Why Complain?

If you don't receive the service you expected, if the product you receive isn't what you ordered, if the experience you encountered was disappointing, I wonder if you do anything about it?

Some people believe it is their civic duty to complain.  For altruistic reasons they feel that by providing feedback to a company that's performed poorly, suggesting improvements will improve experiences for future customers.  This might be through completing a customer satisfaction survey, comment card or writing a lengthy letter of complaint.

Others do nothing at all; either because they can't be bothered or believing that it will not make any difference: time wasted.

There are those whose behaviour varies depending on what they are buying, how much they are spending and how important the purchase was for them.

Some people dislike confrontation or fear appearing fussy or difficult to please.

Social media can provide anonymity and a much wider circle of "friends" with whom to engage in word of mouth.

Sometimes, complaining can result in you feeling more pleased with how a company responds to you than if nothing had gone wrong in the first place.

I wonder what you do when dissatisfied?  Does social media play any part in your behaviour? Have you complained online via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or simply left a review on TripAdvisor?  Were you encouraged by the response you received or left feeling despondent and feeling service is depressingly bad? 

Do you think complaining is worth the effort?