Companies and the Customers Who Hate Them Essay Example for Free

Companies and the Customers Who Hate Them Essay How can customer dissatisfaction lead to higher profits for the company? Companies have found out that ill-informed customers can be beneficial for them in terms of profits. Some companies have abused their customers intentionally, however others unwittingly exploited and took advantage of them. The Slippery slope: There are two major ways in which companies make profits by misleading their customers: * Offering the customers a broad variety of services or products, which can be very confusing, especially when there is lack of transparency. Moreover, if even the information is complete for the customers, the companies can take advantages of consumers’ difficulties in predicting their needs. * Using fees and penalties for offsetting costs and discouraging undesirable customer behavior. These hostile strategies are common from banking and hotel industries to video stores and car rentals. Here particularly 3 industries will be discussed in details: cell phone industry, retail- banking industry and health club industry. Cell phone industry: When a customer signs up for a service plan, he chooses a certain pricing option with different ranges of minutes. These plans can have various restrictions and allowances. However, these varied plans are not a result of customer-centric strategy. They are rather ways to take advantage of customer’s unawareness of which plan to choose, in the result of which customers can be penalized either for using too much time or for not using enough. However, such strategies cannot always guarantee profits for the company. They can increase the dissatisfaction among customers, the proof of which can be thousands of complaints that the U. S. Federal Communications Commission gets annually. These complaints should be worrisome to companies because customers can switch toward a transparent and friendly alternative. Retail-banking industry: Another sphere in which the company-centric strategy is used is retail-banking industry. For signing up in the checking accounts people are offered dozens of alternatives. If the customers cannot precisely predict their needs, they can have losses. Here are some examples of situations when the banks take advantage over the customers’ ignorance * The customers receive less interest when the consumers’ balances are above the minimum of the balance bucket and if the alances fall below the minimum level, they have to pay some penalties. * Banks usually debit the consumers’ checks in the order of size, rather than in a chronological order, for the rest of the checks to bounce and to cause multiple overdrafts, consequently penalties. The company-centric strategy of banks led to the customers’ dissatisfaction and it became so pervasive that New York congresswoman Carolyn Maloney reintroduced the Consumer Overdraft Protection Fair Practices Act to forbid banks charging overdraft protection fees, unless the customers explicitly are informed about the service. Health club industry: Health clubs tempt customers to sign long-term contracts, knowing that they will rarely visit the club. They realize that all their customers will not completely use the facility and therefore sell more memberships than they have the floor space to accommodate. Moreover, an investigation conducted by the New York City Council concluded that 41% of clubs didn’t explain their fees in writing, 81% didn’t give potential members a contract to read at home and 96% didn’t inform customers of all the ways they could legally cancel a contract. In New Jersey a lot of complaints have brought litigation against almost two dozen health clubs that provided fraudulent contracts. Health clubs require to spend more time to attract new customers because their existing ones try to find a way out. Moreover they even encourage ways to retain customers with reward points for members who work out regularly. The warning signs: According to the research most of the executives are acknowledging the negative effects of the functions described above but they mention that those actions do not represent an intentional strategy. The executives know that because of these negative practices the companies slid down the slippery slope and have difficulties for purchasing on the way back up thus becoming vulnerable for the competitors. For avoiding this practice the executives should ask themselves the questions mentioned bellow. * Are our most profitable customers those who have reasons to be dissatisfied with us? * Do we have rules we want customers to break because doing so generates profits? Do we make it difficult for customers to understand or abide by our rules, and do we actually help customers break them? * Do we depend on contracts to prevent customers from defecting? Climbing back into favor: Effective CEOs are able to recognize the opportunities and eliminate the negative effects which make the company vulnerable. The company centric strategies can cause loss of the target market and profitability in a long-term period, thus many companies prefer being economically sustainable.

