Not so slow to speak up

Aug 30 2005 By Evening Gazette

Britons are more likely to complain than people in most other countries - including Americans, according to new research.

But I have found those in the US much more vocal when it comes to making a fuss over poor service or shoddy goods.

They are prepared to pay "big bucks" but for that they expect to get value for money and a top-notch service.

And if they don't they are not backward when it comes to making a complaint about it.

Standing in line - oops, sorry, I mean a queue - for food at a Florida theme park I can recall one American bloke doing his nut about the speed of service.

"Call this fast food?" was his mantra.

I thought the service was quick and efficient, but obviously not when it came to US standards. And he was not the only one who vented his feelings.

I could have pictured people here standing meekly however long the queue was.

An NOP report said more than a third of Britons spoke out against a company or organisation in the last year.

Sweden topped the poll of moaners, with 41pc, Australians came third at 30pc, followed by Canada at 26pc. The US, Brazil and Argentina came joint fifth with 23pc of respondents making a complaint.

NOP spokesman Tim Wragg said: "This research goes against the popular belief that as a nation we are happy to put up with poor service and not say anything."

But let's face it all companies can have an off-day. After all we all make mistakes.

And - to me - what singles out a good company is how it deals with a problem.

Get that right and a customer will come back. Get it wrong and the company will be bad-mouthed to everyone they know.