Comments on: germany, where the customer is never right http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/ tales of marauding, plundering, and international gorilla conspiracy Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:02:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: N. http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-168 N. Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:31:44 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-168 Your beef is not with capitalism, it's with the socialist state that inflicts these regulations in order to protect the customer, supplier and society as a whole. What you've got there is socialism with a salting of capitalism. The Germans WANT these rules, laws and regulations. They feel safer with them. If you were to open a store across the street that sold bread minus the cost of the bag, then people might go and buy from you, but then that would be undermining local business and giving jobs to foreigners who support subversive acts. What say thee to that? Your beef is not with capitalism, it’s with the socialist state that inflicts these regulations in order to protect the customer, supplier and society as a whole. What you’ve got there is socialism with a salting of capitalism. The Germans WANT these rules, laws and regulations. They feel safer with them. If you were to open a store across the street that sold bread minus the cost of the bag, then people might go and buy from you, but then that would be undermining local business and giving jobs to foreigners who support subversive acts. What say thee to that?

]]> By: doodle http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-156 doodle Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:09:00 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-156 N: You are right. I love capitalism. It is all I ever dream of. In fact, we are getting married next week. Ehemrrrgurglescrrrrch. I can always count on you for an ornery defensive of capitalism's virtues, can't I my dear? Of course capitalism isn't entirely to blame on this point—after all, the countries where it works somewhat more efficiently are, in fact, capitalist. The whole situation is simply ridiculous. Laws that say a waiter can't give you tap water. Laws that say the baker legally MUST give you a bag with your bread. Companies that sell you a broken product and then charge you to call a helpline where the representative on the other line has no information that could possibly be of any use to you. I suppose I should be thankful that it is all so obviously broken and money-grubbing and ridiculous and corrupt. At least then you notice when you're getting fucked in the arse. N: You are right. I love capitalism. It is all I ever dream of. In fact, we are getting married next week.

Ehemrrrgurglescrrrrch.

I can always count on you for an ornery defensive of capitalism’s virtues, can’t I my dear? Of course capitalism isn’t entirely to blame on this point—after all, the countries where it works somewhat more efficiently are, in fact, capitalist. The whole situation is simply ridiculous. Laws that say a waiter can’t give you tap water. Laws that say the baker legally MUST give you a bag with your bread. Companies that sell you a broken product and then charge you to call a helpline where the representative on the other line has no information that could possibly be of any use to you.

I suppose I should be thankful that it is all so obviously broken and money-grubbing and ridiculous and corrupt. At least then you notice when you’re getting fucked in the arse.

]]> By: N. http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-154 N. Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:46:56 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-154 It's not capitalism that prevents customer service or the general German idea of "service". Europe has a regulated market that protects its workers so much so that they can't be fired even for being rude or combative to the customer. Even incompetency won't get you fired in Europe. In fact, that customer service representative is better paid and better supported than his counterpart in the US (or India). You don't want a divorce from capitalism, it's capitalism and freedom of choice you want! Let the free market reign! It’s not capitalism that prevents customer service or the general German idea of “service”. Europe has a regulated market that protects its workers so much so that they can’t be fired even for being rude or combative to the customer. Even incompetency won’t get you fired in Europe. In fact, that customer service representative is better paid and better supported than his counterpart in the US (or India).
You don’t want a divorce from capitalism, it’s capitalism and freedom of choice you want! Let the free market reign!

]]> By: click http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-112 click Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:17:35 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-112 Chris: That ice trick is fucking priceless. I wonder what Herr Waiter would have done with that one. Ian: I really should start carrying around some water of my own then shouldn't I. Because you see, it's not even about the money for me, it's about the sparkling. I don't like it. If I'm really thirsty gulping down a glass full of bubbles exploding in my throat just doesn't do it for me. I wonder if there's something in carbonation I could develop a sudden allergy to, so I could insist that waiters legally cannot force sparkling water on me. Geff: I don't know what Captain Beefheart song you're talking about, but I'm pretty sure it should become my theme song. Chris: That ice trick is fucking priceless. I wonder what Herr Waiter would have done with that one.

Ian: I really should start carrying around some water of my own then shouldn’t I. Because you see, it’s not even about the money for me, it’s about the sparkling. I don’t like it. If I’m really thirsty gulping down a glass full of bubbles exploding in my throat just doesn’t do it for me. I wonder if there’s something in carbonation I could develop a sudden allergy to, so I could insist that waiters legally cannot force sparkling water on me.

Geff: I don’t know what Captain Beefheart song you’re talking about, but I’m pretty sure it should become my theme song.

]]> By: îan in hamburg http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-111 îan in hamburg Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:27:20 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-111 Hi, It isn't about water, it's about money. They want to sell you an overpriced bottle of sparkling water. Sometimes it goes for 7 euros a bottle. WTF? Yeah, but if you're out with friends, and don't want to appear cheap, you just have to play along. I like to carry a litre bottle of good water around in one of those metal, Swiss-made hikers' bottles, and I NEVER order drinks in a restaurant, unless it's got something useful like alcohol in it. ;-) Hi,
It isn’t about water, it’s about money. They want to sell you an overpriced bottle of sparkling water. Sometimes it goes for 7 euros a bottle. WTF? Yeah, but if you’re out with friends, and don’t want to appear cheap, you just have to play along. I like to carry a litre bottle of good water around in one of those metal, Swiss-made hikers’ bottles, and I NEVER order drinks in a restaurant, unless it’s got something useful like alcohol in it. ;-)

]]> By: ezra http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-107 ezra Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:48:20 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-107 There was supposed to be an image of a german crusader there. damn wordpress, ruined my joke! maybe wordpress is german too. There was supposed to be an image of a german crusader there. damn wordpress, ruined my joke! maybe wordpress is german too.

]]> By: ezra http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-106 ezra Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:47:28 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-106 You'd like a glass of what? You’d like a glass of what?

]]> By: GEff http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-98 GEff Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:26:51 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-98 did you get that from the Beefheart song? click clack did you get that from the Beefheart song? click clack

]]> By: Chris http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Chris Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:26:37 +0000 http://www.clickclackgorilla.com/2008/01/06/where-the-customer-is-never-right/#comment-97 A friend of mine from California in a similar situation at the Pizza Hut on Prager Straße did the following: After being denied tainted tap water, she walked up to the counter and asked for a cup of ice, no water. The waitress obliged. "Where do you get your ice from?" my friend asked her. Checkmate. A friend of mine from California in a similar situation at the Pizza Hut on Prager Straße did the following: After being denied tainted tap water, she walked up to the counter and asked for a cup of ice, no water. The waitress obliged. “Where do you get your ice from?” my friend asked her. Checkmate.

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