The Consumerist Manifesto Handbook
Charles J. Selden, 2011
Sterling Publishers
223 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781402786488
Summary
The book may inspire readers to no longer accept bad products and indifferent customer service. The book explains the Six Abuses of consumers by corporations—and what can be done when abused by Deception and Manipulation, Rush to Market, Defect Toleration, Outsourcing, Fulfillment Failures and Customer Disservice.
The book uses my consumerist battles to “instruct and delight.” The first half of the book uses comical encounters with corporations from industries like telecoms, airlines, food producers and supermarkets, clothing stores, health services, automobile makers and service centers. The second half shows how to think like an MBA in order how to fight back, sort of
a “Consumers Field Manual” for productively fighting for compensation.
When it was in its final draft, two otherwise brilliant Sterling Publishing editors thought “The Confidential Memo” summary from my make-believe Customer Service Department (pages 124-131) was no fake, but actually a leaked document. The editors wanted me to identify the corporation. Either I am not a good satirist or the corporate world is too much with us. Another case of Truth in Fiction—or Non-Fiction. (From the author.)