Price Complaints

[PW_Elle]

The solid waste division where I work charges $12.92 a month for refuse service. Now, before you start thinking that's a little high, know we also provide 25 trash bags per quarter, 25 recycle bags per quarter, and 5 yard waste bags per quarter. Not only that, but we DELIVER them to your house. Right on your front lawn. You don't even have to go to the store to get your trash bags (unless you run out and want extras).

So anyway, I get this old guy (OG) who calls me, and this is the conversation...

Me: City of _________________ Solid Waste Department, how can I help you?
OG: Yeah, I just got my utility bill and it said that you people are charging more for trash now.
Me: Yes sir, due to recent increases in gasoline and oil prices, we've had to charge more in order to continue providing the same level of service.
OG: Well, that's ridiculous.
Me: Sir?
OG: You all just raised prices 7 years ago!
Me: (silence while I collect myself) Yes sir, we did raise the rates seven years ago, and our costs have increased substantially since then.
OG: Well, I've lived here for twenty years and I don't think I should have to pay this much.
Me: I'm sorry you feel that way, sir. If you'd like, I can file a complaint and send it on to your city councilperson. (Trying not to laugh)
OG: No. Thanks for nothing. -click-

[skeptic53]

It amazes me how people have different thresholds for squawking. If he'd ordered a pizza and it was $25 delivered he probably wouldn't say boo. But if the gas station is forced to raise the price of gas 5 cents, look out!

Cost of city services where I live goes up every year, not twice in 20 years.

Sheesh.

[powerboy]

I get that all the time. Well used too. It is because of Supply and Demand. Someone demanded we get a certain Anime Series in, and we do, and said person does not come in to buy it, of course we gotta charge more, so that we can not eat the cost. We have a shop on amazon.com, and are cheaper then what they would charge for it. Sorry for the thread hijack

[Mr. Crow]

Supply and demand is possible the easiest to understand economic concept, yet every so often I meet people who freak out over price changes. It happens, some times it is really problematic, but there is nothing you can do that won't make things worse.

Also, upping charges to $12.92 a month for some one to come to your house and take your garbage away for you is not a crime against humanity.

[Gurndigarn]

High? Not really. I've seen upwards of $25ish per month, if memory serves. This was a city that was otherwise quite sensible and nice, but they decided to not have a service contract with one or two companies-- everyone got their own trash removal service, so it was common for a company to pick up one house every three blocks.

No, I didn't understand the logic, either.

[Sofar]

It's always kind of bothered me that people seem to think it is their God-given right to have someone cart their garbage away.

[uthdentroll]

you should tell him to take the garbage to the garbage dump if they dont want to pay for the service. the city i am living in charge 30 dollars a month for garbage.
13 dollars seems like a bargain to me

[bigjimaz]

Also, upping charges to $12.92 a month for some one to come to your house and take your garbage away for you is not a crime against humanity.

$12.92 beats the crap out of having to take it to the trash site myself once a week like I used to have to do when I lived outside of Tucson, AZ. You had to take it once a week or it would stink up the place. And because the trash place was 30 miles away, it cost more than $12.92 just in gas for me to get it there. (not to mention the smell it left in my car when something leaked.

[DesignFox]

WTF? could this guy possibly have to complain about. 12.92 to not only pick up your trash and cart it away for you, but also to deliver BAGS??? you don't even have to go the grocery store to get your own bags! That's awesome for 13 bucks!

[Rahmota]

Out here in the country I pay around 25$ per month for a weekly pickup of up to 10 bags and 1 small appliance/mattress/furniture a month. I am very happy to have a nice big truck come along and take this stuff away so I dont have to deal with it.

[cheese]

mmm...free rubbish collection although its paid for with taxes, but i'm a student so don't pay most of those..

[Argabarga]

And to top it all off, he refuses to have the call forwarded to someone who would be at least able to discuss the matter with him, he'd rather just cuss out someone who can't make changes anyway.....

[Sacknahalf05]

Quite understandable that the prices would be raised. I mean, look at the price of gas going up. What a concept "garbage truck must have gas to pick up garbage". People who expect companies to pick up the tab on the rising costs of running a business obviously don't understand the concept of "business".

[AFpheonix]

We didn't sign up for garbage pickup at the farm. It's cheaper just to fill up a trailer and haul it to the dump now and again.