Consumers go online to gripe at bad service

Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Have you got a complaint about customer services? Join the queue - or maybe a Facebook group - to vent your rage.

Harvest Wholefoods, in West Lynn, is one of the latest victims, with a 25-member Facebook group called "Grey Lynn Harvest Wholefoods Survivors".

The group states that it was set up for "customers who find the staff at Harvest arrogant, condescending and grumpy. We're not all vegans who don't wash, but we like to buy good quality food".

Writer and author Wendyl Nissen said she started the group last week after becoming upset with the service from a staff member, who she said was unhelpful and grumpy and made her wait 10 minutes for service.

So she decided to vent her frustrations on the internet. She is not alone.

Telecom's XT network is also the target of online rage, with groups called "Telecom XT Sucks", "Against Telecom XT" and another, angrier group called "F#*! XT Telecom".

Within days of Australian airline Jetstar beginning operations in New Zealand in June last year, Facebook groups "Anti Jetstar" and "Jetstar Sucks" were introduced.

And in Christchurch last month, a police investigation began after Burnside High School principal Warwick Maguire attracted criticism from students who joined a group called "I Hate Burnside's New Principal!!!" which included potentially defamatory comments. The page was later removed.

Harvest Wholefoods store manager Alex Feasey last night said: "We're always open to feedback, both positive and negative, and a chance to respond to it as well."

Marketing experts said the internet meant it was easier for people to express their frustrations than it was to someone's face.

Dr Douglas Carrie, a senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Auckland's Business School, said the internet was a step up from old-fashioned word-of-mouth complaints.

However, he said, people should be aware of the potential for defamation lawsuits when making such comments because, unlike word of mouth, the comments were traceable and could end up being disputed in court.