GOOGLE'S GROWN TOO BIG FOR ITS BOOTS

Now here's an interesting article; 

"Google NZ's $60,000 loss" [Stuff, TOM PULLAR-STRECKER, 23 June 2014]

And here's another;  

"Google NZ posts loss" [RNZ, 9 June 2016]

 

Yes, trying to get anything out of Google isn't easy, is it?  Indeed, my own experience was as tiresome as trying to secure an honest tax return from Google.

My May VISA account was an interesting one.  Almost hidden among my usual vast listings of beer purchases from “Parklands Tavern,” were 12 items from Google.  It was clear they were games downloads and “In app purchases.”  I’d never heard of “Roblox” before this VISA account.

So I asked my kids if they’d played or downloaded Roblox, I showed all three kids the items on my VISA account.  They shook their heads, denied all knowledge, and I believed them – but I still checked their Google accounts, regardless.  Sure enough, no evidence of “Roblox” in their emails or Order History.  (It would have been disturbing if I HAD found anything, as I have deliberately avoided linking any of our Google accounts on our phones to any VISA card in the house.)  The money was only NZ$84, but the principle at stake here, was that some unknown person or merchant – someone I may have bought from previously – had re-used my card without  my permission.  And yes, I asked all my friends if they had heard of Roblox, in case their kids had mistakenly used my card.

Now, having tried to contact Google on a previous occasion, I knew there was no point raising it with them.  Trying to secure help from Google is almost as pointless as trying to secure help from Microsoft.  But as far as I was concerned, the Google purchases were a fraudulent, unauthorised use of my VISA card.  My bank was very understanding.  It recommended I cancel my card immediately; the transactions could be a big-time scammer testing my VISA account with small-time gaming amounts.  So I cancelled my card.

Now began the hard work.  On the bank’s instruction, I filled in a 4-page form detailing why the charges were fraudulent.  I detailed my evidence, and then I emailed it to the bank.  The money is automatically refunded as part of the process, and the onerous is then on Google to dispute it and prove I had made the transactions.  Remember, I trolled through ALL our Google accounts AND our Order Histories.  Remember also, the issue was not the NZ$84; the issue was someone had used my card fraudulently, and therefore may do so again.

Consider this.  How many people would have gone this far?  But wait, there’s more.

I followed this up with a call to the Fraud Department of the bank.  The helpful lady expressed it may even have been an administrative error by Google.  (Now there’s a great way to raise revenue when your profits are sagging; a few “administrative errors.”)

Google came back a month later, days short of their deadline, asking for its money back with a 6-page counter-challenge.  Of course, I was now obliged to troll through this.  The counter-challenge was headed by this statement;

“This purchase was initiated from the Cardholder’s Google Account using a recognised account, mobile device and credit card … Google does not believe the purchase was fraudulent and is requesting a reversal based on the compelling evidence provided below.”

The “compelling evidence” consisted of nothing more than the order invoice, its own internal order documentation, and its terms and conditions.  The onerous was now on me to counter – again; if I didn't submit a counter-submission, Google would have my reversal . . . um . . reversed.

Consider this again.  How many people would have given up at this point?  But wait, there’s more.

Google provided no real evidence themselves, but expected me to jump through hoops to prove my case.  Google provided no IP address, no phone number from the “recognised mobile device,” no email or account name of the fraudster's “recognised account,” and no statement of where the payment came from.  Google only provided confirmation that the amounts came from my credit card (heck, THAT wasn’t in dispute!).  Thus, the mighty Google was due payment.  Obviously, the “compelling evidence," was a standard response, so it was incredibly arrogant and presumptuous.  Their automated statement would have been produced at the push of a button.  My research and written responses, on the other hand, took hours.  And hours.  Remember, if I hadn’t responded to each counter, I would have lost my money.

Consider this one more time.  How many people would have given up at this point?  But wait, there’s more.

After a month of nothing, I phoned up the bank – because Google doesn’t have a phone number to call – asking what the hell was going one.  The bank told me Google had dropped the case.  No apology from Google, no formal letter stating the end of the case, no closure.  Nothing.  When I questioned the bank on this, the bank echoed my frustration, expressing that this was Google’s normal behaviour, and they don’t release the information I needed to track down my fraudulent user.

It is the behaviour of an incredibly arrogant organisation that’s grown too big for its boots. Worse than this, with Google not providing the information asked for, I had no way of tracking who had used my VISA card.  So, if I didn’t know who had scanned or used my card, then it might happen again.  The police Call Centre told me to bring my VISA statement to the police station so I can file a crime report.

So I took all the paperwork down to the police station.  This is the central police station in the Christchurch city centre, where parking is a nightmare - and it’s expensive.  When I arrived at the police station, I had to join a queue.  When I was seen, finally, the police told me to fill in an 8-page form (yes, 8 pages) and come back another day.

