"Serial Complainers"

In a recent post I described some of those who had raised complaints against boaters on the K+A as "serial complainers". To be fair I think I should qualify that, even though I hinted strongly at the possible qualification in the original post.

I am sure their are some people in BW (and others too maybe) reading this who will have become slightly indignant with me using the phrase, because I am confident that in their eyes I am also regarded as a serial complainer.



Well I am unashamed about being dubbed with this label provided that a qualification is taken into account: There is a difference between complaining for the sake of it and complaining when you genuinely have a concerns and/or don't feel something has happened correctly.

To really learn lessons from complaints (and by definition from its customers) the organisation on the receiving end also needs to consider the merit of the complaints! On that basis I am proud to be labelled a serial complainer!

In fact I would go so far as admitting there are many circumstances where, when I hear the detail, a serial complainer gets my support. Far too often, my experience personally and as a waterways rep, is that when one raises something with BW nothing happens, you don't get a straight answer and so you complain again. At other times a promise to address an issue is not seen through reasonably promptly. After drawing a blank a few times a lot of people just give up.

My problem is I don't give up that easily! If you are reading this the you will know I even go to the trouble of keeping a blog about what is bugging me (and most of it is about BW!)

It is therefore quite conceivable that if I knew the exact circumstances of the person who made 30 complaints about boaters I might even find myself in sympathy with them. Lack of consistency, openness and reasonableness in monitoring and enforcing moorings durations and overstaying is a widely held concern. Its just that some of us are more vocal and pro-active about saying so than others!

(Whether the way in which BW have finally reacted in the case of the Western K+A is sensible or reasonable, is of course a whole separate question!)