Can't keep my mouth shut

Every year various magazines and newspaper conduct surveys on best and most customer friendly products and companies. I am one of those who takes these surveys seriously because (I believe) they are conducted with all the seriousness and honesty.

However, I have tried hard to find surveys on worst products and comapnies and have failed to do so. No magazine or newspaper publishes list of worst companies or products for the fear of losing advertising revenues. The worst thing, they don't even publish letters or articles criticizing bad (rogue) companies.

As an informed consumer, it takes a lot of time for me to choose any product or service (call it bad decision-making, but I am like this). However, there are certain products or services that are forced on me because I have no choice (like my salary account, or the electricity provider). It is when these comapnies don't provide the promised service that I feel cheated.

For quite some time, I have thought of different ways to protest against these rogue companies. I could have exercise legal options had it been so easy and cost-effective. I feel happy that there are places where I can protest against bad products and bad companies. Whether they have the required effect or not is questionable, but they do provide an outlet for people to tell others not to fall pray to attractive marketing campaigns.

Two best examples are - CNBC-TV18 online (www.moneycontrol.com) and www.mouthshut.com. Both these sites have forums where you can tell others how a particular company cheated you and what are the pros and cons that one must look into before deciding on any product or company. I had problems with Citibank Credit Cards, Airtel and TVS Motors. I made sure I went to the site and wrote a detailed review. To my surprise, I was not the only person who had problems with these companies, there were hundreds of other people who had faced problems because of these companies and had made their voices heard to a small but potentially useful group of people. Moneycontrol.com site forums are a great place to voice your problems more forcefully. A program called "Uncovered" on CNBC-TV18, takes up these issues and questions the rogue companies.

However, feeling cheated is not the only reason why you should make your voice heard. If you are feeling good about a certain product or company then also you must voice your opinion. It will provide valuable guidance to people. Both mouthshut.com and moneycontrol.com provide you opportunity to do that also.

Whatever you do, just don't keep your mouth shut.