THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE GEORGIA OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS: A SURVEY OF USERS WHO FILED AUTOMOBILE COMPLAINTS

CAROLYN CRYNES DRAKE, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the time and costs incurred by consumers and the benefits they receive from the Office of Consumer Affairs in the resolution of an automobile complaint. The data used in this study were obtained from the records of the Georgia Office of Consumer Affairs. Additional data were obtained through telephone interviews to consumers who filed automobile complaints with the consumer affairs office during 1977. The final study sample consisted of 252 respondents. It was found that among those who had automobile problems, the average user of the Georgia Office of Consumer Affairs was white, male, 39 years old with 14 years of education and an annual family income of $22,337. The majority of the respondents in the study were satisfied with the service of the consumer affairs office and even some who were dissatisfied indicated they would use the service again. They reported an average savings of $97 by using the services of the consumer affairs office in the resolution of the automobile complaint. The Office of Consumer Affairs reported an average expenditure of $13 to process each automobile complaint. Therefore, based on the dollar savings to consumers and the cost of processing a complaint by the consumer affairs office, the Georgia Office of Consumer Affairs is effective in helping consumers resolve automobile problems. However, additional findings revealed that the Office may not be as effective in helping consumers who had an automobile under warranty. These consumers spent significantly more time on the resolution of the complaint after they had contacted the Office than did others in the study. A standard t-test was employed to determine the relationship between time spent on the resolution of the automobile problem, the psychic cost and the actual dollar savings to consumers and the age, sex, race, education, and the annual family income of the respondent. The findings revealed that persons over age sixty with new automobiles under warranty spent significantly more time on the resolution of the automobile problem than others in the study. Non-whites and persons with an annual family income below the sample average of $22,337 benefited more in terms of actual dollar savings by seeking help from the Office of Consumer Affairs in the resolution of the automobile problem. Additionally, consumers with incomes below the average in the sample experienced a significantly higher psychic cost than others in the study sample.

Degree

Ph.D.

Subject Area

Home economics

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