I'm having a bad tech day. I'm pissed off with technology. Yes, the irony isn't lost on me that I'm writing a blog post about it, but I feel I wanna throw in the towel and just live off grid. On my death bed I'm going to want all the time in my life spent on hold with effen customer service support lines, back. From my wireless modem to my internet to my cell phone to the satellite tv to wrong billings for my utilities, to god knows what else. And do you notice you always have the same effen IVR message. They're so busy it's a larger than normal call volume. Oh, ok, I guess I'll go to a company that knows what they're doing then and who's underlying service isn't so effen bad that there's a larger than normal effen call volume of people wanting effen service!! And here's another favorite. Why is the first thing those effen CSR a'holes ask you after you put in your phone number, is, WHAT'S YOUR PHONE NUMBER. For cell phones, if I wanted to pull out the battery of my cell phone every day or 2x a day to fix a problem I WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT THE EFFEN CELL PHONE. If I have to reboot the fucking modem every other day, or as a matter of use, I WOULDN'T GET IT!. What is it with tech and making shit that doesn't work?????? Holy Christ, can you image what Caterpillar or Boeing or any major industrial company would be like if you have to reboot the freakin thing every day. And another thing - if anyone in the CSR blogosphere reads this - if someone is calling in for tech support - they're already pissed off. They're pissed at the company, the same company where some MBA asswhipe in marketing spends a whollop of cash to build the brand that is destroyed through shit product and bad IVR or CSR systems - SO, when I'm calling in, and yes, pissed off, DON'T make things worse by having an overly long, taxing IVR system, or marketing messages for some stupid effen service, where all I really want is my effen modem, cellphone internet or TV service to be back up and effen running!!! Really, ever notice, when all you want is tech support it's never an option? Even worse, when you spend 5 minutes in IVR land and then you get a message the office is closed. Why not effen tell me that at the effen beginning???? Just help people up front. And don't sell me more shit from the same fucking company I'm calling because the first shit I bought doesn't work. And you get these effen Barbie like IVR messages touting something stupid like the new web site like it's the best fucking thing going on with your day. You know what a good fuckin for me is - NOT HAVING TO CALL FOR FUCKING TECH support.! A good day is when I don't have to dial 9 for more fucking options cuz you have you haven't addressed my fucking problem in the first fucking 8 options. Why god, why!! Help me. I'm at a loss with this 1's and 0's universe, I just want simple!

Beware - Domain Registry of Canada

I got a note in the mail the other day from this Canadian company Domain Registry of Canada. Although they do say in bold and caps, it's not a bill, but a solicitation, the way it's positioned, "Domain Name Expiration Notice", you might think it's from your host provider. They're requesting that you renew, to the tune of $40 a year. We all know most domain name registries, at least ones in the US, are usually less than $10. So, they hope to net in people who forget, don't know, or are otherwise not paying attention to not only shift the domain, but pay 400% more than most other places. Really? Is this the best business you could come up with? Taking advantage of people's lacking attention span and business lives. Really?

Hey, DR of Canada, F-you.

These guys get a nomination for the 2011 Chizzler Awards.

If you have other stories of companies business models built more on taking advantage of people than truly providing a for value service, let me know, we'll include them for this year's nominations.

Thanks,
Morley.

Oy Gevalt!!! Again with the #$%^n Fees - Rental Cars in Toronto

So, trying to be a little more green here, I got rid of my car and thought, now that I'm living in DT Toronto, I'd do as many locals do, which is what I did in Manhattan as well - rent when you need car. Take the subway, ride your bike, take a cab, rent a car.

This prospect seems to be attractive, and one that I used to undertake - rent when you need a car.

I've just finished looking in to reservations with Hertz and Avis in the downtown core, there is a $10 per DAY surcharge on all reservations. Like WTF??? Am I now responsible for a rental car company's expenses? Ok, maybe adjust your rental rates up, as is the practice in different markets, big cities are generally more than smaller ones where real estate is cheaper. But $10 a day, I don't even have the car there. Jeezuz H Christ I swear sometimes we exist just so companies can charge us fees. Our life is fees and taxes. Our environment, which should be host, is parasitic, and every company or government org has some fee to reach in to our pockets.

As an fyi to anyone renting in Toronto, look outside the downtown core for a rental, there may not be a fee. I found an Avis in HighPark that doesn't charge this fee. To those downtown locations, go self procreate yourself.

: )

Sincerely,
Morley.

Stop the Gouging!! Sign a pettition and let the CRTC know, NO to internet metering.

http://stopthemeter.ca

Make a donation to help us stop the meter at http://openmedia.ca/drive (Donating to us will be less expensive than paying punitive fees.)

- The OpenMedia.ca Team

---------------

The CRTC just decided to let your Internet Service Provider put a meter on your Internet!

Bell Canada and other big telecom companies can now freely impose usage-based billing on independent Internet Service Providers (indie ISPs) and YOU. Big Telecom companies are obviously trying to gouge consumers, control the Internet market, and ensure that consumers continue to subscribe to their television services.

