Brushfire Consulting founder Ron Burley literally wrote the book on how to be a squeaky wheel. In 2007, his best-seller "UNSCREWED: The Consumer's Guide to Getting What You Paid For (Random House/Ten Speed Press) taught consumers how to tenaciously negotiate with companies. 

Burley had spent the 90's building and managing media and tech companies, but returned to consumer advocacy because, "Customers needed a handbook for dealing intelligently with businesses," he said. "I was looking to level the playing field."

In 2007, Burley became consumer advocate and magazine columnist for the nation's largest consumer organization, AARP. With more than 40 million members to provide feedback, he collected a lot of data and saw some disturbing patterns.

"The playing field had tipped the other way," Burley said. "The Internet was giving customers an easy avenue to voice their dissatisfactions. Unfortunately, they were often harming brands and reputations while doing little to remedy their original problems."

"These situations transcend traditional customer service and public relations," Burley said. "They are 'whole company' problems requiring different skills and solutions."

"Nobody wants to be the next Internet target," Burley said. "We help our clients resolve tough situations, and then assist them in becoming more responsive to their customers while simultaneously protecting their brands, reputations, and bottom lines."

	Ron Burley — Senior Partner - Mediation & Advocacy "Commerce is a capricious love affair between company & customer." rburley@brushfireconsulting.com
	Coleen Miller, Ph.D. — Partner - Mediation & Communications "We know our intentions; others only know our words and deeds." cmiller@brushfireconsulting.com
	Jennifer Farris — Data & Research Manager "The only absolute truth of the Internet is that there isn't any." jfarris@brushfireconsulting.com
	Ray Leung — Programming & IT Manager "I see poetry and art in data, code, and my iPad 2." rleung@brushfireconsulting.com
Our team of external associates includes a talented collection of mediators, advocates, researchers and technicians—each of them a knowledgable and experienced professional dedicated to providing our clients with excellence in information, training and support.