Working service jobs killed my faith in society

Wolfstrike

Gold Member
Jan 12, 2012
2,237
431
160
Los Angeles
When I was very young and I started taking an interest in politics , I believed for many years that all I had to do was expose the corrupt actions of our worthless politicians and the public would throw them out.

After dealing with thousands of people i'm forced to face the reality that our politicians are just a reflection of our society. ...and the richer they are, the more out of touch with reality they are.

I worked in service for HVAC companies for 5 or 6 years before I found out customers call the company and complain about the technician, many times for nothing. My employer has been in the business for 40 years and we have customers that say "don't send that guy back to my house", he doesn't tell people he owns the company because he knows everyone is nuts.

The scary part is, companies like SEARS collect the information, if the manager wants to get rid of the technician they collect the complaints, if a manager wants to keep the technician, they ignore the complaints.

Let me tell you, what people think is a "reputable" company is all in their imagination, and good companies play to it. Most jobs go smooth, some hit problems, that's just the way it is.

You would be surprised about how many people are home all day and don't work, they're either retired or they have enough money where they don't have to do anything.

These people don't do anything, they don't have a care in the world, then when someone who works for a living comes over, they call the company and complain. If you think about it that's cutthroat.

Back when I worked at SEARS, I already knew the manager was trying to get me fired, ...they sent me to a customer's house and I found the guy damaged his own furnace. He was a long time SEARS customer, but at this point SEARS wasn't liable. I decided to be a nice guy and let SEARS pay for the part and labor. Well, I got back from the manufacturer, they said "we don't have a replacement, you have to replace the whole furnace" (Which is the only time that's ever happened to me) . They gave us another furnace and we installed it. The customer got a brand new furnace FOR FREE.

The customer misread our receipt and convinced himself we put in some cheap furnace as a replacement, he started raising hell, calling the company every 2 days, complaining about me, threatening to go to BBB, blah blah blah. What a jackass.

No good deed goes unpunished.



The end result is, successful companies raise prices and assume every customer is going to be a bastard. They think of their customer as an enemy and go in with the intention of collecting top dollar.

Unfortunately , businesses are hand-in-hand with politicians
 
I hear ya. Dealing with the public is no joke. Especially in Los Angeles -- it's a different animal there. Dealing with the public will kill anyone's faith in society.
 
Some folks are nuckin Futz and it's just more life you gotta put u with. You seem bitter, jealous and just not liking people too much. Those people don't care... the stress of dislike is only bad for you, not them.
I've worked with people as an OTC pharmacy manager for 147 years and don't think I got anything but awards for customer service. And I'm pretty antisocial but my customers never knew it.
A lot of life comes back to you depending on what you've added.
 
When I was very young and I started taking an interest in politics , I believed for many years that all I had to do was expose the corrupt actions of our worthless politicians and the public would throw them out.

After dealing with thousands of people i'm forced to face the reality that our politicians are just a reflection of our society. ...and the richer they are, the more out of touch with reality they are.

I worked in service for HVAC companies for 5 or 6 years before I found out customers call the company and complain about the technician, many times for nothing. My employer has been in the business for 40 years and we have customers that say "don't send that guy back to my house", he doesn't tell people he owns the company because he knows everyone is nuts.

The scary part is, companies like SEARS collect the information, if the manager wants to get rid of the technician they collect the complaints, if a manager wants to keep the technician, they ignore the complaints.

Let me tell you, what people think is a "reputable" company is all in their imagination, and good companies play to it. Most jobs go smooth, some hit problems, that's just the way it is.

You would be surprised about how many people are home all day and don't work, they're either retired or they have enough money where they don't have to do anything.

These people don't do anything, they don't have a care in the world, then when someone who works for a living comes over, they call the company and complain. If you think about it that's cutthroat.

