Just about everyone has some kind of complaint about customer service at some point during the year. The Michigan Attorney General tracks complaints coming into that office and does a big tally each year.
Reviewing the list can be helpful to all Michigan consumers. If you know a certain industry is prone to numerous complaints, you might want to take some extra care when doing business with those types of companies.
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For example, in 2015, more Michigan residents complained about credit and financial companies than any other industry. This business sector has received the most complaints each year since 2006. Consumers expressed their unhappiness with debt collection, credit repair, payday lending, and mortgage brokers.
Given the number of complaints (1,137), you might want to do a lot of research, understand all the rules, and know the regulations before doing business in this area. The more you know, the easier it should be to head off any potential trouble.
Here's a list of the Top Ten Consumer Complaints, from the Michigan Attorney General's office.
1. Credit and Financial Concerns: The top complaint category for 2015 held on to the spot that it has had since 2006, generating 1,137 complaints in a variety of areas including debt collection, credit repair, payday lending, and mortgage brokering.
2. Telecommunications, Cable, and Satellite TV: Moving up from the third spot in 2015, this category includes complaints involving issues like robocalls, telemarketing, wireless communications, and cable and satellite TV services. Complaints in these categories exceeded 900 in 2015.
3. Retail: Moving up from the fourth spot, this category includes complaints about merchandise quality, warranty, and pricing disputes.
4. Motor Vehicle and Automobiles: Moving up from the number 5 spot in 2015, disputes with used car dealers topped this category, with other top complaints involving motor vehicles and car bodies, new car dealers, and repair shops.
5. Internet: Moving up two spots from number 7 in 2015, complaints in this computer-based category numbered more than 500. Almost half of these complaints involved online purchases while other complaints include fraudulent email solicitations and issues with internet service providers.
6. Personal Service Providers: Staying at number 6, complaints in this category range from dating services and beauty shops to home security and health and fitness organizations.
7. Landlord and Tenant: Moving up one spot, this category had more than 400 complaints. A majority of the complaints in this category involved apartment owners and managers.
8. Gasoline, Fuel, and Energy: Not surprising with this year’s lower gas prices, this category dropped down from last year’s number two spot, with complaints against gasoline service stations dominating this category in 2015.
9. Contractors: Moving up a spot from year's list, are complaints about landscaping services, special trade contractors, and residential building construction services.
10. Health Service Providers: Dropping down one spot from 2015, this category involves complaints about different health service providers like doctors, dentists, hospitals, and medical clinics.
How to file complaints
Schuette encourages any residents with questions or concerns to contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division toll-free by calling 1-877-765-8388. To file a consumer complaint, Michigan residents can submit an online complaint through the Attorney General's website or mail a letter explaining the problem and desired resolution to:
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette
Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909