Screwed

Here are a few businesses or business activities that make me feel like I am getting screwed.

Smart marketers have introduced alternate models to address these shortcomings but there is still legions of opportunity for new entrants to treat customers how they deserve to be treated.

1. Car dealers - long process & then try to change deal at last minute
2. Cable companies - not enough choice, forced into bundled packages
3. Wireless phone companies - penalize most loyal and active customers; rigid, hardball rules 
4. Airlines
5. Government - super inefficient, all about job security, never about saving the public money or time  
6. Politicians - all about me, no concept or care for the reality of John Q. Public 
7. Customer service - not showing respect for customers as the phone tree clearly demonstrates
8. Plumbers, Electricians, Contractors - baffle you with techno-babble and B.S. to keep the rate high
9. Car repairs - dealers charging $90+ an hour for a mechanic   
10. Real estate agents - do so little for a huge fee
11. Professional sports teams - so expensive (ticket, food, park, merchandise, $8.00 beer)
12. Retail salespeople - often know less than the customer
13. "All you can eat" offers - unlimited usually means low quality
14. Self-Help gurus & programs - buy now, buy more, keep buying from me
15. Chuckie Cheese "toys n trinkets" - total crap
16. Time share sales pitches
17. Recruiters - lack basic professional business courtesy  
18. Coupons - quick expiration or includes fine print that diminishes the offer    
19. Produce - 30% or more of every purchase is rotten or sub-par
20. Performance reviews - just a doable HR induced activity not built to really help anyone
21. Return policies - too restrictive or contain too many hoops  
22. Public schools - almost impossible for parents to institute change 
23. Credit card companies - hidden fees, change rate
24. Online processing fee - is there really any cost for an online transaction
25. Bank's insufficient fund fee - why is the fee $35 no matter the size of the insufficient funds
26. College tuition - how can so many middling private schools justify charging 90% of what Harvard charges  
27. Free credit reports

O.D.O.o.O.D.B.