This means we're looking at a future where ISPs will charge per byte, the way they do with smart phones. If we allow this to happen, Canadians will have no choice but to pay more for less Internet.

This will crush innovative services, Canada's digital competitiveness, and your wallet.

We need to stand up for the Internet.

Sign the Stop The Meter petition at: http://StopTheMeter.ca

Want to know more? Here’s the lowdown:

This decision is a blow to consumer choice, to access, and to free expression. Independent Internet service providers (ISPs), such as TekSavvy, pay incumbent telecoms like Bell for access points in their networks. In applying usage-based billing (UBB) to these indie ISPs, the CRTC has allowed Bell to determine and limit how many gigabytes of usage their independent competitors can provide to their customers.

- This severely limits competition in the telecommunications market, which is bad for innovation and diversity of content.

- This also means that the cost will necessarily be passed down to you, the consumer.

- Usage-based billing or metering discriminates against certain forms of information insofar as it charges consumers more for content that requires the use of a large amount of gigabytes, such as audio and video.

- This also means that those who produce media-based art, and depend on the Internet to show the world their work, are less able to produce and disseminate their content freely. This means less innovation and more control of art, film, music, and other forms we may not yet know of!

Sign the petition and save the freest medium we have ever known (again!). Stop the Meter and save our net!

--

Read more at SaveOurNet.ca: http://saveournet.ca/content/what-does-usage-based-billing-mean-net-neutrality

Read more at OpenMedia.ca: http://openmedia.ca/blog/crtc-decision-all-bell-and-usage-based-billing-all

Read TV Versus The Internet by Steve Anderson: http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2010/10/06/TVversusInternet/

Read more at CBC.ca: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/10/28/crtc-usage-based-billing-internet.html

American Airlines' Added Fees Crash and Burn the Customer

Well, let's see, where to start.
Hmm, well, if you're leaving one city, and going to another, and if that destination city is several hours away, couldn't one really assume that you'd, um, say, bring clothes and other such personal items? You know, like, luggage.

I made the mistake of thinking I got a 'deal' or a 'good rate' for a flight by AA on Expedia. But once I tacked on the extra $100+ for my luggage, no longer a deal. Baggage fees? WTF. Really, what are you thinking? Of course we have a luggage. And to make matters worse, there's the tweaking of the fees around weight. Plus, on a flight from Toronto to LA, no food. Well, ok, maybe I can see if they want to cut back, fine, we'll bring or buy food. Thanks for the drinks, although $6 for a beer is a bit rich in a captive market.

I think they should rebrand the airline, Chizzler Airlines. And any other airline that can't seem to make $$ by running it's underlying business - air transportation of people, by coming up with added, 'obvious' fees that should be included as part of your ticket.

So, AA, kiss my consumer ass, I'm not flying AA anymore. I'll fly an airline that has figured out how to provide good service, for a good price and not nickel and dime us. Ever hear of Southwest? Try flying on one of their flights and maybe you could school yourselves on customer service.

Morley

Let AA know you think it's time to bag the baggage fees.
File a complaint here:

Or check out more airline chicanery here.

What's with the charging a month in advance and KEEPING it?

This has happened twice during my sojourn in Canada, once with Rogers and once with Fido. After canceling my service after several years, I'm billed in advance for one month. What the F@#$. Really? For what? What did they do to derserve and extra months fees for no service. I'm really at a loss here, all I can think is WTF. Is it legal?
What freakin argument do they have to charge money for no service. What 'costs' can they claim, even if admin, that's part of running their business.

Regardless of it being a Term and Condition, and yes, the fine print we gloss over when signing up. Not having phone service is not really a reality in this era. So, if it mandatory, realistically, and all telco companies do this, the consumer does not really have an option to opt out. Unless, they can cross that term off the contract. Then there is the reality that the call service person or sales person will never process a contract like that since a) they don't know what to do and b) it's not in their interest to. So, we sign it like little lemmings, screwed by the big bad telco wolf. But really, WTF why are we being charge for no service.

Imagine any telco giant's bank charging fees for nothing. Or if you got a bill from Ford for something because the next car you bought was a Chrysler. Not to mention the whole issue of locking phones in Canada. That's a whole other diatribe. After paying $600 to Fido for an iPhone I can't unlock it? I know that's a cabal agreement between telcos and handset guys in North American but come on, I bought the f'n phone I should be able to do with it what I want. Imagine buying a car and only being able to go to one gas station. I can only hope that the rise of Wind Mobile, which seems to have a much more consumer centric philosophy, will help the big guys from screwing us more. Earn your $$, don't steal it.


Regarding the charging in advance. One way to lobby or inquire would be the Consumer's Association of Canada.

CAC National Office:
436 Gilmour Street, 3rd Floor
Ottawa, ON
K2P 0R8
Phone: (613) 238-2533
Fax: (613) 238-2538
Email: info@consumer.ca

Post Office Box:
P.O. Box 9300
Ottawa ON
K1G 3T9