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There is a new consumer law in Spain. Finally. But think about it, laws are reactive - first there is the event, then the right to prevent the future.

First the incidents. What is the problem?

I tell you, from my own example. My former neighbor - an old lady - wanted out of their contract with a telephone provider. They decided to return to their previous service provider (and believe me, they had their reasons. You send a fax to the company, as required to terminate the contract, but later, when she asked, she learned that "The fax was never received. "" Probably lost somewhere on the same cable, then I joked. The company continues to charge after her, until she finally by the intermediate support of the consumers' organization has their money back.
Ok, this is not my own example. That 's up next.
In fact, I am from one place to another, and - it was not possible, the service (we speak of the same service provider) and I have about the termination of the (re-fax) and request a new service in my new home.
I send a fax to terminate the contract - as desired - and as my former neighbors, I went back to the main telephone provider.

That was in October. Now in January I'm still paying for a service I no longer receive.

"Consumer and Sanitation Minister Elena Salgado told the Congress of Deputies that the service sector and especially telephone companies are the target of the new law."
(http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200612/22/eng20061222_334989.html)

The new layout is the protection of consumers to pay for a service they do not get (another simple example is the parking fee per minute, not per hour). The new layout is particularly suitable for this type of practice. Topic number one is the layoffs. The company - of course not all and not always - "Loose" the faxes anywhere in their organization and the contract continues, as does the automatic withdrawls. And we all know how much effort it will take for your money back. Not all protests. It is like insurance, and many pay only a few remember, if there is an incident ...

Recently I had the company back a fax and all the next day I call them to verify whether it was received.
I remember that I receive faxes on the Internet at my desk in the office before the turn of the century (let's say 1999). But such a fax-on-line investment is not beneficial for the company. And yet this is - Service-orientation - is one of the biggest challenges for the near future.

Many companies in Spain are still product-oriented. There is not much of a service mentality yet. The new law also establishes minimum standards for customers. "(Same source), and this is more and more a problem with demanding consumers.

At the same time, there are companies that excel in the service concept, but they are hard to find.
Consumers are more and more in the driver's seat and if your company is no longer able to communicate with them you lose them. And it starts with a simple service to conclude a contract.

And so the new law not only to protect consumers, but the protection of enterprises. In the retail is a win-win game.

© 2007 Hans Bool

Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White traditional management consulting firms, the online management tools. Take a look at some of our free management tools