Minor things that bother you

[wanderer2575]

Just noticed on the gas bill that there's a line item for "service reliability charge".  wtf?  Isn't reliable service just part of doing business?  Can you imagine if other businesses could charge you extra for "reliable service"?

Plenty of other businesses do, although maybe it's a "convenience fee" or "service fee" or some other creative WTF.  I've seen posted photos of restaurant bills that include a "kitchen appreciation fee" or "living wage fee" or (grand prize winner) "economic recovery fee."  I already appreciate the kitchen by choosing to eat there.  It bothers me and it's NOT a minor thing.  It's part of the new norm to quietly raise prices by tacking shit onto the bottom of the bill instead of increasing the listed price.

[ZLoth]

Meanwhile, Everything Auto in Gatlinberg, TN posted this YouTube video today:

The Law Enforcement Officers at the Great Smokey National Park had a medical emergency, but a vehicle was blocking a side road from being used by emergency vehicles. The national park broke a window in order to access the console to place the vehicle into neutral, but were unable to.

[formulanone]

Just noticed on the gas bill that there's a line item for "service reliability charge".  wtf?  Isn't reliable service just part of doing business?  Can you imagine if other businesses could charge you extra for "reliable service"?

I always work in a 4.99% cleanliness appearance charge (BO) in all of my contract line items. There's also the $5.68/hour transportation fees (TS) for vehicle depreciation, maintenance, registration, and another for food and fuel (FU, about 3.33 to 6.66) that I work in from time to time. Also, my past education costs (UF) need to be defrayed during off-work hours, so I work in a flat fee of $2.42 for making a smart and responsible purchase and by showing up during operating hours.

After all, you don't want a unkempt and slovenly customer making a negative impact, right? And certainly you couldn't possibly acquire the item nor show up in person to purchase it if there was no method of transport. Do they also realize how bad it is for business if I collapse, entirely famished and in a sour mood because I haven't eaten? Think of the all the goodwill this spreads to creating customer loyalty and cultivates a well-tuned behavior pattern! Nothing beats the satisfaction of a wise consumer, not to mention the savoir faire I bring to every occasion, which pays it forward to all your clientele and employees in a positive manner.

You should start doing the same in all of your negotiations from here on out. Remember, never think of these mandated surcharges as a nuisance, think of them as a NEW-anced action plan for future growth and retention!

[kphoger]

Isn't that more or less what "TIP" is an acronym for when you order pizza and it asks whether you want to tip the driver as part of paying for your order? "To Insure Performance"?

Ugh.  We've already had a discussion on here about the evil of meal delivery "tips", which require you to reward the driver before he's even agreed to be your driver.

[kphoger]

I always work in a 4.99% cleanliness appearance charge (BO) in all of my contract line items. There's also the $5.68/hour transportation fees (TS) for vehicle depreciation, maintenance, registration, and another for food and fuel (FU, about 3.33 to 6.66) that I work in from time to time. Also, my past education costs (UF) need to be defrayed during off-work hours, so I work in a flat fee of $2.42 for making a smart and responsible purchase and by showing up during operating hours.

After all, you don't want a unkempt and slovenly customer making a negative impact, right? And certainly you couldn't possibly acquire the item nor show up in person to purchase it if there was no method of transport. Do they also realize how bad it is for business if I collapse, entirely famished and in a sour mood because I haven't eaten? Think of the all the goodwill this spreads to creating customer loyalty and cultivates a well-tuned behavior pattern! Nothing beats the satisfaction of a wise consumer, not to mention the savoir faire I bring to every occasion, which pays it forward to all your clientele and employees in a positive manner.

You should start doing the same in all of your negotiations from here on out. Remember, never think of these mandated surcharges as a nuisance, think of them as a NEW-anced action plan for future growth and retention!

I must say, your poetic streak lately has been very interesting.

[bugo]

If I'm watching YouTube, and an ad pops up at the beginning of a video, and after five seconds I have the option of skipping all ads, but I miss clicking [skip] until it's too later, so another ad pops up after it, then I should immediately have the option to skip that ad and go straight to the video.  After all, if I hadn't missed the first opportunity, then it would never have popped up in the first place.

If you're using a web browser, you can download ad blockers made especially for Youtube videos. They don't work with the mobile app, however.

