Americans are getting more frustrated with products and services they purchase, and those frustrations don't melt away when they call up and complain.

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The 2013 Customer Rage Survey finds most consumers still report their complaints via telephone. (Flickr User Mr. Thomas)
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The 2013 Customer Rage Survey, conducted in part by Customer Care Measurement and Consulting (CCMC), found the rate of people with buyer's regret increased five points to 50 percent. Cable/satellite television topped the list of the most serious problems this year.

The problems, the report found, don't go unreported; 80 percent of customers with issues got in contact with the companies responsible. However, most of those who complained said they got no help in return.

Two-thirds of customers who had a problem with a product or service said they experienced "customer rage," meaning they were very or extremely upset with the result.

Those who experience rage and are less than satisfied with their customer experience are far less likely to continue their "brand loyalty," according to CCMC's Scott Broetzmann.

"They're not going to buy again, and they're going to say really nasty things about the company," Broetzmann said.

It has been said the average person tells an estimated 28 others about bad experiences they had while dealing with businesses.

Complainants still consider the telephone as their primary channel for complaining, according to the report, despite today's digital society.

The reason for low levels of complainant satisfaction is that companies "are doing all the right things, the wrong way." Broetzmann said there's a gap between a company's knowledge that solid complaint-handling is key, and its actual ability to operate day-to-day positive experiences for customers.

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