All About the Money

I'm sure i've mentioned many a time in the past on the general niceties of customer service over here in the States - virtually all positive as well, i'd wager - save for the continuing annoying trend of shop/gas station assistants who seem far more concerned talking with their co-workers than serving you/telling you how much something costs etc. etc. It also has to be said that a large number of the places where i can judge service are the restaurants that i have been to. By their nature, these are small businesses rather than multi-national chains or big companies and it's here that we start coming across problems. Y'see, the big chains are generally here for one purpose and one purpose only. And as you've probably guessed, it isn't to serve the average Joe customer. In short, it's about the green. One thing that seems absolutely certain in this world (apart from death and taxes), is that the more money a person/company gets, the more they want.

It's this vicious circle that has resulted in an incredibly wealthy few in the world (of which a large number are Americans). These companies are just out to make a quick buck at the expense of everyone else. Take, for example, that stalwart of American supermarkets - Wal Mart (of which i have been to maybe three times since i got here). Watching the recent DVD 'Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices' revealed a few interesting facts such as: Wal-Mart actively encourage their employees to use the State Health Benefits (funded out of taxes) as their 'employee health plan' as they don't pay for one themselves. Add into that the way that they strong-arm their employees to work overtime hours and then casually remove the overtime from the pay system. Just two of the ways that this self-promoting 'caring company' work. Closer to home, think of the housing company (Meridian) who have built a small estate close to my friend Kellie's house (the lowest price of which is $400,000) yet they are loathe to actually repair any of the damage and mess they have caused in Kellie's street and garden (as well as her neighbours) in order to connect sewage etc. to these new houses. In total, this would probably cost about $2000 per house (and about 20 houses. No, this company are intent to do a half-arsed job and think they can get away with it. Remember the song 'Money Makes The World Go Around' (from 'Caberet', I believe). I'm dis-inclined to believe that anymore!