There is a reason why no matter how smart my arguments are in the case of capitalism and free trade that I somehow don’t win over my very sceptical left wing counterparts. These days I have been feeling exasperated with these companies myself. These corporates stood for the right values in the right times. Values of service to a society that recognises its benefit and happily pays for it, coz it enriches lives, it makes life comfortable, it takes away the chores, it brings about stimulation, it informs people of things they otherwise would remain ignorant of.
But that’s not what is happening today with the markets getting more and more cramped and the competition more stiffer, instead of a simple linear relationship of better products with increasing competition; here we get to witness a scheming mind rather than a engenuine mind. These companies pay high salaries to executives who can develop strategies for trapping people into an unknown deal, which is simply fuelled by greed rather than progress. But, they refuse to pay the R&D folks half as much. The reason there are more marketing MBAs loitering about town than doctors.
Every service provided today requires you to sign some sort of contract. A contract for mobile phones, internet, TV channels, health clubs, bookstores, magazines and periodicals, insurance and even your own bank expects you to commit a series of payments before you have even had a taste of their services. You could sum up the fine print that rambles on for 14 odd pages in about two sentences;
"you shall keep your side of the commitment by paying the company regularly, we however will keep changing our standards of service as and how the market fluctuates and we may even perform to the utmost of all appalling standards".
My internet company on a regular basis has troubles with its 3Mbps line, the same one they used on me when they were short selling to me last year. But when I call to downgrade my package as I no longer use the internet the way I used to, I am told that there is a penalty to do so!!!
My landline telephone company believes in environment friendly business strategies so it does not send me any itemised bills to save paper. However I could log on their website to check my usage. When I do, that control panel keeps experiencing technical difficulties. That doesn’t stop them from deducting whatever they feel like from my account, when I talk of my statutory rights, 3 different customer service folks promise to send me my bills via email….. 3 months later, there is no bill but the direct debit every month has only inched upwards.
My mobile phone contract came with a cash back guarantee after 6 months of completion of the contract term. After tedious application forms, more like sophisticated begging, nothing comes through in the post for 8 weeks. When I enquire, the receipt doesn’t match what they wanted on it. That means if I have exchanged a faulty handset the cash back offer stands voided, even if the exchange of handset was within their exchange policy terms!!!! If I want to downgrade my monthly usage limit, I have to first serve a sentence of 6 months before I am eligible for parole.
My estate agent won’t draw a year’s lease as that would mean I get the ‘one month notice’ advantage, so he draws only 6 month contracts and there is no escaping within those six months, so if your boyfriend asks you to move in with him within the 1st month of your contract, you either lose the relationship or pay twice the rent for 6 months.
My energy supplier loves to call me and stop me in the supermarket to tell me ways of capping my electricity bills for the next 5 years. But when you ask them to explain a certain meter reading they start speaking in an aboriginal dialect and are highly trained in losing you.
The one place I did find superb service was the city council office. I informed them that I will be moving my residence and within minutes they sorted my bill and did not try to contest me on everything I said, did not even ask proof, just fixed my problem and sent me on my way. The one place where you expect back logs and waiting, complacency and bureaucracy is the one place I found superlative business tact. They were transparent as to what I am liable to pay, when I am expected to do so and what the penalties will be should I default.
This brings me to a thought, should we return to the government what is rightfully given to them by a voting public? The laws of governing a society. The laws of protecting the individual. The laws of freedom of information and punishment for anyone, however a conglomerate, for those who fail to be fair.
But that’s not what is happening today with the markets getting more and more cramped and the competition more stiffer, instead of a simple linear relationship of better products with increasing competition; here we get to witness a scheming mind rather than a engenuine mind. These companies pay high salaries to executives who can develop strategies for trapping people into an unknown deal, which is simply fuelled by greed rather than progress. But, they refuse to pay the R&D folks half as much. The reason there are more marketing MBAs loitering about town than doctors.
Every service provided today requires you to sign some sort of contract. A contract for mobile phones, internet, TV channels, health clubs, bookstores, magazines and periodicals, insurance and even your own bank expects you to commit a series of payments before you have even had a taste of their services. You could sum up the fine print that rambles on for 14 odd pages in about two sentences;
"you shall keep your side of the commitment by paying the company regularly, we however will keep changing our standards of service as and how the market fluctuates and we may even perform to the utmost of all appalling standards".
My internet company on a regular basis has troubles with its 3Mbps line, the same one they used on me when they were short selling to me last year. But when I call to downgrade my package as I no longer use the internet the way I used to, I am told that there is a penalty to do so!!!
My landline telephone company believes in environment friendly business strategies so it does not send me any itemised bills to save paper. However I could log on their website to check my usage. When I do, that control panel keeps experiencing technical difficulties. That doesn’t stop them from deducting whatever they feel like from my account, when I talk of my statutory rights, 3 different customer service folks promise to send me my bills via email….. 3 months later, there is no bill but the direct debit every month has only inched upwards.
My mobile phone contract came with a cash back guarantee after 6 months of completion of the contract term. After tedious application forms, more like sophisticated begging, nothing comes through in the post for 8 weeks. When I enquire, the receipt doesn’t match what they wanted on it. That means if I have exchanged a faulty handset the cash back offer stands voided, even if the exchange of handset was within their exchange policy terms!!!! If I want to downgrade my monthly usage limit, I have to first serve a sentence of 6 months before I am eligible for parole.
My estate agent won’t draw a year’s lease as that would mean I get the ‘one month notice’ advantage, so he draws only 6 month contracts and there is no escaping within those six months, so if your boyfriend asks you to move in with him within the 1st month of your contract, you either lose the relationship or pay twice the rent for 6 months.
My energy supplier loves to call me and stop me in the supermarket to tell me ways of capping my electricity bills for the next 5 years. But when you ask them to explain a certain meter reading they start speaking in an aboriginal dialect and are highly trained in losing you.
The one place I did find superb service was the city council office. I informed them that I will be moving my residence and within minutes they sorted my bill and did not try to contest me on everything I said, did not even ask proof, just fixed my problem and sent me on my way. The one place where you expect back logs and waiting, complacency and bureaucracy is the one place I found superlative business tact. They were transparent as to what I am liable to pay, when I am expected to do so and what the penalties will be should I default.
This brings me to a thought, should we return to the government what is rightfully given to them by a voting public? The laws of governing a society. The laws of protecting the individual. The laws of freedom of information and punishment for anyone, however a conglomerate, for those who fail to be fair.
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