Penny Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 I was reminded again the other day about how effective ACODECO is to assist consumers in their disputes against local business establishments. Probably many newcomers don't know about this government agency. Unlike all other government agencies in Panama, ACODECO actually seems to get the job done. A complaint to them about a purchase or service transaction gone bad most often gets resolved. A friend told me this story: they had gone round and round with Audio Photo about a defective washing machine they had purchased. Finally a tech from the store came out and certified the machine was bad. Then it was a struggle to get it removed and a new one installed. Time was running short for them as they were due to go back to the U.S. for 6 months leaving the house to house sitters. I told them about ACODECO. The next time they called Audio Photo and asked for the manager they got the same standard manage "El jefe no esta acqui." They said one word into the phone "ACODECO" and quite amazingly the manager picked up the phone within 3 seconds and the problem seems to be getting resolved. Folks, this is the agency you report the businesses that aren't honoring the pensionado law. This is the agency you report all consumer problems to. Something good to know while living in this foreign land where customer service seems to most often be a mysterious and strange concept. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 In another topic I recently posted the ACODECO pamphlet about their service and Ley 6. You may wish to download it and keep a copy with you. Here is the link to that posting: http://www.chiriqui.life/topic/2089-jubilado-discounts/?do=findComment&comment=6448 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted May 5, 2016 Share Posted May 5, 2016 2 hours ago, Penny said: They said one word into the phone "ACODECO" and quite amazingly the manager picked up the phone within 3 seconds and the problem seems to be getting resolved. Folks, this is the agency you report the businesses that aren't honoring the pensionado law. This is the agency you report all consumer problems to. Something good to know while living in this foreign land where customer service seems to most often be a mysterious and strange concept. Penny That is the magic word to use in any dispute you may have. The word ACODECO scare some business to the bone. Of course you should be well prepared and with documents to have a good and solid case and the amount of claims solved in favor of consumer goes around and up 80%. ACODECO also solves disputes that have to do with real state and buying an apartment or house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted October 15, 2016 Author Share Posted October 15, 2016 Speaking of ACODECO does anybody know if any of their staff speaks English? I think it would be a great program for the Tuesday talks to have one of them come and explain all of their services and how to work with them. Any contact information would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Things could have changed, but I recall two residents writing some time ago that they had to hire a translator to deal with ACODECO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 4 hours ago, Penny said: Speaking of ACODECO does anybody know if any of their staff speaks English? I think it would be a great program for the Tuesday talks to have one of them come and explain all of their services and how to work with them. Any contact information would be appreciated. Penny I am not sure about that. I know that some of their staff members speak a little english to try to engage in a conversation but they are not so fluent. It is probable that the Director of the Chiriqui Office could speak english but I am not sure about it. I did contact him last year to help a couple of Boquete expats with a problem with a refrigerator guarantee. He was very helpful and took this case personally with a good results for my friends. It was solved accordingly. Next week I will be busy with a person who is coming from the US and we will doing some visits to customers and doing some Lunch Box Seminars to Architects in Panama City but I will try to contact him and ask him about his english knowledge and also if he can do a presentation for you in Boquete. Or I will ask if he has someone else from his staff that could give the presentation in english if possible. I dont know if he has someone in the legal department that could speak english. Roger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 2 hours ago, Bonnie said: Things could have changed, but I recall two residents writing some time ago that they had to hire a translator to deal with ACODECO. Bonnie I cant answer that but it is probably that some of them could speak english but maybe not at a level to do a presentation or speech. That is why I said that this is a very good excuse to do the best effort possible to learn spanish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 6 hours ago, Penny said: Speaking of ACODECO does anybody know if any of their staff speaks English? I think it would be a great program for the Tuesday talks to have one of them come and explain all of their services and how to work with them. Any contact information would be appreciated. Penny I sent an email to the Director of Acodeco in David - Lic. Alexis Ortega. I asked him that a group of expats from Boquete are interested in a full presentation of what is ACODECO, the actual and current laws for consumer protection in Panama, ways and procedures to get help from them to solve some issues and problems regarding consumer protection, guarantees, etc. I also asked him, if he or any of his assistance with complete knowledge of the themes requested, can do the presentation in english language. I will have to way to this Monday for his reply. One question for you: If he does not speak fluent english or not english at all. Can you do a simultaneous translation?? Somebody who could translate all what he is exposing and the Q & A that I know for sure will be very popular with his presentation. I think this will be a very good and important subject for a presentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 6 hours ago, Roger B said: Bonnie I cant answer that but it is probably that some of them could speak english but maybe not at a level to do a presentation or speech. That is why I said that this is a very good excuse to do the best effort possible to learn spanish. Roger, the people I am referring to had a complaint at ACODECO and had to hire a translator just to present their case to the staff there. No one in the office spoke English at all. The expats had a relatively good knowledge of Spanish, but not enough to explain the intricacies of their problem and complaint. But, as I say, things may have changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Roger Thank you very much for what you have done. I can arrange a translator if needed. The subject is very interesting to most of us and I know we would get a full house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxJackie Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 I wonder if ACODECO can resolve a problem with a roof who installed my roof 6 months ago. As soon as the rains started, the roof started leaking. Now I have mold on the ceiling in my house and some of the sheetrock has started coming down. A different roofer said it was installed wrong and needs to be replaced. I think the person who installed it the first time should pay for a replacement roof plus replacing the ceiling in my house. Also, any recommendations for a GOOD roofer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 3 hours ago, TxJackie said: I wonder if ACODECO can resolve a problem with a roof who installed my roof 6 months ago. As soon as the rains started, the roof started leaking. Now I have mold on the ceiling in my house and some of the sheetrock has started coming down. A different roofer said it was installed wrong and needs to be replaced. I think the person who installed it the first time should pay for a replacement roof plus replacing the ceiling in my house. Also, any recommendations for a GOOD roofer? TX Jackie: I may ask: Do you produce any kind of contract with that roofer before he started the job? Did he gave you a formal invoice? Did he stated somewhere a guarantee time?? Those documents will be good to start any action against that installer. Acodeco could solve that problem. But you need to provide them with documents that they could use it against that roofer. If you dont have them it will be very difficult to have a case. You should stated when the job was completely done. When you started to see the problems? I am so sure that you could have a case if there are all the necessary documents and proves to make this people pay or at least redo all the job again free of charges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 8 hours ago, Penny said: Roger Thank you very much for what you have done. I can arrange a translator if needed. The subject is very interesting to most of us and I know we would get a full house. Penny Sure. This is a very interesting and important theme.... even for us locals. Sometimes we dont know all the laws that are available to protect us. We dont know where to go and what to do in case something happens regarding pricing, guarantees, contracts, etc. I will wait this Monday for his reply to my email. I will tell him that you could arrange a translator if needed. I know that this subject will give you a full packed house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 Roger After 13 plus years living here it's been my experience that Panamanians are very uncomplaining and just accept bad products and bad service as a way of life. I remember I had a gringa friend married to a Panamanian and she ordered a custom bed made for her mattress and box springs. The bed had sides and when it was delivered it turned out that it wasn't made to the measurements she had given and the mattress and box springs wouldn't fit into it. It was basically worthless to her. Her husband and in-laws were just aghast when she said she wanted to return it and have it re-made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger B Posted October 18, 2016 Share Posted October 18, 2016 13 hours ago, Penny said: Roger After 13 plus years living here it's been my experience that Panamanians are very uncomplaining and just accept bad products and bad service as a way of life. I remember I had a gringa friend married to a Panamanian and she ordered a custom bed made for her mattress and box springs. The bed had sides and when it was delivered it turned out that it wasn't made to the measurements she had given and the mattress and box springs wouldn't fit into it. It was basically worthless to her. Her husband and in-laws were just aghast when she said she wanted to return it and have it re-made. Penny I have to admit that before the creation of ACODECO Panama's consumers were unprotected. Some of us tried to make our claims to any business regarding quality of products, warranty, etc with no success. We were under the power of all the companies and business. But that is changing. People are changing. People are complaining, filing claims and fighting for their rights as consumers. Now people is little by little knowing there are laws that protects them, there are institutions that are fighting for their rights as consumers. There are still people that did not like to complain because they feel some kind of fear or shyness to do so, but things are changing. Good for Panama and it's people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted October 18, 2016 Author Share Posted October 18, 2016 A proposed new consumer protection law. Reprinted from Newsroom Panama: Post Views: 81 Share: A LAW that would make Panama’s retailers, rather than manufacturers, responsible for repairs carried out on products under warranties has been proposed. If it makes its way onto the books it will bring Panama closer to jurisdictions from which expats originate. The bill has been proposed by PRD Deputy Samir Gozaine. “It is unfair that a client has to be referred to a manufacturer,” Gozaine said. “This goes against the spirit of consumer protections.” The deputy said that the law would make it easier for customers to ensure that warranties are followed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted October 19, 2016 Share Posted October 19, 2016 Can they help to get a refund from Air Panama? AP canceled our flights and said no refunds. Only a credit for another flight ...but must be used before the end of this year. Where us ACODECO office? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted October 19, 2016 Author Share Posted October 19, 2016 This is the kind of thing ACODECO is good at. Drive into David as if you were going to Park Cervantes, the central park. There will be a large church on your left. You want to turn right at the first possible street. The first street past the church is one way going the wrong direction so go to the 2nd street and turn right. ACODECO is on the right side of that street about in the middle of the block. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoSailors Posted October 20, 2016 Share Posted October 20, 2016 Thanks Penny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dottie Atwater Posted October 21, 2016 Share Posted October 21, 2016 I hope you have better luck with ACODECO than I did. In my case they were worthless--and cost me a LOT of time with phone calls and personal visits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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