Growing older should bring with it growing wiser. For me, that wisdom is knowing when poor goods and services warrant my making a complaint. Preserving the status quo when we are young is often preferable to complaining or making a fuss - the evidence is clear. My children cringe at the thought of mum complaining and my daughter especially hates it if I make my feelings on shoddy workmanship or injustice known.

Sometimes even the youngster in me had to take issue with injustice - any overcharge which would leave me out-of-pocket would have to be queried and an item purchased that did not work would have to be returned. Should we though, speak to the cafe owner who serves us a chicken pie that contains only sauce and no chicken, or the waitress who supplies us with low-fat spread when we have asked for butter? Maybe it would be better to simply vote with out feet and never again cross the threshold of that particular establishment?

How can it be better to say nothing? It is not better for us - we end up accepting second-best. It certainly isn't better for those who follow us, after all if one customer is willing to settle for poor quality or service then surely that will reinforce the vendor's perception of it being acceptable. When we say "yes" it's ok to serve me on a dirty tablecloth with grubby cutlery and with overcooked food we are creating a precedent and a norm.

We the British, it appears, are a nation of making-doer's, we make do with what we are given and accept all sorts of short-cuts in the services we receive. My belief is that nothing will change if we don't raise the issue, give constructive criticism and make our feelings known.

So I for one, with the benefit of my age and experience, am going to resist the temptation to keep my opinions to myself, even for the sake of the perceived dignity of my children, and am going to demand a better filled slice of pie!

Learn more about this author, Jean Goodwin.
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