** heavy sigh **

Hmm. Wonder if it’s time for a blog about another incredibly arrogant organisation that’s grown too big for its boots?

SOCIETY BENEFITS

Now here’s an interesting article;

 

“Canterbury's mental health funding to be cut” [ASHLEIGH STEWART, stuff.co.nz, 16  February 2016]

And here’s another  . ..

“11,000 disabled children lose welfare benefit” [NZ Herald, 19 March 2015]

Aaaannnd another  . . .

“Benefits cut for 13,000 parents in new regime” [Simon Collins, NZ Herald], 23 October 2013]

Starting to see a pattern?

I had the misfortune to have to go to a Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) office recently to secure a particular allowance for someone.  I have to add that this was only because I was thrown off the phone by WINZ’s automatic phone system that didn’t have enough capacity for its “customers”;

“I’m sorry, but our lines are all busy.  Please try again later …  [beep, beep, beep]”

So I’m at the WINZ reception desk, and I go to hand in a form that is signed by a doctor and another relevant health professional.

Receptionist; “Have you been with us before?"

Me; “Me? Yes, but not for many years.”

Receptionist; “Then you need to fill in this form and make an appointment.”

Me; “Why?”

Receptionist; “Because you’re applying for ‘Extra Help.’”

So I had brought in, what I thought was, a simple two-page form completed and signed by a GP and another health professional.  That wasn’t enough.  A 28-page form (yes, honest - 28 pages!) was thrust in my hand and I was told to go away and come back another day.  I’m not even going to start on why the quake-traumatised person's allowance I was advocating for should have been easy.  It wasn’t.  It's suffice to say that eight years of a right-wing, National government were in absolute clarity at that moment.

I felt sick, heavy and dizzy.  Everything slowed down . . .

I took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then breathed out slowly and looked around at the “customers” in that office.   I didn’t see any stereotypical scruffy dole dodgers with their tin cups out to beg.  No drug addicts, drunks or half-starved dogs. The people in there were all quite smart, respectable and the place was deathly quiet.  The one unifying factor that all the visitors had, was the same look.  In fact, a lot of people in Christchurch have that look now.  All the visitors in that WINZ office had the look; stressed, tired and “I don’t really want to be here.”

Eight years of a National government, and benefits – any benefit – are extremely difficult to secure.  Eight years of a National government, and you have jump through hoops to receive what you’re actually entitled to.  But of course, eight years of a National government has made “entitlement” a swear word, hasn’t it?  The greed of the National Party's sponsors and supporters have ensured that every drop of social service is squeezed to alleviate the government's screaming debt crisis.  I mean, God-forbid we raise income tax at the higher end to maintain a civilised society,  right?

You know, as I stood in the queue and looked around, I didn’t see any bludgers.  Next time you're passing a WINZ office, go in and have a look yourself. Spend some time in there and take in what you see.  

See what I saw.  

I saw a lot of vulnerable, desperate people, asking for help.  

But they weren’t getting it.

All because the rich don’t like paying tax.

WHAT PRICE LOYALTY, NEW ZEALAND?

Now here’s an interesting article:

“Made in NZ - do you buy into it?” [Nikki MacDonald, Stuff, July 2013]

I de-based myself today.  I went lower than I ever thought it was possible to go.  No, I didn’t buy instant coffee.  Worse; I bought a bottle of Australian wine.  

Now, here in New Zealand, buying Aussie wine is a bit like an American buying an AK-47.  It’s not yet a crime, but it’s pretty bad, eh?

Before you grab your torch and pitchfork, here me out: I bought on price.  The simple fact is that Australian red wines are – by and large – cheaper than our own wines here in Godzone.  As I was looking at the expensive NZ wines, I thought to myself for the first time, “What loyalty do I owe these companies?”

When I was growing up in the UK, I remember the advertising campaign that seemed to run for years; “British goods mean British jobs.”  This was a reflection that cheaper goods were starting to filter in from Taiwan, Japan and China.  The reality was that – to pay British workers a fair wage – British goods were more expensive than those from the Far East.  And we accepted that in good faith.  Indeed, it’s still a wonder today, that Chinese factories can exploit their workforce to the degree that a Chinese worker can roll a car off the production line for the cost of a bowl of rice.  That is the economic reality in China.  But Chinese workers don’t have the same protection ours do; Chinese factories don’t have the rigorous regulation, employment or Health and Safety regimentation that the West does, so their cost of labour is far lower.

So if we consumers are being fed messages to Buy New Zealand-Made, why am I struggling more and more every year - as an earning employee - to afford those New Zealand goods?  Why am I not feeling the love?

