European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 12, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 the stars and stripes april consumer watch How to Moke o complaint count by Mary Neth consumer editor its bound to no matter How careful a shopper you someday you Are going to run into a problem a warranty that int a product that proves a firm that Doest live up to its its time to complain but How some Downto Earth advice on complaining effectively is put out in the compleat California consumer Cata Logue published by the California department of con Sumer the Catalon is available from the Cali fornia department of consumer documents and Box i Lores blueprint for registering a complain pursue your quickly in is still fresh in go to Lii services department Ami explain your problem clearly and without be but control of your have All your supporting documents in appropriate listen carefully to the offers that Are made to Settle the do they sound reasonable be willing to Compromise if you were somewhat at or if you will gain nothing by not doing always be persistent even if your initial efforts have been if you cant get a satisfactory Resolution to your problem by following the Steps seek assistance through your local jag if the business you Are dealing with is an american you also can turn to a government or to a complain handling serv ice offered by a business or americans overseas who order through Cata logs or from ads May find helpful the Consumers re source handbook published by the consumer information Center Box it lists corporate consumer private consumer and and local government agencies with consumer you May need to write a letter outlining your if the company operates or the product is a National write to the consumer offi Cial of the or the company if you dont know the presidents it can be found in in Standard poors Register of directors and available at most also available in libraries is the Thomas which lists the manufacturers of bran name Here Are some tips for writing a complaint letter be sure to include your and Home and work phone Type your letter if if it is make sure it is neat and state your including the name of the product and serial or Model include the Date and location of Purchase and other state the problem and give a history of the enclose copies not originals of All ask for action within a reasonable the person Reading your letter is not personally responsible for your but May be responsible for resolving avoid writing a threatening or angry it May Lessen your chances of getting the complaint of keep a copy of the letter for your if you need More Contact your Legal office or the local consumer affairs office of the state government where the company is be an army Community service financial adviser in Frankfurt recalls months of letter writing to a firm on behalf of a client before the problem was finally a not he course olfaction is to coi Liaci Trade a jumbo of Trade association now have developed to Scilly deputies about to products that the members Ostheim Markci and the major appliance consumer action panel 20 Wacker is sponsored by the association of Home appliance Man the Gas appliance manufacturers association and the National retail merchants decisions of Macau Are binding on the but not on the Auto Cap automobile consumer action panel was established by new car dealers in More than 30 metropolitan Check with the National automobile dealers Asso 8400 West Park for local decisions of Auto Cap Are binding on the but not on the better business bureaus bbb also can be of these offices found throughout the United states keep files on Large numbers of individual business firms and organizations in the areas and can provide you with information on they can give you Basic facts such As How Long the stateside firm has been in whether or not custom ers have had the nature of their problems and the manner in which the firm resolved addresses of the offices can be obtained through the better business bureaus Headquarters at 1150 17th Street the bibs do not handle complaints about the prices of goods and unless the Price has been miss Ere they do not appraise or evaluate products or give Legal advice or most have established arbitration pro Grams an alternative to court the arbitrators trained in methods and procedures by a representative of that Council of better business bureaus National these volunteers often represent a Cross Section of the Community with labor mediators and businessmen available to at a informal each party has the Opportunity to present an support ing documentation and Call the arbitrators decision is called an award and is in ii an agreement to is binding upon Boih a 1 ties and is by the Many stau ans governments have consumer com Elj i in a nil i according to the National association of attorneys 90 percent of slate attorneys general offices have such in most stale attorneys general offices enforce unfair or deceptive Trade prac Tice if have been dealing with a firm that lists a certain state As its you might want to Fry this a placement of state consumer Protection is available from the National association of attorneys 3901 Barrett Ralph naders Center for responsive Law also might be of the address is Box Washington As to educating yourself As a consumer sold in stars and stripes bookstores an Issue analyses everything from Large and Small appliances to Frozen foods and in addition to the monthly there is an annual buying product ratings Are Given in order of estimated Overall without regard to the Magazine and buying guide Are published by the nonprofit Consumers Union established in 1936 which also acts As a consumer advocate in the courts and before Congress and regulatory dont donate at the door animal lovers take if a person knocks at the door asking for Money for the German equivalent of the american Spca dont according to the Wiesbaden commercial affairs office a collection scam has been going it has been discovered that the a nonprofit German organization for the Protection of which raises Money by Selling packages of is being it seems that two people have photocopied the tier Herbergs cover Sheet for the packet and have been going Doort door in the forces housing areas misrepresenting themselves As representatives of the organization and Selling postcard they then simply pocket the Doort door solicitation is prohibited on forces including housing and the tier Herbergs organization located in the town of Sonntal rottgers understands it does not solicit in forces housing authorized personnel carry two forms of identification their German solicitors License with photograph and valid issuing stamp and a tier Herbergs identification