Back when I worked at SEARS, I already knew the manager was trying to get me fired, ...they sent me to a customer's house and I found the guy damaged his own furnace. He was a long time SEARS customer, but at this point SEARS wasn't liable. I decided to be a nice guy and let SEARS pay for the part and labor. Well, I got back from the manufacturer, they said "we don't have a replacement, you have to replace the whole furnace" (Which is the only time that's ever happened to me) . They gave us another furnace and we installed it. The customer got a brand new furnace FOR FREE.

The customer misread our receipt and convinced himself we put in some cheap furnace as a replacement, he started raising hell, calling the company every 2 days, complaining about me, threatening to go to BBB, blah blah blah. What a jackass.

No good deed goes unpunished.



The end result is, successful companies raise prices and assume every customer is going to be a bastard. They think of their customer as an enemy and go in with the intention of collecting top dollar.

Unfortunately , businesses are hand-in-hand with politicians
Maybe it's you. I've been in service my entire life and people actually like me. You should try not being a dick. Based on your post you go in hating your customers and apparently it shows. Stop doing that. You may begin to enjoy life.
 
When I was very young and I started taking an interest in politics , I believed for many years that all I had to do was expose the corrupt actions of our worthless politicians and the public would throw them out.

After dealing with thousands of people i'm forced to face the reality that our politicians are just a reflection of our society. ...and the richer they are, the more out of touch with reality they are.

I worked in service for HVAC companies for 5 or 6 years before I found out customers call the company and complain about the technician, many times for nothing. My employer has been in the business for 40 years and we have customers that say "don't send that guy back to my house", he doesn't tell people he owns the company because he knows everyone is nuts.

The scary part is, companies like SEARS collect the information, if the manager wants to get rid of the technician they collect the complaints, if a manager wants to keep the technician, they ignore the complaints.

Let me tell you, what people think is a "reputable" company is all in their imagination, and good companies play to it. Most jobs go smooth, some hit problems, that's just the way it is.

You would be surprised about how many people are home all day and don't work, they're either retired or they have enough money where they don't have to do anything.

These people don't do anything, they don't have a care in the world, then when someone who works for a living comes over, they call the company and complain. If you think about it that's cutthroat.

Back when I worked at SEARS, I already knew the manager was trying to get me fired, ...they sent me to a customer's house and I found the guy damaged his own furnace. He was a long time SEARS customer, but at this point SEARS wasn't liable. I decided to be a nice guy and let SEARS pay for the part and labor. Well, I got back from the manufacturer, they said "we don't have a replacement, you have to replace the whole furnace" (Which is the only time that's ever happened to me) . They gave us another furnace and we installed it. The customer got a brand new furnace FOR FREE.

The customer misread our receipt and convinced himself we put in some cheap furnace as a replacement, he started raising hell, calling the company every 2 days, complaining about me, threatening to go to BBB, blah blah blah. What a jackass.

No good deed goes unpunished.



The end result is, successful companies raise prices and assume every customer is going to be a bastard. They think of their customer as an enemy and go in with the intention of collecting top dollar.

Unfortunately , businesses are hand-in-hand with politicians

You're right. The whole world had a meeting and decided that no one would like you. I'm surprised that it took you so long to figure that out
 
When I was very young and I started taking an interest in politics , I believed for many years that all I had to do was expose the corrupt actions of our worthless politicians and the public would throw them out.

After dealing with thousands of people i'm forced to face the reality that our politicians are just a reflection of our society. ...and the richer they are, the more out of touch with reality they are.

I worked in service for HVAC companies for 5 or 6 years before I found out customers call the company and complain about the technician, many times for nothing. My employer has been in the business for 40 years and we have customers that say "don't send that guy back to my house", he doesn't tell people he owns the company because he knows everyone is nuts.

The scary part is, companies like SEARS collect the information, if the manager wants to get rid of the technician they collect the complaints, if a manager wants to keep the technician, they ignore the complaints.

Let me tell you, what people think is a "reputable" company is all in their imagination, and good companies play to it. Most jobs go smooth, some hit problems, that's just the way it is.

You would be surprised about how many people are home all day and don't work, they're either retired or they have enough money where they don't have to do anything.

