Customercomplaintsoften jointlythe St. LouisEDeceptive salestics were theresult when aselects a byBBB,mer tac customer sonElectric Cen forBusinessleading complaintatusedautolo r-q becau of terwe uality productse Ethics at St. Louisanddealers, fra ised auto dealers andprice,butr and University,nch emembers the St. L Chapter of the Societyau repair sh but was very lowexpects all featur ofhighouistoops;estheerof Consumer Affairs Professionalforcleaners. On the o er hand,qualityudryth prod ct. (SOCAP).Thesurveyincludeddry cleaners had the most com Many co laints arise somempfocusgroups,casestudiesandplaintso and se time after ah been coab ut productrvicejobasminterviews with the consu fil quality.toshops and roof pleted or a p u has be purmersAu repairrod cten ing complaints.ing contractors generated the mostchased. Thestudywaspresentedtocomplaints about poor repair wo Busin with good customer rk.esses tivesog ize nearly 200 business execu atBasedon pastresearchandservicereputationsrec nthe Maritz Performance Improve exp n the St. L B hasth employees dealing witherie ce,ouisBBatcusment Center Theater in,c a list of the most tomers face to face is "key" to Fenton Mo.ompileddamag the in April.ing complaints. T study con msc tomer\'s perception of their hisfir usFo owing the pr of thethat these comp tsdoin service. ll esentationlain deed study, al of four businesspeo describeexperiencesof theSt.Pricing disputes are a cha epane ll nge epresentingsumersbus andleffple r the industries stud Louis area con who haveforiness to h e ectively ied discussed: how they managehad serious disputes with compa Through focus grou it was ps customersatisfaction; howtheyniesintheseindustries.Whenrevealed that variousiations assocdetermine customertations;asked totify their most damag and tradeunionsc aexpec iden urrentlyre what and how much train theying compla ts, 65 percent listedassisting their m bersimprove ingin em to give th employees and the role oflack of follow-up63 per customersatisfac nthroueircontact;tio gh other business partners; such ascentioned failure to re re a training. The Greater ment spond;searchnd trade associations,tractors,60 percent listed pooru orS Louiso iveiation, subcon prod ctt.Aut mot Assocor u and what part manufactur service; 56percentmentionedand the F oring Indu Council nionslo stry ers play in customer satisfaction.dec sales; 56 percent mof St.L is intion with eptiveen ou cooperaThe panel, moderated by Caroltioned failure to provide promised Con ed on n te Daniel, KMOX Talk Radio,refu or adjustments: 48 percenttinu ex pagconsistednds 14'