Midwest Earthquakes

Today there were a number of earthquakes in the Midwest. Surprisingly I only felt one of the aftershocks (despite there apparently being a 5.4, and a 4.6 -- the 5.4 one woke me up briefly I think). Given the past few years of me monitoring the earthquakes in the region, it seems a tad bit out of place. Normally we only have a "bigger" one if there hadn't been one for a long while. Yet in this case we had a smaller one on Wednesday [2 days ago].

While it doesn't mark the end of the world (by itself), it is an interesting phenomenon. I've said for years that there's going to be a big earthquake in the Midwest again, one of the reasons why I monitor the small ones for trends. Today's was out of the ordinary. While I was out walking a thought hit me, "what if a volcano started to form". Now I'm sure it's highly unlikely for it to happen within the next few hundred thousand years, but it sure would make life here a lot more interesting. What's not as interesting is bridges and rivers in the area. Are they really designed to withstand earthquakes? And is it even possible for an earthquake in this area to alter a river's path?

Here's the thing, it's not if a big earthquake will hit in the Midwest, but when. Overdue? Not really, we're still within a "could happen anytime" zone right now. It is said some places that a 7.5 or greater could hit between 2012 and 2112 (look even slightly familiar?) But it does raise one question, what are the towns in the Midwest doing to make themselves ready for a massive earthquake? And what would happen to our food? Big earthquake, loss of power, multiple state damage, Memphis, St Louis, Chicago, Indianapolis (to name a few cities) could have massive building failures. Think New Orleans was bad? Imagine having to rebuild the equivalent of two states with potential side effects that could last 5-10 years. Midwest even produces OIL; it's not just corn, soybeans, etc! And it's all in the earthquake zone.

And guess what? Towns don't even have earthquake preparedness classes or anything! Things that should be provided free of charge to the community, and they're nowhere to be seen. I doubt very many (if any) bridges are built to withstand earthquakes, you know if there's a big one they'd all have to be inspected. Some might have to be torn down or fixed. Lose a lot of bridges and entire communities will be blocked off from the "outside world"! It's a disaster waiting to happen -- and one that no one seems to care to prepare for.

The customer isn't always right

That's right, the customer is always wrong. "Always" being the same as they're "always" right.

Customers are rarely right with things. Really, they aren't. Did they really buy this beaten up basketball last week at a store that only sells shoes because their friend said they got it there? Yet that's something a customer tries to pull. Even "you sell pop, therefore you should sell this pop, therefore I should have a refund on this pop that I bought 'here' (i.e. someplace else)". Again, something pulled by customers. Are they right? I'm sure a number of people out there think that no matter where you buy something you should be able to take it to anyplace (without a receipt, or with one that clearly says it's another place) and get a refund. Come on, do you people really think that every single business in the world's actually the same company? That's what these customers are acting like. Then they think of something like "well you get a refund from the distributer" -- maybe, for their cost, not their selling price (which is what is expected to be refunded).

Think of it another way. You have two friends that are selling speakers. You buy a set from friend A, and then take them to friend B for a refund. If friend B gives you one -- do you really think they broke even?

But the main reason why the customer isn't always right is a bit different.

1. By the customer being always right, your employees have to be always wrong (unless they agree with the customer). Which means that employees will know that no matter what the company policy is, no matter how they're trained, no matter how polite or helpful they are; they'll be stabbed in the back the second the customer goes to the manager to complain. Got a customer trying to return a five year old item that hasn't been stocked for four years -- without a receipt, when the store has a policy of a 30 day return policy? If you're the employee you might as well give up now. Might as well not even mention the policy -- because as soon as management comes they'll cave in, give the refund, and in some cases reprimand the employee for not providing good customer service. If the employee had of given the refund, guess what would happen? The employee would be reprimanded for going against company policy. Some work environment eh?
   
2. Abusive and threatening customers would be rewarded. Don't think so? What happens if a customer punches an employee for not giving a discount (yes, it's happened before), then demands special treatment by threatening in loud tones about everything wrong with the company ("the employee tried to rape me!" or anything that shocks and makes everyone turn to look -- you know, the things that would make people not shop there if true)? You guessed it! The managers would have to give the customer what they want to quiet them. Of course this has the side effect of other people thinking "if the comments weren't true, they wouldn't have caved in!", and others thinking "the more I yell, the better treatment I'll get!" And that's a good work environment there. Sell computers, TVs or just TV dinners and you'll know that the customers are ready to treat you like scum, abuse you, threaten you and whoever threatens you the most will get the best service -- and management will back the customers.
   