Drugs in the Prison System Essay -- Drug Trafficking Jail Prison Essay

Drugs in the Prison System This research paper will consist of an analysis of the use and abuse of illicit drugs within the prison systems on a global basis. With information gathered from various sources such as the internet and one on one interviews with an inmate in a male correctional facility and a former inmate of a female correctional facility I intend to show the rampant flow of drugs in and out of the prison system, the control of (or lack there of) by prison officials, the drug gangs and dealers in correctional facilities, the rate of addiction, and treatments available to inmates suffering from addiction. The introduction of drugs into the prison system has been an issue for corrections staff for many years. Prison officials suspect inmate visitors are the main source of how drugs coming into prisons. Although inmates and visitors are subjected to a meticulous search prior to contact with one another, the introduction of drugs is happening on a regular basis. Drugs can become a major source of income, not only for the inmate, but also for the individual or individuals who take the drugs into a correctional facility. Another avenue for inmates is using a correctional officer. Most of the drugs that are available within a prison arrive by courier through a corrections officer. Unlike an inmate visitor, a corrections officer is not subjected to a meticulous search of their person and property. Stephen Shaw of the Prison Reform Trust was quoted as saying, " Prison officers were said to turn a blind eye to its use and even to deal it in themselves, to make their job easier."1 Several states within the United States allow for inmates to have possession of personal clothing. An inmate receiving personal clothing from home may also receive drugs that have been hidden within the clothing by a family member or friend. In addition, drugs have been known to be sent via the mail to an inmate concealed in packages of all natures. In the past, the distribution of heroin to an inmate was easily concealed on a postage stamp or on the glue part of an envelope. The use of drugs are an issue many people around the world must deal with while incarcerated or in the "free world." Throughout the history of prison reformatories inmates have constructed a mailing system within the prison to communicate wi... ...liams (in person) First hand account of drug trafficking, use, abuse, effects, and treatment in a Washington State male correctional facility. Prison Information Handbook (http://www.pars.org.nz/prison_information_handbook.htm) General information about prisons in New Zealand. Schaffer Library of Drug Policy (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/GovPubs/cjstcha.htm) A Criminal Justice System Strategy for Treating Cocaine-Heroin Abusing Offenders in Custody. Substance Use In Prisoners The Norm Rather Than The Exception (http://www.docguide.com/dg.nsf/PrintPrint/1930E4546A3C26C7852564CA00574711) An article detailing drug use in UK prisons. The Eye of the Needle (http://news.scotsman.com/columnists.cfm?id=1207092004) An article about an inmate detailing drugs use and authority’s attitude in Scotland. The Prevention of Infectious Diseases in Prison (http://www.drugtext.org/library/articles/florenz.html) The effects of drugs and the spread of Aids and other diseases in prisons as a direct effect of drug abuse. Zero Tolerance for drugs in Prison (http://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/Work/010599.html) Presidents Clinton’s No tolerance drugs policy for the American Prison system.

