Sometimes we receive consumer complaints about a business and the quality of their service or product. While this isn’t something that we have authority over, we do have some information about what you can do when you encounter a quality of service issue.
What is a quality of service issue?
A quality of service issue is difficult to define because people have different ideas of what they consider to be good service or good quality. You might feel as though the quality of the good or service that you received did not meet the minimum standards of what you were expecting. If you feel dissatisfied with a product or service that you have paid for, you may be experiencing an issue that falls under this category. The following are some examples of what may be considered to be a quality of service issue:
- Jen went to a new salon for a haircut. She didn’t like the haircut and felt as though the stylist did not listen to what she wanted. She wants her money back.
- Brett and Chelsea hired a tiling company to tile their kitchen. After the work was completed, they felt that the tiling job was sloppy and poorly done. They want the company to come back and redo the work, but the company owner says that the work is fine and refuses to fix it without proper compensation.
- Victoria bought a dog collar online and after only using it one time the buckle cracked in half. The business does not provide refunds or exchanges, as laid out in the terms and conditions. She feels as though this is an unacceptable level of quality and wants her money back.
What can you do when you experience a quality of service issue?
Due to the subjective nature of these kinds of complaints, it can be a challenge to provide specific options for recourse as these kinds of issues vary in scope and cost. Depending on your issue, there may be laws that address your concerns, but sometimes it becomes a “he said – she said” type of dispute that may have to be resolved in court. Here are some options that you may want to pursue when you are experiencing a quality of service issue:
Try to resolve the issue with the business directly.
This should be your first step. Depending on what your issue is, you may be able to explain your case and the business may be happy to address your concerns. You may be interested in reading our blog posts about how to write an effective complaint letter, and general tips for resolving complaints.
Be aware that retail stores are responsible for setting their own refund and exchange policies.
It is important to ask retailers what their policies are before making a purchase.
Do some research to see if your issue is captured under any relevant laws.
Sometimes the Sale of Goods Act may apply to quality of service issues. If so, your options for recourse would be through the courts. Additionally, the Competition Bureau enforces misleading advertising and labelling provisions that may apply to your situation.
Check out the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT).
The CRT can help you try to resolve small claims disputes under $5,000 and strata (condominium) disputes of any amount. We’ve written a blog post that goes over what you can expect from the CRT.
If you want a legal opinion, consider trying the Lawyer Referral Service from the Canadian Bar Association.
They provide the opportunity for you to have a consultation with a lawyer for up to 30 minutes for a fee of $25 plus taxes.
I hope this information is helpful to you and please let me know if you have any other suggestions for ways to positively resolve quality of service issues.
About Consumer Protection BC
We are responsible for regulating specific industries and certain consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will be happy to provide you with as much information as possible. Depending on your concern, another organization may be the ones to speak to; other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.
ADDITIONAL READING:
Online shopping: tips to receive your refund when your package never arrives
Free trial traps: how to identify them and what to do if you’re stuck
What would you do? A guide to being a savvy consumer: gym memberships
Good Post.
I was desperate to have a townhouse (3 levels, 3 bdrm, 3 baths) clean and was willing to pay triple the money I would have pay under non urgent circumstances. This company sent in 2 workers. Prior to work being done, I was told over the phone it may take 4-6 hours. When the workers arrived, I asked approximately how long it would take now that they have seen the place and was told approx 3-4 hours. I said ok and that I need the place absolutely clean and sparkle for my client.
2 hours later the workers asked me for me to inspect. Dust and debris everywhere. Razor and small items from previous owner was still sitting at the same spot (Keep in mind it’s a vacant property. I had mention NOTHING in that place belongs to the new owners, is garbage and must go). Pink slime around the edge of bath tub, shower, rim of drain holes, base of faucets, shower walls/tiles. Old soap bar sitting in the soap holder, soap scum in bathtub and shower stand, tooth brush and feminine pad inside drawer. I took a piece of tissue and effortlessly wiped it around the drain hole rim to show the worker and the tissue had the pink slime on it. The list goes on. I called their manager to inform of the situation and was told he spoke to them and they will do it again. approx 30-40 minutes later I checked again. They literally only wiped those spots I’ve used as examples to their manager. I need to stress, even after giving them a second chance, the work was still not done properly. 2 hours and 40 minutes later, 2 bedrooms poorly vacuum, 2 bathrooms and 1 stair hardly cleaned, the rest of the place untouched. Zero dusting to window covering (blinds). I called their manager and sent them out of the property. I was told they were professional cleaners and are experienced as per their advertisement. I had to hire a new cleaning crew to redo the work as they hardly did anything for the property. I’ve sent video of before and after their work to the manager. Offered to give access for him to verify my complaint and gave him the opportunity to call me. The manager called nearly 24 hrs after. Offered 20% off for the service they’ve provided. I haven’t pay them and will not be paying as they have not done the work we’ve agreed upon. I had to pay another crew to redo the work. If anything, they’ve wasted mine and my client’s time. It’s like buying a product that does not work. Company offer to give discount regardless it does not work. Then going out to buy the same item again because that 1st one does NOT work. It’s a joke. Any thoughts on if I need to pay?
