Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
210 Unit 3 Investigating Career Pathways in Human Services
Reading Recall
1. What information do customer service representatives need to know the
best?
2. What level of education is needed for a career in buying?
3. What level of education do most consumer services workers possess?
Specialized Knowledge for Consumer
Services Careers
Occupations in consumer services require workers to possess
specialized knowledge. Many careers in consumer services involve helping
people with consumer and fi nancial problems. Consumer services workers
need to know about consumer rights and responsibilities and understand
consumer decisions. They also need to be able to manage fi nances.
Knowing Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
An important responsibility of many consumer services workers is
to teach their clients and customers about their consumer rights. These
rights include the following:
• The right to safety. The services or products should not harm clients
and customers. This includes physical and emotional safety.
• The right to be informed. Consumers have the right to be informed
with suffi cient information to make intelligent decisions about
services or products.
• The right to choose. Consumers have the right to choose which
services or products they want (Figure 8.8). Consumer laws prohibit
price gouging (overcharging) or cutting that makes for unfair
advantage and fewer choices for consumers.
• The right to be heard. Consumers need to be provided with a way to
voice their concerns or complaints about products and services.
• The right to redress. Redress refers to setting right something that is
wrong. If an issue is not handled effectively, outside agencies exist
to ensure action is taken to address consumer complaints. The Better
Business Bureau, a national nongovernment organization, is one such
agency that can act to help wronged consumers. Sometimes this may
result in political or legal action.
• The right to consumer education. Consumer educators inform
consumers about their consumer rights. Many publications and
classes exist in schools and communities to provide this education.