Business arrogance?

Egay Uy .

I HAVE always appreciated the fast action that the DTI Misamis Oriental Provincial Office usually takes to address complaints filed by consumers against erring establishments.  I have so far filed at least four complaints and all of them were acted upon with dispatch.  Expectedly, the same were settled without fanfare with the business establishments instituting corrective measures.

Procedurally, the DTI calls the parties to a mediation conference.  The complaints I filed so far were for the retail outlets to correct the conditions which gave rise to the complaints, e.g., wrong price tag, expired products on display, and the like.  So far, not one of the respondent grocery outlets was penalized by the DTI.

I take exception to the complaint I recently filed against a supermarket at Capistrano street where buyers are meant to believe they could save more.  While the DTI had promptly referred the matter to the supermarket for appropriate action, the latter seems to have not given importance to my complaint.

Simply stated, I am of the impression that my complaint was ignored by the supermarket.

My complaint specifically is that the pint of yogurt that I bought from that supermarket had signs of deterioration even days prior to the indicated expiration date.  I took photos of the official receipt and the product showing what appeared to be molds and sent them to the DTI.  Besides, the product also smelled bad already.

In a letter dated April 16, 2019 to the supermarket’s assistant store manager, the DTI requested the respondent “to respond to this complaint within five (5) days from receipt of this letter” and if the respondent so wants, to “coordinate with the complainant through” my email address and to furnish the DTI with a copy of the response.

As of this writing [April 30 morning] however the respondent appears to have ignored my complaint and the letter of the DTI.  To my consternation, on April 26, 2019, I sent an email to the supermarket saying: “It has been nine days now since the DTI provincial office referred to your office the complaint I filed (see email sent by DTI to you – and don’t tell me you haven’t received any).

“I am of the impression that you have ignored this complaint because of your deafening silence.

“I have kept the item in a corner in my kitchen at home.  I’m sure it now smells very bad.  Do you prefer that I bring the spoiled product to your store and spill it all over your entrance so I can get even?

“But no, I will not do that because I still expect you to address that complaint properly so I can respond accordingly.

“I’m just a now-angry-customer.”

Is this business arrogance?

(Egay Uy is a lawyer. He chairs the City’s Regulatory and Complaint Board, co-chairs with the city mayor the City Price Coordinating Council, and chairs the city’s Joint Inspection Team.  He retired as a vice president of Cepalco.)