Three for Thursday 01.13.2022
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
People ask me, "Dale, do you ever withdraw your endorsement or remove companies from your website?" The answer is - yes. I recently separated from a company for two reasons: 1. We received a higher number of consumer concerns that we are willing to tolerate, and 2.The company's response to our Make It Right process was not as aggressive as we require. It doesn't mean the company is bad, it simply means they no longer meet the high standards we require for companies to be part of the TrustDALE Community. I've learned that Covid did and continues to impact us in ways we did not expect, but the mark of a truly great company is to not let those variables negatively impact the customer service of your company. Translation? You might have unavoidable supply chain issues, but nothing is stopping you from keeping constant contact with the families that have trusted you to deliver.
Watch this Investigation
Today's investigation = Unfairly towed. There are generally two truisms: You can't fight city hall and you can't fight the tow truck company - unless you call TrustDALE. Watch, because this could happen to you!
Ask Dale
Today's Ask Dale question comes from Shirley, who wants to know if there's federal assistance for purchasing a mobile home. How could this possibly apply to you? Click the video for the answer.
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson is on how to measure whether a purchase is worth taking a chance:
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? Someone willing to sell a product well below market value just wants to be done with it. You must still do due diligence if you don't want to get burned!
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? Products marked down a significant amount should have an obvious reason for it. If it's not obvious, something is being hidden.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. Beware out of state purchases. It's incredibly hard to hold an individual responsible.
Define - Your deal by comparing Product, Offer and Price. Your confidence in taking a chance, can be increased by investigating the true value of a product before you take the bait.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. Most people who want to unload something don't want strings tying them to the deal. If you know the reason you're being offered the deal and can prove it, you can relax a bit on the Ensure step, especially if the price won't give you heartburn if something goes wrong.
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. It's always a clever idea to investigate the reputation of the seller before the purchase.
Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. If you'll regret spending the money, this step is a must to protect yourself.
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS