He thinks companies are responsive to Twitter because the complaints, and the resolution or lack of resolution, are public.

FORBES: Finance Firms are Going to Twitter and Social Media With Mixed Results

"While nobody suffered any financial loss, Co-op's actions meant that a significant number of people had the resolution of their valid complaints delayed for no good reason, " she added.

BBC: Cash and bank account details

However, the commission changed its tune in December when it decided to evaluate the safety of such services, and has now suspended those complaints altogether as it works toward a resolution.

ENGADGET

When the CFPB gets into the practice of reporting complaints to debt collection companies for the purpose of resolution, we believe they will find an industry eager to respond.

FORBES: Two Shades of Debt Collection

It is expected that the CFPB will use a model similar to the one it currently uses for credit card complaints: sending each complaint to the named company for a response and resolution.

FORBES: Two Shades of Debt Collection

The survey also showed that during 2001 and 2002 around 90 per cent of complaints were resolved by the practice at the first stage, known as local resolution.

BBC: NEWS | Health | GP out-of-hours complaints soar

It has not led to a rash of lawsuits: Of the 197 employee complaints since April 1997, 75% have been resolved early in the dispute resolution process -- and no employee has gone to court.

FORBES: Better safe than sorry