fiberguyMy views are my own.Premium
join:2005-05-20
kudos:3 | reply to jjeffeory
Re: Caps and pay-by-byte is just around the corner You're right about treating the consumer fairly - however, as you know that's objectionable.
For example, I'd say that $29.00 broadband connections are MORE than fair yet many here don't feel that way. They think it should be less and less and less. $29 is fair considering dial up at $25 (not including the second phone line fees) was just behind us. not to mention, you couldn't share it and the connection was pretty worthless. Now, for about $30 average, you get a good rate of speed that multiple computers can use.
Many people believe it's over priced, even at $40 which is STILL far less that what dial up cost a few short years back.
Some people look at price alone when they wonder if they are being treated fairly. They'll look at, say, your price for something.. find it cheaper elsewhere on price alone, and then look at you like you're ripping them off. They don't take into consideration many factors such as what the product is and what you get for that money.
People, by large, are not fair, or to be honest, well educated, in their perceptions and don't take the time to enhance their knowledge. Often time, the consumer's anger is misplaced or unfounded. (Not a popular opinion around a group of such 'informed' consumers here  ) And yea.. I honestly feel that the average consumer is an idiot.
All I can do, and have ever done all my life, is do the best job I can for my customer (be it one of my own, or a customer of my employers) and know that I did the best I possibly could. In myself, I know I did the right thing. In the end, if the consumer doesn't like it, they can go elsewhere. What I've found, many times over, is these well informed, and sometimes unhappy consumers, bail for the most idiotic reason, spend more money in the long run, and eventually come back because they realize they were wrong in the first place.
This country has fuck-up fatigue. It is quickly losing grip with reality in the name of "I need to feel important and good about everything"...
I have a very blunt and direct attitude towards life and things around me and that's my choice. Some people want to spend their time chasing every penny in quantity.. I, however, chase quality. In the long run, I get a better class of customer and I get a better return on my investment and time. I never cow-tow to a customer who calls in and feels butt hurt over something and then wants a free year of everything. I will do EVERYTHING to make a customer whole and right, but I do NOT and NEVER will EVER give a consumer any "Credits" for when they feel they were wronged. Shit happens all the time and I believe you make it right for them.
There are many things that make up "consumer fairness"... I just go about it a different way than the average consumer would like me to. To be honest... if my customer base was made up of BBR people, I'd go broke. I honestly would never cater to this crowd. (Just being honest here) I frequently cut ties with people who are unreasonable and out of line regularly. In this particular business line I have, the product is solid and it is priced well. I have no room for the constant complainer who's expectations are higher than they should be.
I believe there are MANY ways to provider value and fairness to the consumer and I attack that on many fronts. I just don't give in to unreasonable demands.. I'm very aware of the consumer who plays business to their advantage with baseless threats (see - "how do I play the cable company for a better price? .. should I threaten to leave?") and the consumer who complains to no end in order to get the company to give something for free. We live in a world of "you hurt me, now give me something free"... I refuse.
In the end - I'm here, I've weathered many storms, I've been growing strong, and I have a customer base of extremely satisfied customers.
So, I believe that I've found MY happy medium.
And by the way.. I've noticed in WI the same thing on prices at the pump. They all raise fairly quickly and all do it about the same time. When I first started working, it was for Chevron corporation. I'm pretty well verse on how they raise their prices... and I will also say that how prices raise today are not the same way just a few short years ago. It's more volatile today then before.
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"Complaining is the least path of resistance for the self-serving, the lazy, and I’m told it’s a woman’s prerogative..." |
