I disagree with this. When you have an issue with a company, that company is going to try to use all the little power it has to turn the issue in its favor. If you contact them, you're giving them power (the power not to answer your emails, the power to reply privately in a harsh way, etc.).
So go public. On a medium which the company doesn't control. And then they're not in control anymore.
It's exactly the same with SO: everytime someone comes up with a very valid criticism about SO there are SO officials (or high-rep users) saying "Put this on meta". But no, that's precisely the point: do certainly not put it on meta because once it's on meta it's the same little clique who's in control.
My opinion is that something like this reaching several times the front page of HN is the best way to make people aware of the problem (including the people at the company/ies concerned).
So go public. On a medium which the company doesn't control. And then they're not in control anymore.
It's exactly the same with SO: everytime someone comes up with a very valid criticism about SO there are SO officials (or high-rep users) saying "Put this on meta". But no, that's precisely the point: do certainly not put it on meta because once it's on meta it's the same little clique who's in control.
My opinion is that something like this reaching several times the front page of HN is the best way to make people aware of the problem (including the people at the company/ies concerned).