These people don't do anything, they don't have a care in the world, then when someone who works for a living comes over, they call the company and complain. If you think about it that's cutthroat.

Back when I worked at SEARS, I already knew the manager was trying to get me fired, ...they sent me to a customer's house and I found the guy damaged his own furnace. He was a long time SEARS customer, but at this point SEARS wasn't liable. I decided to be a nice guy and let SEARS pay for the part and labor. Well, I got back from the manufacturer, they said "we don't have a replacement, you have to replace the whole furnace" (Which is the only time that's ever happened to me) . They gave us another furnace and we installed it. The customer got a brand new furnace FOR FREE.

The customer misread our receipt and convinced himself we put in some cheap furnace as a replacement, he started raising hell, calling the company every 2 days, complaining about me, threatening to go to BBB, blah blah blah. What a jackass.

No good deed goes unpunished.



The end result is, successful companies raise prices and assume every customer is going to be a bastard. They think of their customer as an enemy and go in with the intention of collecting top dollar.

Unfortunately , businesses are hand-in-hand with politicians

We live in a society that promotes competition and self interest as the best means to advance itself. So..........
 
When I was very young and I started taking an interest in politics , I believed for many years that all I had to do was expose the corrupt actions of our worthless politicians and the public would throw them out.

After dealing with thousands of people i'm forced to face the reality that our politicians are just a reflection of our society. ...and the richer they are, the more out of touch with reality they are.

I worked in service for HVAC companies for 5 or 6 years before I found out customers call the company and complain about the technician, many times for nothing. My employer has been in the business for 40 years and we have customers that say "don't send that guy back to my house", he doesn't tell people he owns the company because he knows everyone is nuts.

The scary part is, companies like SEARS collect the information, if the manager wants to get rid of the technician they collect the complaints, if a manager wants to keep the technician, they ignore the complaints.

Let me tell you, what people think is a "reputable" company is all in their imagination, and good companies play to it. Most jobs go smooth, some hit problems, that's just the way it is.

You would be surprised about how many people are home all day and don't work, they're either retired or they have enough money where they don't have to do anything.

These people don't do anything, they don't have a care in the world, then when someone who works for a living comes over, they call the company and complain. If you think about it that's cutthroat.

Back when I worked at SEARS, I already knew the manager was trying to get me fired, ...they sent me to a customer's house and I found the guy damaged his own furnace. He was a long time SEARS customer, but at this point SEARS wasn't liable. I decided to be a nice guy and let SEARS pay for the part and labor. Well, I got back from the manufacturer, they said "we don't have a replacement, you have to replace the whole furnace" (Which is the only time that's ever happened to me) . They gave us another furnace and we installed it. The customer got a brand new furnace FOR FREE.

The customer misread our receipt and convinced himself we put in some cheap furnace as a replacement, he started raising hell, calling the company every 2 days, complaining about me, threatening to go to BBB, blah blah blah. What a jackass.

No good deed goes unpunished.



The end result is, successful companies raise prices and assume every customer is going to be a bastard. They think of their customer as an enemy and go in with the intention of collecting top dollar.

Unfortunately , businesses are hand-in-hand with politicians
politicians are just a reflection of our society. ...and the richer they are, the more out of touch with reality they are.

Excuse me? Reality is not something for which one's -- anyone's, politician or otherwise -- proximity to it is inversely proportional to one's wealth. On the contrary, there's a very plausible case to be made that most people who are at least rich enough to be considered upper middle class (economically) or rich are sufficiently are demonstrably "in touch" with reality. The evidence of their awareness and grasp of reality is seen in their having adroitly tailored and exploited their skills and abilities so as to thrive in that reality rather than insisting reality reward them for merely being and for their good intentions.

In the game of life in the real world, situationally sentient people encounter challenges and obstacles and, rather than complaining about the difficulties they face, take stock of their current status and figure out how, in accordance with extant rules, to overcome it. Then they set about doing exactly that. If they analysis was "on point," they succeed and advance; however, they erred in their assessment, they fail. At that point, the matter becomes that of whether they learn from their prior errors and develop and pursue a new and successful approach.

