David J Heffer and Associates offers consumer complaint services, detergent or pre-wash stain remover evaluation, leather care product evaluation, preparation of specifications and technical investigations. When consumers return products due to dissatisfaction, these are tested to check the validity of the complaint. Numerous furniture firms also use consumer complaint services to determine whether the claims are due to abuse, fabric fault, unsatisfactory furniture manufacturing practices or incorrect upholstering.
Manufacturers of detergents and pre-wash stain removers utilise the services of David J Heffer and Associates to compare their products with others in the same market segment. Similar evaluations can also be performed on fabric softeners. Common fabric types are soiled with a variety of soil types and are subject to carefully controlled wash cycles. The levels of soiling are measured before and after washing with the help of a spectrometer that provides an objective measure of soil removal.
Statistical analysis allows the identification of the particular type of soil or fabric type that is most (or least) effectively cleaned by the product. The products included in the trial can be ranked in the order of general effectiveness or for particular soils.