Let’s come back to the economic conditions here in NZ – compared with Oz.  Goods bought here - even NZ-made - are often more expensive than abroad, including Australia.  Is it because our wages are too high?  Are we being paid a fair wage?  Well, Australian workers continue to outstrip us in terms of wages, despite their downturn.  Indeed, over the last 30 years, New Zealand wages have hardly risen at all in real terms.  This means that our ability to keep up with the rising cost of goods actually falls shorter every year.  And yet, our productivity continues to soar!  If there is ever a Case Study for exploitation, I think it’s here in New Zealand.  In other words, we are working harder, longer, and for less money.  It's little consolation we're not alone.

If New Zealand wages are so low, why are NZ goods so damned expensive here?  Milk is an obvious one after wine.  Our wines are good - exported around the world - but we’re the international HUB of milk production.  And the reason for that is that it costs less to make milk here; cheaper water, cheaper wages, and relatively cheaper land.  Yet, it’s dearer to buy a litre of milk here than in most European countries!   

I'll tell you why that is.  It’s because price has NOTHING to do with cost-of-production.  Price has everything to do with our willingness to pay.  Yes, yes, yes; basic economic theory tells us that profit = sales – cost, so price depends on that equation.  However, if the customer isn’t willing to pay the price, the theory falls over.  If it costs $100 to make the widget, but the customer will only pay $1, then widgets aren’t made.  However, if a widget costs $1 to make, and the customer is willing to pay $100, then you can bet the customer will be charged $100.  It might not be fair, but that’s capitalism.  So if we are going to be charged more for NZ milk and NZ wine, how far should our loyalty stretch?  Frankly, there are some large and high-profile companies here in New Zealand, pulling on our heartstrings.  They pull out the “Loyal” card – but they ain’t givin’ back.

Let’s look at the theory of NZ goods keeping NZ jobs.  Well broadly, that’s still a truism today – but it’s not quite as “true” as it once was.  NZ corporates focus on “productivity” – "We need to be more productive," they cry.  But, if we are more productive, we actually do ourselves out of jobs!  We HAVE been more productive - and our continued broad increased productivity means less jobs across the NZ economy!  However, the statistics continue to show that we are not seeing the benefits of our productivity.  Not only are New Zealanders being exploited, but the corporate, right-wing spin today, is that we should have some sort of loyalty for our large NZ companies with those limited budgets of ours. We're told that NZ money spent on NZ goods trickles down into the economy, instead of going overseas.  Well I can tell you, the trickle down theory is the biggest bag of shite since Margaret Thatcher filled her rubber underpants.   Despite the right-wing spin doctors CONTINUING to promote “Trickle Down”, the economists and the statistics do not support the fact.  Indeed, money does NOT “trickle down”; money trickles UP.

I’m not saying that every business here in New Zealand is like this.  Indeed, there are some cracking businesses that earn our loyalty by the directors/owners’ hard work, their dedication to their staff, and their exceptional, true respect for the customer.  But there are many NZ businesses that don’t.  

So in summary, there are a lot of businesses in New Zealand that aren't paying their way in our country;

• As employees, businesses in New Zealand aren’t giving us the return for our hard work
• As customers, businesses in New Zealand aren't giving us lower prices for their lower cost-of-production – they can’t have it both ways!
• There are New Zealand businesses who are fleecing the consumer – charging us more than our overseas counterparts, playing on our heartstrings, but not passing that increased revenue component onto New Zealand workers.
• Directors in New Zealand continually award themselves annual pay rises MANY TIMES higher than inflation, but plead poverty when it comes to staff pay rises.
• New Zealand businesses want consumer loyalty from kiwis, but won’t reward staff for their productivity and won’t pass on the lower cost-of production to the consumer, in terms of lower prices.  So why should be loyal?

With all of that said, let’s be choosy about how freely we give our loyalty.  Let us not be blindly sucked into the "Buy NZ" game - until we have the incomes to have that luxury!  Instead, let’s give our loyalty to those great kiwi companies who have earned it, not to those who demand it.

FURTHER READING:

"Real Wages - the Brutal Truth" [ Mike Treen, Unite News, Feb 2014]

https://unitenews.wordpress.com/2014/02/19/real-wages-the-brutal-truth/

“The lag in wages vs. productivity costs you hundreds of dollars per week” [Systemic Disorder, Sept 2014]

https://systemicdisorder.wordpress.com/2014/09/11/wages-lag-vs-productivity/

"Re-run: Unemployment up, productivity up" [Marty G, The Standard, March 2011]

http://thestandard.org.nz/re-run-unemployment-up-productivity-up/

"Does your company give you a $148,000 bonus?" [Sydney Morning Herald, Dec 2015]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/75001193/Does-your-company-give-you-a-148-000-bonus-No-This-US-firm-does

"Are the fat cats pouring their own milk?" [Nicholas Blumsky-Gibbs, Otago University, Oct 2012]

http://www.otago.ac.nz/law/research/journals/otago043943.pdf http://www.otago.ac.nz/law/research/journals/otago043943.pdf