A new online, self-help tool for consumers has been launched as a way to settle disputes with businesses.
Currently in the pilot project stage, Consumer Protection B.C. has unveiled the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) website as a convenient and cost-effective way to connect unhappy customers with the right person at a business.
To use the service, the complainant must type in their contact information, the name of the company the dispute is with and some basic details about the complaint. That complaint is then sent off to the business.
“Everything is in writing as opposed to just over the telephone and misinterpretation happening, or then having to communicate it to three different people along the chain," said Manjit Bains, vice president of corporate relations at Consumer Protection B.C.
During the ODR process, consumers and businesses work together to reach mutually agreed-upon resolutions. In specific situations, Consumer Protection B.C., acting as a neutral third-party, can be called upon to lend assistance and mediation.
“That’s where we can step in and try to resolve the issue and if we’re still unsuccessful, we’ve got mediators contracted,” said Bains.
In the past month, two major telecom companies, Rogers and Shaw, have committed to using the platform as a way to improve their customer service and resolve issues fairly.
