Sick of poor service? Here’s how to make your voice heard

But you can. If we all take a little time to push back against bad services and poor business decisions, we can make a difference. Here’s my guide on how to stand up for your rights and make businesses listen to you.

Refuse to use the automated checkouts

The news that both Sainsburys and Tesco are using AI technology to spy on shoppers using their automated checkouts to see if you are ‘forgetting’ to put all of the items through correctly has caused much outrage and amusement.

But this masks a very real problem. Automated checkouts are amongst the most despised of all services. Yet other supermarkets are reducing their use and reverting to people on the checkouts. So when you go shopping, before you start ask if there is anyone on the till and make sure you use them, even if it means a slightly longer queue. The campaign to restore the humans starts here!

Ditch the disruptors

Are you annoyed by the sight of spoiled businessmen interfering in the democratic process and firing off super expensive rockets in to space? Don’t give them your money.

I’ve been trying to wean myself off the big online shops lately and it’s not as hard as you might think. Separate out the things that you buy into sectors. For example, purchase your books from an independent online bookseller (you can get special or signed editions for the same price too). Have a look at your last few months of orders and have a think about if you can buy the items from smaller, independent shops. You don’t have to ditch the mega companies completely – but you can dramatically reduce your reliance on them.

Don’t share your data

If you’ve downloaded an app on your phone or subscribe to a website, a button will pop up at some point asking if it can ‘track your activity’. Click ‘no’. If you don’t, your private information, from your interests to your location, will be harvested. This can be sold to other businesses so they can market more aggressively to you.

Make someone’s day

Lots of businesses ask you for feedback on their service, however, they often link individual good service to how they perform as a business: so people don’t bother.

If you hate the company but love the person, ask how you can send a compliment about them as an individual. That way you are rewarding someone who provided excellent customer service without endorsing a business that you don’t like.

Was it something I said?

Why would you give money to a business that has no intention of speaking to you? Incredibly, some of the biggest companies in the UK have no customer phone number or email. Before you buy anything, find the contact details of the business. If there isn’t a human option, ask yourself what you’d do if you need to complain. Give your cash to businesses that prize good customer service.

Shop ethically

I’m not a believer in boycotts or xenophobia, but if you don’t want to give your money to a business from a particular country, or one that holds views you disagree with, then don’t.

You can download a range of free apps that will tell you where the goods you buy come from if you want to be a little more informed. You’ll also find loads of guides to ethically sound businesses if you want to reward rather than avoid.

Loyalty sucks

Most effective of all: vote with your feet. It’s very easy to switch everything from bank accounts to energy or broadband companies. Mark in your diary when your contract expires and if you aren’t happy, walk. The business will contact you to ask you why – then you can tell them with the minimum of inconvenience!

​Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist. Visit martynjamesexpert.co.uk