JEDDAH, 13 June — A middle-aged Saudi professional in Jeddah ordered a set of new furniture, paid the money and waited for its home delivery.
When it did not come, he was annoyed and wanted the order to be canceled and his money returned.
The dealer, however, refused, saying that the furniture would be delivered immediately. The Saudi was not interested any more.
Normally, things would have ended there, with the customer giving in.
But not in this instance, because this particular Saudi had just read about the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s new Consumer Protection Center (CPC) and decided to approach it.
In another case, a young Saudi businessman had an ongoing row with an automobile dealer from whom he had bought a new car. The dealer had sent him an SR30,000 car repair bill, although the three-year warranty period had not expired. The businessman disputed the claim and said it was exorbitant, and referred the case to the CPC.
These are two of 20 complaints the CPC received within a month of its establishment, Khalid Amin Yousef, a legal adviser who heads the center as its director on the second floor of JCCI premises, told Arab News.
“In both cases we became an intermediary and succeeded in resolving the issues to the satisfaction of both parties.”
The center has been established in collaboration with Abdul Latif Jameel Group and its remit is to protect consumer rights. When it opened, JCCI Secretary-General Majed A. Al-Qasabi said the CPC’s aim was specifically to look into consumer complaints about products offered by the private sector. The center has since been receiving complaints from consumers.
Its officials acknowledge receipt within three days.
“We’ve also been keeping the complainants informed about how we are chasing things up,” Yousef said.
“In fact, our center is like a catalyst agent, rather an intermediary, between the two sides. The purpose of the center, which is the first of its kind in the Kingdom, is not to complicate the matter but to bring the two sides together and hammer out a solution to the satisfaction of both,” he said.
“We adopt a unique approach in tackling complaints. We first talk to the two sides separately and then bring them face-to-face if required, and invariably a compromise formula is worked out.”
The technique has worked well thus far. In the first case, the Saudi got back the money he had paid to the dealer because he was made to realize that he had failed to deliver the furniture as agreed. In the second, the matter was resolved with the car dealer reducing the repair cost by 50 percent.
“The businessman had to pay only SR15,000 and his car’s warranty period was extended by an extra year,” Yousef said.
“The purpose of the CPC is not to expose the companies against whom complaints are received, but our efforts are aimed at creating a healthy relationship between buyers and sellers, between consumers and traders, and between the community and the corporate sector,” he added.
The center has a dedicated telephone number (6529255) with a network of 10 lines, all with answering machines. Complaints can be recorded around the clock.
The center also receives complaints through its fax number (652 9247) and by e-mail ([email protected]).
Arrangements are being made to set up boxes at airports, hospitals and supermarkets to enable consumers deposit their complaints.
Yousef also invited consumers to visit the center during the JCCI’s working hours and register their complaints at his office.
“In fact, the center will have a new communication system soon to further streamline its task of tackling consumer complaints,” he explained.
According to Yousef, five of his assistants attend to complaints as and when they are received. They call back the complainants to ensure that they are genuine and ask for all documents and details to be furnished. Once a complaint is studied, the center contacts the firm or trader concerned to hear what it has to say.