The Longest Memory enhance our understanding

How does Diagram's novel The Longest Memory enhance our understanding of the immorality of slavery and the horrible suffering of slaves? By glowered How does Diagram's novel The Longest Memory enhance our understanding of the immorality of slavery and the horrible suffering of slaves? The Longest Memory by Fred Diagrams is a multi-faceted narrative that follows the life of a hundred year old slave Whitecap and the lives of those on the Whitecap plantation in the late asses after the death of a young slave boy, Chapel.The Longest Memory heightens our understanding of the horrific suffering endured by slaves through an omniscient perspective with a graphic nature, written in a way that makes characters easy to relate to and understand how slavery impacts them personally. The Longest Memory features an omniscient perspective to tell the story of Whitecap and his step son. By using so many different styles of writing to give accounts from each character, Diagrams enables the readers to f urther understand how the slavery system impacted not only the African slaves, but also the lives of the hit people around them.Within the novel, each chapter is an excerpt from the lives of the people vital to the death of young Chapel. The style of writing varies between each chapter, enabling readers to relate to the characters on a more personal level. The contrast between the characters can be observed Just from the different styles of writing used to embody the thoughts and feelings of each character. Whitecaps chapter reflects his life that is like â€Å"counting hours that drag through the dark†, while Sanders Senior's diary entry style writing provides an absolute insight into his mind and feelings.Contrasting both of these accounts, is Lydia chapter, written in a way that enables readers to see a side of Chapel they wouldn't otherwise see, Lydia describes how â€Å"the lady I have become crept up on me† as she continued her life with Chapel before his death. By writing the novel from so many points of view, Diagrams opens the minds of those directly effect by slavery to the readers. Within The Longest Memory, the graphic language heightens our understanding of he immoral treatment of the African slaves by directly addressing the problems within the Whitecap Plantation.The biggest conflicts occur in the Cook, Sanders Senior and Whitecap chapters, where the rape of Cook and death of her son are central difficulties. The varying chapters discuss the monstrous and traumatizing rape of Cook by Sanders Senior, where both Cook and Sanders voice their experiences. Sanders describes a struggle where â€Å"she [Cook] fought so much that both our clothes were torn†. The language used to discuss such a horrific event eighteen a sense of immorality within the slave system. Another graphic scene in the novel is where the audience experience the death of young Chapel through his father's eyes. L literally saw the boy surrender to that whip† Whitecap states, creating a feeling of sorrow and heartbreak within the reader. Diagrams uses such visual language to express to readers the extent of the agony endured by slaves. Diagram's novel gives a deep insight into the impact of slavery on each individual. Whitecap opens the narrative by discussing how the events throughout his 100 ears caused him to become â€Å"nobody, nameless†. Mr.. Whitecap and Sanders senior express contrasting views on the â€Å"treatment of his slaves† as Mr.. Whitecap â€Å"thinks I'm too severe with them†.Lydia, Cook and Chapel, all have quite similar and remarkable chapters as each individual express their wisdom and loathe for the slavery system. These chapters leave the readers feeling indignant as such charismatic and lovable characters are cheated of happiness and freedom. A major contrast to these chapters is the excerpts from The Virginian and the Plantation wieners chapter, where readers can experience the views and v alues of the world outside of the Whitecap Plantation and understand how the â€Å"degree of humanity' was vastly different and much harsher on other plantations.Through an omnipresent perspective, Fred Diagrams conveys the impact of slavery on each of the characters in The Longest Memory using graphic language that allows readers to feel the characters emotions. The Longest Memory is an in depth exploration of the immorality, suffering and injustice of the Africans forced into slavery in the asses.

