Consumer Complaint Behaviour

A study on the complaint behaviour of dissatisfied customers and what companies should do to encourage customer feedback

Authors: Claudia A. Rademaker and Kristin Ödlund

Many consumers have been in situations where they were dissatisfied with a product and would have liked to complain to the company in question, however, never actually did so. Consumers tend to voice out their dissatisfaction to companies more frequently when it comes to expensive products as opposed to everyday products. This study explores the consumer complaint behavior with Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). The study shows that most dissatisfied consumers do not voice out their dissatisfaction to the relevant company and as a consequence companies are losing customers and thus profits. When companies do not receive complaints from dissatisfied customers it will be difficult to develop and improve the products that they offer in order to retain their customers. Companies should actively encourage feedback and target the so-called non-voicers. By implementing a customer complaint management strategy which is clear, empathetic, uncomplicated, friendly, not time consuming and convenient, consumers’ negative attitudes toward the act of complaining could be changed.