3. Customers that cause tons of problems every time they come in aren't customers. I know how can they not be right? As soon as you have a "customer" that comes in for a refund for something you've never stocked, and demands that you give them a refund, they're not a customer. They're not buying anything. If a "customer" walks in and does nothing but harass employees and management (taking them away from their duties and other customers), they're COSTING you more money than they'd ever spend! A person costing you money isn't a customer, they're a liability. Which is how there's two types of customers. Those that plan on buying something, and those that want something for nothing. The latter aren't customers, they're freeloaders. And since freeloaders aren't shopping with you, there's no reason to treat them with more respect, and give them more resources than those customers who are actually paying you.
   
4. When employee's come first, you have better customer service. Why? Well it's quite simple really. When your employees know that if a customer starts yelling and threatening they can have them removed from the store without being fired. They know that if they uphold company policies they'll be backed, not stabbed in the back. They know that if a customer tries to rip the company off, they don't have to bend over and take it, they can show the customer the door. When employees know that they actually have the same rights as any other human -- they'll treat the customers better. They won't be stressed out, upset, and just on the verge of wanting to hit someone because they have to take crap from customers that are in the wrong (but "right" based on an inaccurate policy). Employees will be quicker, more productive, and have fewer lines -- which will create a better experience for your actual customers. And don't get me wrong here, you'll have a few "customers" complain, but if the people really know how things go on, even your customers will back and defend you!
   
5. Some customers are so wrong, that they can't be right. If the customer is always right, a group of hate mongrels could walk into your store wearing a hate shirt, hat, or just start talking really loudly about some employee with racial slurs -- and you'd have to give them what they want to shut them up. Or you could say the customer isn't always right, and kick them out. If you had a customer that walked into the store and said "I want everything here for free now!" and started to make a scene, what then? If an employee comes in and starts shouting racial slurs towards your employees or item selections, what then? Could you ever really have a customer shoplift, since if they're always right…. Or as the joke would go, if the customer is always right, what if the customer says "I'm wrong."?
   

The main thing to think of is this: just because the customer isn't always right (which they never have been) doesn't mean you can't make them happy. If a customer can go to your place and receive quick and friendly service (even if paying a bit more), do you really think they'll go to your competitor where they have long lines, crappy customer service, and employees that run and hide for fear of getting in trouble? How many times have you gone to a store and noticed that they have employees that seem worn down, tired, grumpy, and almost hiding from customers -- but they were able to make decisions on the spot? How many places have you had friendly, upbeat employees that didn't force smiles to help you -- that could make decisions on the spot, or at the least had management that backed them?

We're the pets of the government (Population Control, Part 2)

It's always a wonderful day when you start thinking about population control for no apparent reason. It was on my mind so much that I couldn't get to sleep. Know why? Because we're just the pets of the government. Really, that's what we are! Especially in any country where population controls are in place.

You can say it's for a completely legitimate reason, I know there are many that will say that, but it's the same thing people say about their pets. Get your dog and cats spayed and neutered -- can't have those things running around getting knocked up can we? So we do what's best to control their populations. And governments decide that their pets are out of control, so they go and pass laws and such to keep them in line. We're just pets. The cute little furry things that they pet every so often so we know we're loved. And sometimes, if we're really obedient and don't hump their legs, we might get a few scraps tossed at us.

When did this happen? When did humans get pushed aside as equals and made into the animals of the governments -- that are supposedly run by humans! What makes them better than us? Being elected? Well that makes about as much sense as saying that the rich have the right to poke the middle class and lower people with sticks because it makes them laugh. Although based on some of the so-called rich people's attitudes, it makes you wonder.

So as the new pets of the world, soon our owners will decide we like sex too much. Oh they'll try the "just don't do it!", or try to make condoms so expensive kids can't buy them. Then when STD's are on the rise they'll think of something else. Chances are they'd look at history and think, what a minute, we already tried that... And then they will be down to only a few choices. Kill people, force sterilization, or just dose everyone and "let god sort it out". As I sit here looking at the yellow-looking pop in my glass, it makes me wonder what's really in it.