Reading the Terms

Reading the T’s and C’s

During recent times with technology advancing to the extent where digital is everything, and getting anything from coffee to company mergers are but a click away, we seem to have forgotten the age of hard copies, fine print and T’s and C’s.
Yes, they still exist, but in the new and glamorous age of online marketing it seems to always be the last thing mentioned among st the millions of pretty offers being thrown at prospective clients.
The smallest link on the website and the last document to be sent. Not to mention the bigger the company the smaller the link.
Even with all the protection granted to consumers with the latest update of the consumer protection act, the responsibility still remains that of the client to actually read the terms and conditions.
I remember the good old days when before going into any kind of deal even if it was between friends, you always had to hear out the boring terms, “if I borrow you my car, you will blah blah blah, you will not blah blah blah, and you may still not, even if blah blah,…..”
The only thing in my mind at that stage is, “give the keys already. AARRGHH!!!!”
So yes, we all feel that way about reading T’s and C’s.
But when exactly did we stop caring about what it is we are getting ourselves into. When did we start believing what institutions tell us, without looking at the fine print?.
Trust, I hear you say……..
But they don’t trust us…….
They tell us we need a good credit record in order to incur larger debt.
They ask us to bring a three months bank statement, certified copy of id, and proof of residence and/or any other account, as well as a payslip from a job you have to be permanent with, for more than a year. And with the new FICA ACT information renewal needs to happen on an annual basis.
This is when you need something from them. Is that trusting?
So ask yourself why should you trust them with your money and hope that you get what they say they will give you, without any hidden costs or loop holes.
If you think about it, the time that it may have taken you to read the terms and conditions of the contract, is nothing compared to having to fork out extra time and money on the details you didn't see.
If you work in a service industry, you will know, that the clients who are most likely to end up complaining are the ones who never read T’s and C’s made available to them.
If you’re a client you should know, you’re actually making it hard for both parties when you don’t read the term.
E.g. something goes wrong you call customer service.
The 5mins your on hold, seems even longer because you’re angry that they never did what they said.
They tell you they can’t help you because that clause was in the terms.
You’re angry.
The poor agent on the other end is helpless, and frustrated.
You get more frustrated and rant.
Your start swearing cause now you want your money back.
The agent gets angry and swears at you.
The guy loses his job and his small salary that he used to feed his kids…..
And you still have to pay the extra costs.
In conclusion you/me the consumer, customer, client, whatever you want to call yourself, are still responsible for talking the time and making effort to read the term and conditions, because you can only benefit yourself from doing so.
http://cybersmartisp.wordpress.com/

*PS: No real people lost their jobs and no real clients have been sworn at during the writing of this article.
                                                                                                                   By Leonie Adonis 

Finding the pieces

The infamous “They” prescribe various methods of obtaining the one thing we all desire, “happiness”
You may have in your life found yourself in the position of the ‘advice giver’ on what will make the ‘recipient’ happy but as I always say everyone needs something to believe in.    

Some find it in the small things in life, some in morals and beliefs and some in living without morals and beliefs, others find it in structure and planning. And others still in material gain and wealth.
Many of us may have tried one or more of these methods of finding happiness, and many still trying.
A select few have found it and are living in Alaska ………

I believe that happiness is individual, not black and white but customized to our own special shades to create the kaleidoscope that make up our souls.

There is however the argument that because we all have the same basic needs: love, belonging, purpose, value and food. We are all to find them in the same places.
I think that we are individuals and even though we are made up of the same meat suit, contents differ, some more than others.
For example of my favorite needs that contribute a large percentage to my happiness is food.

 My friend and I have some time ago discovered Mac Donald’s Cup a Cake
I loved the caramel but she preferred the chocolate and though we both loved it we didn’t have each other’s. My best friend and I both like fish she prefers hers slightly more cooked with less salt, more vinegar and no skin at times.
The same applies to our other needs
We express ourselves differently.

We find belonging in different places and purpose in different ways.
For me, love is in the prickly feeling of his stubble under my finger tips that always makes me giggle no matter how sad I feel. And the snoring of my daughter at night when her dreams have carried her away.
I find purpose in cleaning after the family and then complaining about it loudly, and making coffee, for some explainable reason.

And belonging or Home, well I see glimpses of it sometimes, when they walk in front of me holding hands, or when she plants her 7 year old kiss firmly on his cheeks when she has to say goodbye, and the 5 year old, makes the inherited evil eye and goes right back to playing, or when she holds onto her sisters hand like they are headed in the some direction somehow.

 But that’s just me, at the end of it all. The colors that make up the pictures of our souls are all different and so are the brushes that they are panted with and canvases they are placed on.
No matter where or how or when you find your happiness when you do, it is nothing you can compare to that of another. Though you may share the same experience, you experience it differently.
So if you haven’t found yours yet and even those who have, don’t compare it to anyone else’s or tell someone else how they could possibly find theirs using your methods.
As I always say we all need something to believe in so always hold on to what it is you believe.
In this case I believe that only one person can live your happiness.

 Leonie A 02 Jul 13