Nobody loves corporations.We may respect and admire them. We can work for them. We may feel a certain loyalty. But nobody loves corporations.
Experiences like this explain why: I purchased a wireless router from an office supply store. I didn’t necessarily need to be able to receive the internet in every room in the house, but the router was on sale for $35 with a $25 rebate. For 10 bucks, why not?
After going through the acrobatic routine to hook the thing up, I dutifully made copies of all the information for the rebate and sent it in. I waited and waited and waited for the refund.
Finally I e-mailed the company to ask where it was. No, the check was not in the mail. The customer service representative said they never received the rebate information. Since I had copies, I said I would gladly send it in again. Too late, she said, the deadline had already passed. Looks like it was my loss.
Not entirely. Do you think that company has received any business from me since the rebate was “lost?”
You would think I would have learned. But no. I bought a battery charger and decided to get the $5 rebate if I bought more batteries at the same time.
I got all the stuff together and sent it in. Last week, a letter came back with a note that said the rebate could not be processed and instructed me to include the necessary material and resubmit it.
The letter didn’t specify what piece of material was left out, so I have no idea what more was needed besides the receipt, UPC codes and the original rebate form that were returned with the letter.
Good grief, couldn’t the major corporation see I made a good faith effort to fulfill the requirements of their 15-point rebate process and give me the stinking $5?
Corporations mistakenly believe the public doesn’t love them because they are big. The problem is they insist on grower even bigger.
Last week, Missouri American Water Co. asked for a rate increase. As customers, we appreciate efforts to upgrade and improve an aging water system. We understand that costs are going up, just as expenses are increasing for every single person who buys fuel and food.
But the rate request rankles for another reason. When my water bill was estimated in January because of freezing temperatures, the estimate was a full $10 above the average bill and was by far the highest water bill I have ever paid.
Last month, the bill was adjusted to actual usage and was lower than usual. In the intervening month, however, the company had use of that $10 and was earning interest on it. Maybe $10 isn’t much, but if you figure that for every customer — even just those in St. Joe — it’s a chunk of change.
It’s easy to win every time when you write the rules. That’s why, even though we respect and do business with corporations, we never really love them.
