Fighting Back

Be aware of what commercial entities aren't allowed to do. F'rinstance, by law, they can't send you unsolicited junk faxes.

Have handy phone numbers and email addresses of people who fight this kind of stuff all the time.

If you make it convenient enough for yourself ahead of time, like making yourself a form that you can quickly fill out to complain about spam, you can lower the threshold of what puts you in action. Also, you should make record keeping easy for yourself.







Sometimes You Just Gotta Be a Bastard Keep Records! Every Rule Can Be A Tool Advantages for Individuals Company Insecurity But how do you affect a company instead of just a flunky?

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Advantages Individuals Have Over Corporations

Parallax-- okay, it might seem an odd point, considering a collective entity has more than one set of eyes.

But one person's experience of a company from several different angles is more likely to notice things since there are no interpersonal transmission delays involved.

Flexibility-- In some relationships, you can take as much or as little of your time in dealing with the company as you wish. You can take extensive notes when warranted, or forget about them altogether.







The Job Dealing With Companies Fighting Back Following a Request Through a Company What People DON'T Owe to Companies

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Bear Witness

The Web is a good place to seek out fellow-minded people and share data. There are users groups and victim support groups and groups mobilizing action.





Fighting Back Every Rule Can Be A Tool Fill this out, in triplicate ...

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Cover Your Ass -- Keep Records!

Keep track of your dealings with companies. For instance, don't delete any email --you never know when you'll need it as evidence.

Also, if you know you habitually save stuff, then you can know when a company rep tries to bluff you by saying she's sure she sent you that memo last Arbor Day ...

"All right, IBM! You know what? This is going on your permanent record!!"






Following your request Bear Witness Company Insecurity The Personnel Department

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Following a Request Through a Company

If you're asking a company to do something, if you can get pointed to the next person down the chain at any point, there are some good reasons to do so.


FOR

  1. Speed
  2. Accuracy
  3. Flexibility -- You get to see the open options more clearly.
  4. Parallax View -- You see the company from more than one point of view, so you can better estimate what they can do to -- I mean, for -- you.

AGAINST

  1. If an individual on the chain of what you need done takes a dislike to you, you're screwed.
  2. Some individuals just aren't any good dealing with strangers. In theory, whoever the company chooses as its front end is.
  3. If your contact is unpopular with his coworkers, they'll be more likely to associate you and your request with him.






Service Relationships Advantages for Individuals Keep Records! The Form

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The Form

The form is one of the preferred means of communication within companies and between companies and outsiders.

It's standardized, small in size and it looks published. It implies you're dealing with a recognized commercial entity or Government agency. It's not the customer, but an avatar of a customer request.

It also forces a company to stop trying to pretend it's an individual -- your buddy -- at least for the duration of the request.






On the innate defensiveness of the corporate person Sanctioned Backtalk Why would a company pretend it was an individual? So why not make your own?

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DIY Forms

Hmmm ...



What follows is pure theory, and very dangerous to test.



Would a company respond better to a form you cooked up yourself?



After all, if you make it glossy enough ...


To:_____________________________________

Date:___/___/______

Rec'd:___/___/______ By:_________________________
Initials:______

Comments:                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                		from the office of

Harold Snardlough

-- a Very Important Person Who wants you to do something.
Request: __________________________________________                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                   
                                               

Due Date: ___/___/______ Contact:_______________________________
Phone:(____)____-______
Fax:(____)____-______
Email:___________________


Verify by:

[] Phone

[] Email

[] Mail

[] Visit

 Verification 1: Date: __/__/__ Required:________________________________ Notes:___________________                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                Checked: [] Initials:_____
Verification 2: Date: __/__/__ Required:________________________________ Notes:___________________                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                Checked: [] Initials:_____
Verification 3: Date: __/__/__ Required:________________________________ Notes:___________________                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                Checked: [] Initials:_____
Details of request:

                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                           
Signatures:                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                		Return to in-box until all verifications are complete.
/ Really \
--- Spiffy ---
\Graphic/

As I said, this has never been tested, so please don't sue me.

The theory behind the verification slots is that it might get the document re-examined a few times, to verify if your request is getting done. It's an attempt to combine the seductive power of a form with following the request in person.









Following Your Request On the innate defensiveness of the corporate person Don't Believe It When a Company Encourages You to Break Rules Sanctioned Backtalk Why would a company pretend it was an individual?
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Sometimes You Just Gotta Be A Bastard

For instance, when some sales rep is trying to tell you that her whole company will be your buddy for life ...

Doesn't it really send a chill down your spine when you suddenly realize that this person who is taking great interest in whatever nonsense you've felt comfortable to babble is doing it to make a sale?




When a company encourages rulebreaking The Moment of Purchase Do-It-Yourself Forms

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"Stop picking on Adam Sandler!"

Hey, he had it coming.





jj, you're a big meanie! "My" Computer School

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But how do you affect a company, and not just a flunky?

That's the 57.3 Euro question!

Perhaps one solution is to set the flunky off, making a change you want in the company? (This is just theory.)

Perhaps one can reverse-engineer some of these principles?







Nonspecific Angst Company pretends to be an individual ... Advantages Individuals Have Following a Request Telemarketers
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