Sadly, it's not always so easy to talk to companies through their Web sites. How many times have you quickly filled in an online form only to have it give you an error message when you're done?
This means you now need to pick up the phone, and endeavour to get hold of a real person who can solve your problem, or apologise for the horrendously shocking service received from their company.
Half the time I only bother getting hold of the company because I feel strongly about something, like a truck that tried to run me over at the four-way-stop-street-of-death. I'm still to hear from that company.
However, there has been the odd company, like Pick n' Pay, Nandos, Nu Metro and Ster Kinekor, that has responded and I have been the recipient of copious amounts of flowers and books to make up for the damage done to their brands at the hands of staff.
Sometimes I believe I will benefit all of mankind if I point out to those-who-should-care that their staff are recklessly endangering the lives of others.
Just my luck
Take the other day as an example. It's one thing for a Johannesburg Metro Bus to turn left at a go-straight arrow and skip out the rather long rush hour queue at a robot. One who has just sat in the queue for over half-an-hour fumes, of course, but lets bygones be just that.
Sometimes I believe I will benefit all of mankind if I point out to those-who-should-care that their staff are recklessly endangering the lives of others.
Nicola Mawson, senior journalist, ITWeb
However, it's an all together different kettle of fish - or aluminium tin filled with people for that matter - when said bus driver insists at hooting at the car in front of him, and then flashing lights, for no apparent reason.
It is - as I have mentioned - rush hour. So, short of mounting the kerb to let the double-decker go past, quite where I was meant to move to is beyond me. Typically, it was me in front of the bus at the time.
After another excruciatingly slow move closer to the next set of robots, the driver has enough space to execute a change-lane motion. Which just goes to show that the car right in front of him deserved all the venom.
The bus driver - an older chap with a blue peaked cap and greying hair - then turns to inform me via hand signals, that I'm mad.
So, I log-on and find an e-mail address. I send a polite, but detailed, e-mail through to the company so that they can find out just how their drivers behave.
A few short hours later, the depot calls me. Sipho informs me that the bus driver in question admits to an altercation, but not with a female driving a Nissan. Nope, the bus driver insists it was a gentleman driving a Honda.
I suggest that if his eyesight is that brilliant, he should be removed from our roads `a la Arrive Alive style.
I'm still waiting to hear from them again - three weeks later - despite the promise of an explanation within 30 minutes.
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A bit of prevention
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