Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

Whether it's IT, delivery companies, utilities, banks or airlines, I'm sure we have all experienced the frustration of dealing with the problems they love to give us. How many times have you been around and around on a help page only to end up where you started or been on the phone for half an hour only to get cut off?

Why is it these companies can get away with not providing the service they say they can? is it because our governments are not tough enough on them or because they know that no matter how many customers they p*ss off, there will always be a new batch of customers along shortly? Perhaps it's simply because there are too many people to deal with?

Internet speeds, Operating systems that don't really work, parcels that don't turn up are bad enough but it's the complete lack of support that does our heads in.

Imagine if you bought a new electric car then six months later, you were told that it no longer runs on electricity but runs on company bullsh*t instead. 'So ho how do I install it?, Oh you can't you need to buy a new car'

I'm sure if that happened there would be an outcry yet the IT companies do it to us all the time and nothing ever happens to them. You can complain of course but no one ever listens.

So who has upset you recently?

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

The moral of the story is not to give these companies monopolies or effective monopolies. We trot off to supermarkets and thereby give them a monopoly on our food supplies. As a result local trades go out of business and disappear.

We have BT having the monopoly on UK telecoms. You can sign up with various internet providers but in most cases you are still reliant on BT infrastructure whioch they all use.

We've allowed Microsoft to have a monopoly on operating systems. Apple have their share but there are few other real contenders.

We've given Google a monopoly on internet searching. There used to be dozens of internet serach engines but we all flocked to Google's simplistic website and as a result gave them superiority and now a monopoly.

We have to stop giving companies this level of power simple as.

Did we need to give Amazon the power it has? Can we not buy our products from other companies? Yet so many of us just choose the easy option and buy just about everything from Amazon. As a result they become a massive greedy conglomerate.

All of it our fault.

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

The whole point of running a business is to make the most money at the lowest cost.

Post sales support is a cost, and unless that cost has a value at least greater than the cost it is a loss.

Loss is not good. Loss has to be managed VERY carefully. Often the loss of customer satisfaction is less than the cost of delivering it.

Managing a business is 100% down to managing money and we'll understanding the market, the product, and the business strategy.

It ain't easy!

Re Amazon :-

Amazon are a market provider, most of what is sold in Amazon is sold through Amazon not by Amazon no matter how it appears. That is why the taxes they pay are so little other than in the country that they are registered. Taxes on goods are paid by the suppliers who use Amazon in the countries n which they are based.

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

I think many people have lost the art of complaining. We all want to use the easiest way to complain, so don't bother to write a letter & request a reply. I always put a complaint in writing & keep a copy so i can attach their reply.

Many internet companies don't give a postal address, but if that is the case I phone them and ask for an address where I can send a complaint. I also let them know that, of I don't get a satisfactory explanation I will put it on social media!

I see little point in threatening not to deal with them in future, as they won't be concerned about losing my contributions to their profits but, if you let many other people know, they may show their customers more respect!
The law is only interested in words on paper with a signature, so you achieve little if you complain by phone!

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

Totally agree Twink.
If I only have a mild moan, I will either pop in the store, or phone, but if I am making a serious complaint, I will always put it in writing and keep a copy. Then their reply is stapled to my letter.

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

I find large companies such as banks are inflexable. they have their "must obey" set of rules and guidelines.. Give any company a problem outside their remit and they are completely at a loss. Just experience exactly that with HSBC which is not my bank but tied in with trust fund dividends.

What has happened to common sense and the ability to adjust? that has gone out the window

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

I believe that if we don't do this then the businesses will just assume that their customers will take no action & the situation will get worse!
There should be guidelines for all transactions & both the company & the customer are agreeing to them, when a transaction take place. If either party don't adhere to the guidelines, then they are breaking the agreement.
If people don't understand the terms of the agreement, most companies have systems where you can ask questions &, if they say they don't, I just tell them that I will have to find the goods/service elsewhere then!

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

I think you will find that these companies have to stick to their set of rules, for legal reasons. If staff go against the rules they could lose their jobs, let alone lose the company a fortune because the legalities have been compromised.
Financial services have very strict rules , and the staff who didn't adhere to them in order to meet their targets, cost their companies millions on inadequate details about Pensions, & PPI.

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

If I have a real problem I tend to do my research and go to the top. You can find the details of most senior staff of companies on the internet. I did this with John Lewis, a problem situation which had been going on for 3 months was resolved in 24 hours and I got an apology from the bosses right-hand man some gift vouchers too .

Minor irritations I ignore these days, I can't cope with adrenaline it has a serious effect on my health so I pick my battles and try to stay calm at all time with the help of breathing exercises.

Re: Businesses and their utter contempt for their customers.

My next question was going to be; is the increase in people's stress levels related to all these problems?