Guardian consumer champion Anna Tims on the emotional toll of fighting bad companies

In her regular Guardian column, consumer expert Anna Tims addresses reader grievances spanning from minor inconveniences to severe hardships. During a recent live Q&A session, she opened the floor for questions regarding corporate conduct and dispute resolution.

Reader Janubian asked how Tims manages the emotional impact of the frustrating and heartbreaking situations she encounters. Tims noted that her role has shifted significantly over the years. While early cases often involved faulty appliances or poor holiday experiences, recent interactions frequently resemble social work.

She explained that maintaining professional distance is challenging when dealing with vulnerable individuals, such as elderly people living in poor council housing or patients with terminal illnesses facing stonewalling from energy providers. Cases involving bereaved families harassed by large corporations are among those that linger with her long after the initial contact.

Tims advised readers to first check if a company has a published complaints procedure online and to adhere to its escalation stages. She stressed the importance of maintaining a detailed timeline of all interactions, including dates and summaries of phone calls. For digital communications, she recommended downloading webchat transcripts and taking screenshots, while postal letters should also be copied for records.

According to Tims, companies often respond to public pressure. She suggested that complaints posted on platforms like Twitter or Bluesky can motivate organizations to act. If internal routes fail, readers can use resources like ceoemail.com to find direct contact information for chief executives.

For unresolved issues, Tims pointed to ombudsman services or alternative dispute resolution schemes as the next step, with small claims court serving as a final resort.