Stupid Corporate Tricks

Congress hasn't been alone this past year in drawing unprecedented levels of disgust among ordinary citizens. Corporate America has committed some incredibly stupid blunders that leave their own customers wondering whether these well paid decision makers even remotely cared about the consequences. The latest self-induced corporate public relations nightmare comes from my cell phone service carrier Verizon. They want to attach a so-called "convenience fee" just for paying your Verizon bill through their website. Yes, you would pay two bucks a month for the priviledge of paying what you owe! Last time I checked, this company was not on the road to financial ruin and has access to consumer research like focus groups who undoubtedly would have told them this was a slap in the face to many loyal customers at a time when many are struggling to pay for basic needs. Of course, I could pay my cell bill online through my Bank of America bill payment website, but they haven't been without issues either. Bank of America had to reverse its decision to put five dollar fees to use their ATM debit cards after a public outcry. They must have thought we'd forget about the whole mortgage bailout mess that almost threw us into another Depression. Let's not forget Netflix, a highly successful company that began hemorrhaging subscribers after some genius decided to raise rates by sixty per cent! And who can forget the CL&P disasters right here in Connecticut that led to the departure of its CEO? Mitt Romney is right when he says "corporations are people too" to the extent that regular folks like you and I are also capable of shooting ourselves in the foot without assistance from anyone else. For 2012, I pledge to take a hard look at any self sabotage.   Corporate America would be well served in doing the same.   Happy New Year!