Consumer protection in services sector

Tema ovog rada je pregled i analiza čimbenika koji karakteriziraju zaštitu potrošača u Europskoj uniji (EU) i Republici Hrvatskoj, uže usmjereno na tržište pružanja usluga. Tržište usluga je tržište koje karakterizira širok raspon usluga, te raznolikost istih, kao i specifičnosti određenih usluga i njihovog utjecaja na potrošače. Svaki segment tržišta usluga je specifičan, kako u svojim učincima, tako i u pogledu dobrih i loših praksi, te kako sveobuhvatna analiza tržišta usluga svojim obujmom ne bi omogućila detaljnije raščlanjivanje, autor se u radu usmjerio na tržišta financijskih usluga, budući da financijska tržišta, bilježe negativan trend prema ocjeni potrošača, jednako kao i usluge u telekomunikacijama. Ovo se dodatno razlikuje, primjerice, od usluga na području kulture, turizma te putovanja, koje bilježe bolju učinkovitost, te veće zadovoljstvo potrošača pruženim uslugama. Tržište financijskih usluga je jedno od tržišta usluga koje potrošači percipiraju kao problematično, u odnosu na druga tržišta kako usluga tako i roba. Nadalje, u radu se analizira i primjer ugovora za bankovne usluge i na tom primjeru ukazuje se na nedostatke, potencijalni prostor za unapređenje usluga u ovom sektoru, kao i povećanje zadovoljstva potrošača, što, sukladno suvremenoj literaturi, vezano za sektor maloprodaje usluga, svakako znatno doprinosi prepoznavanju pružatelja usluga, te njihovom boljem pozicioniranju u pogledu preferencija potrošača.A topic of this paper is an overview and analysis of the factors that characterize consumer protection in the European Union (EU) and Republic of Croatia, targeting services market. The services market is characterized by a wide range of services, as well as specifics of certain services and their influence on consumers. Each segment of services market is specific in both, its effects and good and bad practices, thus a comprehensive analysis of services market, due to its volume, would not provide for detailed analysis, the author focuses on financial services market since those are the ones with negative trend, according to the consumers’ assessment, as well as telecommunication services. This, additionally, differs them from the services in culture, tourism, travel and leisure which are characterized with better efficiency and higher consumer satisfaction. The financial services market is one of the services markets perceived as problematic by the consumer, when compared to other markets of both, goods and services. Furtheron, the paper analyses a sample agreement on banking service and on that example it demonstrates shortfalls, potential room for enhancement of services in this sector, as well as enhancement of consumer satisfaction, which, according to the modern literature related to the retail services, certainly significantly contributes to recognition of the service providers, bett positioning of thereof in regards to the consumer preferences