MSE News: Senior MSE figure appointed to official Consumer Panel

tifo

dunstonh wrote: »

The "manager" has decision responsibility. A clerk doesnt.

We're going around in circles. I give up on this avenue with you. You clearly know that a bank manager does not administrate every returned payment and should be aware that any other person is unlikely to as well. Maybe occasionally but not as a regular thing.

tifo

davidgmmafan wrote: »

Don't be ridiculous. I am not saying profit should be outlawed, and frankly am stunned that people think I'm advocating communism!

I know what you are saying and have tried to separate business profit from penalty profit but some posters are just not convinced.

davidgmmafan

There must be some common ground though for example would you agree its taking liberties to expect a customer to pay an ADDITIONAL charge simply for the privilege of making a payment. I can understand say Ticketmaster doing this as this is thier only way of making money (that's what they say anyway). Airlines or retailers doing this can't be justified IMO.

Also when questioned they just say we have calculated it and that's the end of it. Was the calculation right? Does it have a huge mark up in thier so that too boosts revenue?

What about things that were not charged before, eg the paper bills, suddenly now they cost. Weren't they included in the price before?

dmg24

davidgmmafan wrote: »

Don't be ridiculous. I am not saying profit should be outlawed, and frankly am stunned that people think I'm advocating communism.

Aren't you? What else do you call the following?

davidgmmafan wrote: »

There must be some common ground though for example would you agree its taking liberties to expect a customer to pay an ADDITIONAL charge simply for the privilege of making a payment. I can understand say Ticketmaster doing this as this is thier only way of making money (that's what they say anyway). Airlines or retailers doing this can't be justified IMO.

Also when questioned they just say we have calculated it and that's the end of it. Was the calculation right? Does it have a huge mark up in thier so that too boosts revenue?

What about things that were not charged before, eg the paper bills, suddenly now they cost. Weren't they included in the price before?

tifo wrote: »

We're going around in circles. I give up on this avenue with you. You clearly know that a bank manager does not administrate every returned payment and should be aware that any other person is unlikely to as well. Maybe occasionally but not as a regular thing.

The manager has ultimate responsibility for applying charges, and if they applied incorrectly it comes back to him, so why should he not do the job in the first place?

Milarky

davidgmmafan wrote: »

So called admin charges (which are clearly spurious) should be gotten rid off. For example Virgin Media charge £5 per month if I don't pay by DD, and refuse to give any info on this. They say it costs them and people just have to take their word for it. They also charge £1.25 per month (or so) if you want a paper bill but that was included in the price before.

Putting it another way there is a growing trend where the price is not the price. Optional extras are one thing - paying is an essential part of a transaction and as such the costs are for the business to cover NOT the customer, they would factor this into the price!

This is the world we live in sadly. I find it amusing that it's inferred as 'communism' simply for pointing out how bizarre and specious 'charges' have become. However, it's also a legitimate business model - courtesy of our somewhat misnamed 'Supreme Court'. Judge made law was used (there's no other term to describe the process) to 'prove' bank charges after the fact.

It's back to Shakespeare then

dunstonh

Don't be ridiculous. I am not saying profit should be outlawed, and frankly am stunned that people think I'm advocating communism.

David, you did say that in post #8. quote: "To be honest the whole issue of charges (of any kind to do with admin) is a joke. Really what is needed is an act of parliament prohibiting companies charging anymore than thier legitimate costs.".

What would you do on jobs that have no retail goods where they are providing a service by doing the admin for you? I look at what I do and whilst some of it is application of knowledge, I spend more hours doing admin. A lot of that admin is in relation to application of knowledge but how do you cost knowledge and ability? What about liability? What about indirect costs, would you include those?

If I spend 2 hours writing a report, the cost is some A4 paper, a stamp and some ink are you saying that I can only charge £2 for that?

davidgmmafan

With regards to admin fees, not legitimate fees for services. I have expanded on this to avoid doubt you will be delighted to know.

I find it a little strange that you have taken a minor mis-understanding about what I meant to mean capitalism should be outlawed.

This is a consumer site maybe just maybe I was referring to the kind of 'admin' fees companies feel ripped off by including but not limited to bank charges, fees for processing payment, fees for cancelling an insurance policy. The brutal truth is companies use such fees to boost thier profits, but instead of calling it dividend booster or profit escaltor they say oh no no you've got it all wrong its to cover our admin costs. Cost we have calculated and will not justify.

For example IKEA (a low cost retailer if ever there was one) used to (and may still) charge 50p for payments made on credit cards I believe. They said it cost them more. Other companies charges around £5 for processing a payment. Are they ten times less efficient? Or have they just noticed an area where competition is not effective and decided to stiff the customer as much as they can?