Hello and thank you for explaining your situation here. Due to the subjective nature of these kinds of situations, it can be a challenge to provide specific options for recourse but the first thing we would suggest is to definitely try working it out with the business. Sounds like you have already done this but we have written a blog post in the past on how to write an effective complaint letter. If this still doesn’t give you a satisfactory result, you may have to take the business to court. You can do this online now, through Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) and the link is here – https://civilresolutionbc.ca/. I hope you will be able to work this out with the business.
My wife and I ordered a fridge, a range, a dishwasher and a microwave, our fridge came full of scratches. Called Home Depot the first time, they replaced the unit. The second time the fridge was again scratched. Homedepot made a case to LG and ask us to contact LG for ensure the unit didn’t come from a bad batch. I called the first time, the representative said there is nothing they can do except for me to pay to fix the cosmetic damage. When I refused the option she hang up on me. Her name is Isria. The second time I called back, the guy heard I asked to talk to Isria and hang up on me. The third time I asked for a manager, the person said I can’t speak to a manager. I asked if customer service is located in Canada because it doesn’t make sense there is no manager. She said no and then immediately changed to yes. After I question why she said no, the person said it is LG Canada but the call Center is located in the Philippines. She then did the same, said there is nothing she can do and just hang up. Her name is Eve. I am not against globalization in customer service, however why would someone in the Philippines really care about Canadian customer issues. This is the worst experience I have ever had and I will make sure everyone knows about this, I will also make a complaint to Canada customer affair.
I sent a registered mail through Canada Post on Oct 1,until now not received yet……
I spent lots of time inquire,(ticket#0138537865)
call them……
but no helpful information…..
the only information I know is that on Oct 13 my mail forward to destination country…..
very important document in my registered mail but now I even dont know where is it…..
Hello and thank you for reaching out here. Unfortunately, we do not oversee Canada Post so we would not be able to help. However, Canada Post has its own complaint processing system so you may want to try that – here is the link to that page: https://www.canadapost.ca/ombudsman/submit-my-appeal/ I hope you will be able to find your registered mail soon.
Hi, I have got a mechanic to change my Benz engine oil 2-3 months ago. 4-5 days ago I start noticing some weird sound from the engine. I was going to take it to the Mercedes dealer service for diagnose but I haven’t gone. The car has been sitting for 3 days.. Today I checked the engine oil level and it is way above the max. Level. I believe one spud is coming from catalytic converter. If it is the case it must have some engine internal damage as well. I haven’t talked to the mechanic who had changed the oil last time. When I go there and explain the issue and he denies it, what am I supposed to do. Repair could be thousands of dollar.
Hello and thank you for contacting us. Since your mechanic has already done the work and this is a quality of work issue, we are not able to provide you with support. If your mechanic refuses to resolve the issue with you, you may have to take them to small claims court (if the damage is less than $5000). Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) is an online-based platform – you can explore options on their website here.
My problem is with Adobe Photoshop, I have a problem with how the program is running and it is not allowing me to save photos by using Actions. I tried to find out how I can get help to resolve this problem but the “help” page does not allow me to contact Customer Support. The window will not open, it puts me into a loop with no way to contact them. How do I deal with a problem with an international company that will not support its customer base?
Hi Steven! That sounds frustrating. I’m not sure what else to offer you other than what already in the blog post above. I would suggest continuing to find a way to reach Adobe. Have you tried reaching them through any of their social media channels (assuming they have those)? Outside of that, the only other options I have for you are listed above. I imagine this wasn’t the answer you were looking for but I hope it’s helpful to you!
Hello, We’ve been overcharged and the service provider refuses to give a refund, instead, she is demanding more money. We hired a gardener to do some work. She provided multiple invoices, one after another for each portion of work. Later, when comparing the latest invoice with the first, we saw lots of overcharges, charges for work not performed, and inflated prices for materials, e.g. landscaping paper at $20 per roll was charged as $80 per roll. The inflated charges amount to over $2,000. Although some of the work was poorly done, we still paid for the labour. Our issue is with being overcharged. Also, we later found the address and phone number on the invoices to be non-existent. What can we do to get a refund on the extra charges?
Hi Ani, first of all, please try to resolve the issue with the business directly. You may have already done this but it is important to take this step as it is the most straightforward approach. If you are not able to work it out, the CRT (Civil Resolution Tribunal) can help you – this online platform is for small claims disputes under $5,000. Here is the website. If you would like legal advice, you can contact Access Pro Bono’s Lawyer Referral Service. Through their program, you can be connected to an expert lawyer who will provide up to a half-hour of free legal consultation. Their program info can be found here. I hope these resources can be helpful to you.