[formulanone]

I always work in a 4.99% cleanliness appearance charge (BO) in all of my contract line items. There's also the $5.68/hour transportation fees (TS) for vehicle depreciation, maintenance, registration, and another for food and fuel (FU, about 3.33 to 6.66) that I work in from time to time. Also, my past education costs (UF) need to be defrayed during off-work hours, so I work in a flat fee of $2.42 for making a smart and responsible purchase and by showing up during operating hours.

After all, you don't want a unkempt and slovenly customer making a negative impact, right? And certainly you couldn't possibly acquire the item nor show up in person to purchase it if there was no method of transport. Do they also realize how bad it is for business if I collapse, entirely famished and in a sour mood because I haven't eaten? Think of the all the goodwill this spreads to creating customer loyalty and cultivates a well-tuned behavior pattern! Nothing beats the satisfaction of a wise consumer, not to mention the savoir faire I bring to every occasion, which pays it forward to all your clientele and employees in a positive manner.

You should start doing the same in all of your negotiations from here on out. Remember, never think of these mandated surcharges as a nuisance, think of them as a NEW-anced action plan for future growth and retention!

I must say, your poetic streak lately has been very interesting.

I owe it all to reading a rental car bill.

[Rothman]

If I'm watching YouTube, and an ad pops up at the beginning of a video, and after five seconds I have the option of skipping all ads, but I miss clicking [skip] until it's too later, so another ad pops up after it, then I should immediately have the option to skip that ad and go straight to the video.  After all, if I hadn't missed the first opportunity, then it would never have popped up in the first place.

If you're using a web browser, you can download ad blockers made especially for Youtube videos. They don't work with the mobile app, however.

That's why you use Firefox instead of the YouTube app on your phone...

[kphoger]

If I'm watching YouTube, and an ad pops up at the beginning of a video, and after five seconds I have the option of skipping all ads, but I miss clicking [skip] until it's too later, so another ad pops up after it, then I should immediately have the option to skip that ad and go straight to the video.  After all, if I hadn't missed the first opportunity, then it would never have popped up in the first place.

If you're using a web browser, you can download ad blockers made especially for Youtube videos. They don't work with the mobile app, however.

OK, I finally downloaded a blocker.  Can't believe it took me this long.

[kphoger]

One of the most annoying things in the universe is when someone with an iPhone (read:  someone who doesn't know how to reply without replying-all) "reacts" to a group text message with a reaction.  News flash:  everyone in the group doesn't need or want to know that you "liked" or "laughed at" the message.

There was once such a group text conversation going on, and one of my friends texted out sarcastically "I bet Terry will like this message".  And then, shortly thereafter, Terry "liked" that friend's message.

 

I recently started sending individual replies to everyone who reply-all 'reacts' to group text messages.  Here's an example that I sent yesterday:

"Kyle Hoger is really happy that you laughed at an image and thanks you for letting him know."

And then there's the people who decide that joking around with the sender needs to be sent via reply-all, and then everyone who wants to joke around back also decide that theirs need to be sent via reply-all too.  Here's an example that I sent on Sunday:

"Kyle Hoger really loves your picture and thanks you a whole bunch for sending it out."

The head deacon at our church just set up a group text message chain with all the deacons in it.  Yesterday, he texted out to the group an image of a list of all our names and phone numbers.  It's bad enough that I then got a zillion 'thank you' reply-all messages.  But then, last night, my best friend's dad sent out a request for him to send the .csv file as well.  My wife and I were already asleep in bed.  'Donk!' goes the notification, and then the light starts flashing.  So we're both awake at that point.  I get out of bed, go over to the dresser, clear the notification, and then can't get back to sleep for more than a half-hour.  Here's the message I sent him this morning:

"Unless it's a pressing matter, please don't wake Carrie and me up with a text message at 11:00 at night."

grrrrr.........

[/rant]

[hotdogPi]

I'm not even sure it's possible to react without it being to everyone in the group.

[kphoger]

I'm not even sure it's possible to react without it being to everyone in the group.

Then don't 'react' to a group text message.  As I said before:

News flash:  everyone in the group doesn't need or want to know that you "liked" or "laughed at" the message.

[1995hoo]

Regarding reply-all type issues, I got annoyed a couple of weeks ago when the owner of a very good restaurant near Warrenton, Virginia, sent out an e-mail about a discount offer, but she put all the recipients' e-mail addresses in the "To:" field. There were 500 recipients. I guess it was just dumb luck that nobody hit reply-all.

I thought about responding with a polite admonition not to do that, but I haven't done so (at least not yet).