Taking life by the balls
So I've been really busy recently. More than my life should generally warrant. Too much of that schedule-filling has come from work, which has caused me to look at my living/work situation very objectively over the last few weeks. No life changing decisions have come out of that, but a renewed sense of purpose has certainly come to my attention. A sense of what I want and that I need to take it, for people may not give it to me of their own accord.
It's too easy for people to pay lip service in thanks and make no real restitution to those who do something for them. I include myself in this grouping, but it's really true. Far too often you'll find people taking the lazy way out of situations and not getting what is their right or is due others. My parents' current trip to Quebec is a classic example. United Airlines has tried (very hard) to screw them over during their travels, but my dad won't hold their feet to the fire over it. It's part of who he is, which is why my mom probably will do her best to force the issue early. They make a great couple for this reason. She gets what they deserve, he moderates her actions. I hope and believe that Chelsea and I will be the same sort of influence on each other (although there will be times she'll have to hold me back probably more than I will her). ;-)
Regardless, their predicament has thrown my earlier observation into a stark light. The United terminal monkeys who were completely useless while trying to sort their situation out should be punished. Severely. Lying to a customer should never be an acceptable practice. The instant their manager learned of it, he should have apologized profusely and sought to remedy the situation. Instead, he covers his own ass, denies plain facts that are laid out in front of him as "not true" and insists that there's nothing he can do. He too should be fired at the very least. On the other extreme, the reservation specialist at Air Canada in Toronto should get a bonus. She not only got my parents on their way as quickly and painlessly as possible, but she explained what she was doing, how she was doing it, and what the other options were along the way. In the end, she made my parents want to travel on Air Canada at any point they possibly could in the future. My father was talking about canceling his United Frequent Flyer plan by mid-day Thursday. Their travel problems weren't done until Friday.
Therein lies the crux of the argument though. He should punish United in any way he can. Post poor reviews, cancel plans, do whatever it takes to express his displeasure; especially if they perform nothing in the area of restitution for his troubles. Yes it takes effort, but that effort needs to be taken. By everyone, not just him. Doing that forces companies to actually be kind to their customers and do what is morally correct. Why are humans so pathetic when it comes to this sort of crap? Why is it so hard to put a little effort into doing the right thing? I do it myself from time to time; act a little lazy about something. But the smile on someone's face when I do the right thing matters so much to me that I feel like a complete heel if I skimp on something. Am I really that unique?
So prove me wrong. Do the right thing. No reason not to, except making the world that much darker, that much worse. Be a good person.
Right now I'm starting negotiations for new wages at Entellium. A raise. I'm going to be a bit a bastard about it, since I've invested a decent amount here. And I don't feel I'm being compensated quite how I deserve when it comes down to it. Also, I know where I want to be in 4 years. I don't see myself getting there the way things currently are. Time to fix that. Time to demand what I think I should get and see where we end up. And remind myself to pay it back and forward to those who deserve it.
Eo ipso, Eo nomine
-Kemper, out
It's too easy for people to pay lip service in thanks and make no real restitution to those who do something for them. I include myself in this grouping, but it's really true. Far too often you'll find people taking the lazy way out of situations and not getting what is their right or is due others. My parents' current trip to Quebec is a classic example. United Airlines has tried (very hard) to screw them over during their travels, but my dad won't hold their feet to the fire over it. It's part of who he is, which is why my mom probably will do her best to force the issue early. They make a great couple for this reason. She gets what they deserve, he moderates her actions. I hope and believe that Chelsea and I will be the same sort of influence on each other (although there will be times she'll have to hold me back probably more than I will her). ;-)
Regardless, their predicament has thrown my earlier observation into a stark light. The United terminal monkeys who were completely useless while trying to sort their situation out should be punished. Severely. Lying to a customer should never be an acceptable practice. The instant their manager learned of it, he should have apologized profusely and sought to remedy the situation. Instead, he covers his own ass, denies plain facts that are laid out in front of him as "not true" and insists that there's nothing he can do. He too should be fired at the very least. On the other extreme, the reservation specialist at Air Canada in Toronto should get a bonus. She not only got my parents on their way as quickly and painlessly as possible, but she explained what she was doing, how she was doing it, and what the other options were along the way. In the end, she made my parents want to travel on Air Canada at any point they possibly could in the future. My father was talking about canceling his United Frequent Flyer plan by mid-day Thursday. Their travel problems weren't done until Friday.
Therein lies the crux of the argument though. He should punish United in any way he can. Post poor reviews, cancel plans, do whatever it takes to express his displeasure; especially if they perform nothing in the area of restitution for his troubles. Yes it takes effort, but that effort needs to be taken. By everyone, not just him. Doing that forces companies to actually be kind to their customers and do what is morally correct. Why are humans so pathetic when it comes to this sort of crap? Why is it so hard to put a little effort into doing the right thing? I do it myself from time to time; act a little lazy about something. But the smile on someone's face when I do the right thing matters so much to me that I feel like a complete heel if I skimp on something. Am I really that unique?
So prove me wrong. Do the right thing. No reason not to, except making the world that much darker, that much worse. Be a good person.
Right now I'm starting negotiations for new wages at Entellium. A raise. I'm going to be a bit a bastard about it, since I've invested a decent amount here. And I don't feel I'm being compensated quite how I deserve when it comes down to it. Also, I know where I want to be in 4 years. I don't see myself getting there the way things currently are. Time to fix that. Time to demand what I think I should get and see where we end up. And remind myself to pay it back and forward to those who deserve it.
Eo ipso, Eo nomine
-Kemper, out