Consumer's View of Third Party Mechanisms (From Consumer Dispute Resolution - Exploring the Alternatives, P 43-52, Larry Ray and Deborah Smolover, ed. - See NCJ-91236)

• NCJ Number: 92435
• Author(s): C Newton
• Date Published: 1983
• Length: 10 pages
• Sale Source: American Bar Assoc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Originally published in MOBIUS (October 1982)

Annotation

The controversy over the effectiveness of third party mechanisms in settling consumer disputes centers on trust: trust in the technical advice and information supplied, trust in the representatives chosen by industry to serve on the panels, and trust in the intentions of industry.

Abstract

Trust in the information furnished to the third party panel is vital to trust in the outcome. Data obtained from the complaining consumers and the impartiality and quality of technical expertise supplied to the panel are crucial to providing the base of information upon which a panel's deliberations proceed. Trust must also be engendered in the procedures used to select panel members and in the people selected. Selection procedures should be openly publicized; it should be evident that consumer representatives are not biased toward a particular industry or business, and business representatives selected must have a reputation for treating consumers fairly. A business' intention in establishing a complaint panel must also be above reproach. Many consumers suspect that industry efforts to establish such panels are rooted in the selfish interest to forestall government regulation while continuing business as usual. Trust can be built in a number of ways. Business and sales representatives should be aware of such mechanisms and refer dissatisfied consumers to them, and the existence of the panels should be advertised. Further, complaints must be dealt with quickly, and every effort must be made to aid the consumer in participating in the complaint process by providing appropriate forms and facilitative services.