Why is it, I wonder, that we as Kiwis keep letting businesses reduce their service, but we still stay with them?
We are all familiar with our favourite chocolate bars being reduced in size without the price being reduced, but I have noticed an increasing trend when it comes to some of the various companies that I use regularly.
My wife tried to book a doctor’s appointment the other day. She rang up our preferred provider of medical knowledge to see who she could book in with and when, and was astonished to hear from the receptionist that they don’t take bookings over the phone anymore and that she would have to go online to make a booking!
And this after they just cranked their fees up recently to $60 for an enrolled patient. And triple that for a visitor!
Quite how the elders in our community get on if they are not web savvy, I have no idea. I guess you just have to ring up and berate the staff until they make an exception.
Perhaps this is why my local bank has had to resort to putting up the sign above.
Thanks for being considerate.
We’re doing our best to serve you – swearing , abusive language, threats or physical violence towards our staff will not be tolerated.
Thanks for your co-operation.
Gee, I wonder if the reason people are being mean to them is down to the fact that they have recently decided to become a non-service branch?
Pretty much all we get now at that branch is a desk with a few iPads, so you can do your banking there rather than have to bother the single staff member, and a couple of supposedly clever ATMs. They are still happy to charge the same fees though.
Is it any wonder people get upset when they try to withdraw $5000 cash to buy something and find they can’t do it, being told,”We don’t hold that much cash here, you’ll have to drive into town to do that”! And when advised that no, you will not be driving into town where there is no parking, you are told: “Well you’ve got three ATM cards, just take it out in three separate smaller amounts”!
Again, no, if I have to account for three separate transactions just to get some cash out, I will simply drive a little way down the road to the other nice bank and give them my business.
And has anyone noticed that Air NZ not only wants you to use the little machine to check in and get your bag tag, but they now require you to scan your own luggage in as well!
The first time I did this it was a complete balls-up. I’m pretty sure only one of my bags got scanned. I’m used to it now, but this is just another demonstration of how companies get away with slowly reducing service. Again, oldies are completely flummoxed.
I guess it is all a part of making money for the shareholders, but at some point, it must hurt them. (On a side note, if this kind of delivery is what we can expect from Mr Luxon in the future, I think we need to prepare for some more hurt.)
Will I stop using Air NZ due to these things? No.
I only fly with that other crowd if it doesn’t matter if I get where I’m going on time.
And I guess Air NZ know this. They also have the corporate side of things sewn up as they know those guys will always stay with them. But I am of an age where I really value a little service and a smile, and I’ll sometimes pay a little extra to get it, but there is no way to avoid some of these things.
The bank and the medical centre, though, are completely different. That guy heading over to your competitors, yeah that’s me. See ya.