My employer has been in the business for 40 years and we have customers that say "don't send that guy back to my house", he doesn't tell people he owns the company because he knows everyone is nuts.

What does the occasion of having dissatisfied customers have to do with the firm owner not owing up to the fact that he is?

He may well "know" that everyone is nuts; however, based on your description, we all must conclude he's a coward. You know who apes and applauds the acts of a coward? Other cowards.

You would be surprised about how many people are home all day and don't work, they're either retired or they have enough money where they don't have to do anything.

Donald Trump recently noted that there are about 95M people who are not in the workforce. One, then, would practically have to "live in a cave," so to speak, to be thus surprised, though, I suppose along with sequestration, merely being profoundly lazy, insouciant, or abjectly stupid may also yield a similar degree of astonishment. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures indicate that something between ~6M and ~8.3M of them have in the past month or so had no desire to work, as evidenced by the fact that they didn't seek employment. Of those individuals, about 3.6M have had no such desire over the course of the past year.

You would be surprised about how many people are home all day and don't work, they're either retired or they have enough money where they don't have to do anything. These people don't do anything, they don't have a care in the world, then when someone who works for a living comes over, they call the company and complain. If you think about it that's cutthroat.

That may well happen. You've a long way to go to credibly make the case that that phenomenon is pervasive enough to be the norm and not the exception.

BTW, I see nothing Machiavellian or unprincipled about one's expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of another whom one engaged to perform a task and who failed to meet one's expectations in one or several dimensions.

Back when I worked at SEARS, I already knew the manager was trying to get me fired, ...they sent me to a customer's house and I found the guy damaged his own furnace. He was a long time SEARS customer, but at this point SEARS wasn't liable. I decided to be a nice guy and let SEARS pay for the part and labor. Well, I got back from the manufacturer, they said "we don't have a replacement, you have to replace the whole furnace" (Which is the only time that's ever happened to me) . They gave us another furnace and we installed it. The customer got a brand new furnace FOR FREE.

The customer misread our receipt and convinced himself we put in some cheap furnace as a replacement, he started raising hell, calling the company every 2 days, complaining about me, threatening to go to BBB, blah blah blah. What a jackass.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Are you generally given to conspiracy theories? It's not that I don't think the events you identified happened. I'm willing to accept that they did. It's that I think quite a few other events, one's you've not shared and that are material to the story, also happened. Moreover, given your earlier expressed and irrational assessment of the relationship between politicians' wealth and their comprehension of reality, I'm reticent to accept your conclusions about the motivations and intents of the parties in the anecdote just above.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Some do. Some don't.

The end result is, successful companies raise prices and assume every customer is going to be a bastard. They think of their customer as an enemy and go in with the intention of collecting top dollar.

Unfortunately , businesses are hand-in-hand with politicians

Do you truly think that the main content of your OP actually supports the two conclusions with which you end it? Of the final assertions you make...
  • companies raise prices
  • companies assume every customer is going to be a bastard (presumably you mean "difficult to please")
  • companies think of the customer as the enemy
  • companies seek to earn top dollar
  • businesses are hand-in-hand with politicians
  • Tacit conclusion: that businesses are hand-in-hand with politicians is unfortunate
.... two are given definitionally; one is well established enough that it can be accepted prima facie. The others are, in spite of the OP's remarks, nothing more than bald claims. I'm sure you believe what you wrote, but you've not shared a damn thing that gives thoughtful reader good reason share your conviction. Perhaps, however, your rhetorical purpose was merely to share rather than to persuade?
 
Bravo!

Even though it was really long and made my left eye twitch
 
You have a good job in the greatest Country in the world and you whine about having to deal with complaints. I bet you never served your Country in the Military Try a career in Law Enforcement. The fact that 135 Police Officers were killed in the line of duty last year might give you some perspective.
 

New Topics

Forum List

Back
Top