gender bias - 2247 Words

Gender Bias in Education by Amanda Chapman of D Youville College Sitting in the same classroom, reading the same textbook, listening to the same teacher, boys and girls receive very different educations. (Sadker, 1994) In fact, upon entering school, girls perform equal to or better than boys on nearly every measure of achievement, but by the time they graduate high school or college, they have fallen behind. (Sadker, 1994) However, discrepancies between the performance of girls and the performance of boys in elementary education leads some critics to argue that boys are being neglected within the education system: Across the country, boys have never been in more trouble: They earn 70 percent of the D s and F s that teachers dole†¦show more content†¦Reay s research shows that each of the groups of girls defined their own femininities in relation to boys. (2001) The Reay study further demonstrates how socialization of girls occurs at the school level by tolerating different behaviors from boys than from girls. Assertive behavior from girls is often seen as disruptive and may be viewed more negatively by adults. In Reay s study, the fact that the spice girls asserted themselves in ways contrary to traditional femininity caused them to be labeled by teachers as real bitches. (2001) This reinforces the notion that ...girls misbehavior to be looked upon as a character defect, whilst boys misbehavior is viewed as a desire to assert themselves. (Reay, 2001) A permissive attitude towards sexual harassment is another way in which schools reinforce the socialization of girls as inferior. When schools ignore sexist, racist, homophobic, and violent interactions between students, they are giving tacit approval to such behaviors. (Bailey, 1992) Yet boys are taunted for throwing like a girl, or crying like a girl, which implies that being a girl is worse than being a boy. According to the American Association of University Women Report, The clear message to both boys and girls is that girls are notShow MoreRelatedPsychological Science and Gender Bias1351 Words   |  5 Pagesparticipants of different age, gender, different cultures etc. Results of such research assume to effectively predict the nature of the construct involved in the study. However this may not always be the case since the results of a study may be hampered by the bias involved in the study. Bias can be defined as the human tendencies that leads them to follow a quasi-logical path or form a certain perspective that is based on the predetermined notions or beliefs. Bias may affect the results of a studyRead MoreGender, Gender And Gender Bias1429 Words   |  6 Pages Language and gender has become an increasingly popular topic of study over recent decades, most likely due to the second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 70s. This can also be seen in the fact that goals of linguistic studies shifted at this point, to not just look at grammatical differences between males and females but to examine sexism and gender bias in language. The wording of such studies becomes increasingly important in the modern era, as gender is now recognised as a socially constructedRead MoreGender Bias Of Face Recognition744 Words   |  3 Pagesthere seem to be many factors that influence the performance of facial recognition, such as age, gender, race and even particular social or cultural groups that people belong to. This experiment explores whether there is gender bias in face recognition. Own-gender bias in facial recognition is the tendency to recognise individuals from one’s own gender better than individuals from the other gender (Herlitz Lovà ©n, 2013). Categorisation-Individuation model: (Herlitz Lovà ©n, 2013) Categorisation:Read MoreGender Bias On The Classroom1112 Words   |  5 PagesGender Bias In The Classroom Gender roles are widely accepted societal expectations about how males and females should behave (Rathus, 2010, pg. 447). Gender roles create a difference in the way that masculine and feminine behaviors are accepted among society. Gender roles are often depicted as just a part of who a person is and help better define the difference between male and female. When society begins to use these gender roles as norms we often see those who don’t fit into the correct roleRead MoreGender Equality And Gender Bias2091 Words   |  9 PagesGender equality and gender bias has been vigorously discussed and argued for decades, and it still remains as the issue that cannot be ignored in our society. The NSW department of Education and Training provides the Boys’ and Girls’ Education Strategy to assist all government schools in NSW to undertake a strategic approach to address gender as an educational issues(NSW DEC). Still, girls are now facing difficulties that arose from no t only their abilities but also the influence from their familiesRead MoreGender Bias in Education680 Words   |  3 PagesGender bias has existed in education since the inception of schooling. According to the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM), during the 1700’s, women were denied access to secondary schooling, and were only given the most basic education deemed necessary to fulfill the â€Å"women’s duties† (NWHM 1). Research from the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education (NCWGE) has shown that when Title IX was introduced in 1972, girls were able to participate in any state-funded activity, resultingRead MoreGender Bias And Gender Inequality1373 Words   |  6 Pagesfemale only makes â…” of what the average male does. Whether it is in school, or the workforce, gender inequality still exists and is a major problem. There is still a huge difference in the way women get treated compared to the way men get treated. Due to the invi sible barrier that is holding back the success of women, social realities need to be redefined in order for gender inequality to longer exist. Gender inequality refers to the unequal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and menRead MoreIndia And The Gender Bias2780 Words   |  12 Pages Gender Economics Weekly Report 1 Prof. Rupa Korde Name: Ronak Shah LE2012761090 FSLE3 Question: - The problem which are being faced in India and the gender bias in the â€Å"healthcare sector† of India India is a developing country and we all know that India is still in a health crisis. Although, India has been awarded a ‘Polio-free’ status by an official certificate by the World Health Organization (WHO), we still occupy 2nd position when it comes to population and the 112th position in sex ratioRead MoreRelationship Between Gender Bias And Gender Essay2236 Words   |  9 PagesThis study focuses on the relationship between gender bias, gender ideology, and gender roles in everyday life. The study analyzes how differences in gender affect professors’ behavior in the classroom. My research question is how do men and women view professors’ treatment of students based on gender? Some basic guiding questions are: In your opinion and experience, do professors treat certain groups of students differently? Who are these students? Specifically, do professors treat men vs. womenRead MoreThe Null Hypothesis : Gender Bias928 Words   |  4 Pages2. Null Hypoth esis - Gender bias does not have a role to play in people’s mind-set towards male victims. †¢ When asked if DV affects a significant number, small number of men or doesn’t affect men, 53.2% male respondents and 58.6% female respondents think that it affects a small number of men. Only 23.8% male respondents and 31.3% female respondents think a significant number of men are affected and a further 10.9% male respondents and 10.1% female respondents think it doesn’t affect men. Since the