ECC Bulgaria offers an automatic anonymous feedback form to every consumer who chooses to contact the centre over their problem with travel, reservation or shopping which they have failed to solve on their own. The survey is entirely electronically available. It takes a minute to fill in. Its purpose is to enable an assessment from the side of consumers over the service so that we can improve on it. Filling the survey in is not mandatory prerequisite for a complaint to be processed.
ECC Bulgaria summarizes the data on annual basis. We analyze the conclusions and take them into consideration in the course of the strategic planning of the centre’s work and the overall communication of its experts with all stakeholders concerned.
2021: consumers assessment
Almost as many as 2100 new consumers have learned about the European Consumer Centre Bulgaria’s scope of work and they have approached our assistance based on internet search or following the guidance of a national or local authority, another consumer, a consumers’ association or media.
We collected over 380 feedbacks from respondents aged between 18 – 65 and 65 plus. Ladies represent 50% of the respondents which makes them majorly the active group. „How satisfied are you with the services offered by European Consumer Centre Bulgaria” – data shows satisfaction reported by over 92% of the replies. More than 12% of the people who provided their feedback, specified to have reached us following another consumer’s recommendation. We appreciate this trend which remains similar to the ones in the previous years as it highly esteems our work.
What did consumers advise?
- “I was greatly surprised with the communication, the speedy solution and mostly with the polite treatment by your employee.”
- “I have nothing to advise as I got prompt and full cooperation in solving my consumer case.”
- “Thanks to ECC I stayed calm that my case would be solved which is what happened!”
- “All if perfect!”
The final outcome has still been forthcoming in some of the cases up to the moment when consumers provided their feedback however we pay attention to the ongoing communication with each and every consumer as required, at every single stage until final solution is reached with the trader. Some respondents insist on the centre having more powers in handling consumers’ disputes with traders or on getting the procedure speeded up.
ECC Bulgaria has no compulsory functions nor can we replace the court in the cases of disputes with defendants – our work is completely based on negotiations. Consumers are not charged any fee for having their files translated and processed, at any stage from filling their complaint with ECC Bulgaria to the final outcome. The working language within ECC-Net is English. All cases are worked on with the competent centre which is based in the country where the trade is.
Matters of our competence
Large is the scope of issues which you can swiftly and easily reach us over: from a damaged item or even car purchase to a non-refunded amount in the event of a cool off. Here fall problems with reservations, tickets purchase and cancelled flights when Bulgaria based travelers fail to collect their refunds. Three are the minimal requirements for us to be capable to get involve: the trader needs to be registered in another EU country, Iceland, Norway or UK; they need not to directly assist to the consumer; the consumer needs to be able to provide documents in illustration of the matter.
What if a small amount is claimed
A „small amount“ is quite a subjective concept. We have been bringing to a successful end various complaints over a couple of euros to hundreds of euros. What matters is if the demand is reasonable and if the consumer is objectively entitled to. When do we not offer any guarantees? “Traders may sometimes not be identifiable or they may delay or even refuse to involve into any communication. The very demand may happen to be disproportionate to what is provided by law. Should this be the case, we tend to explain the real rights and hence, to help consumers justify their demands efficiently”, Sonia Spasova, ECC Director, clarifies.
Leaving a review: how to?
Whether on the official communication channels of ECC Bulgaria on social media, in direct correspondence with the team or through the automatic feedback form, it is all up to the consumers to choose if and how to leave a review. “Each and every next positive comment about our efforts brings true satisfaction to the team with the results achieved”, Sonia Spasova says.
Image: Pexels.com