All articles by Jac Roper – Page 17
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Milking it for more
Following my reports on Medina Dairies making sudden demands for payments from previous customers, I got a comprehensive fax from Cliff White, White’s News, East Sussex.
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: When banking gets personal
Mark has emailed to say: “I enjoy reading your articles in C-Store. There’s one this issue (April 15) ‘Nod, tip, wink’ about avoiding bank charges. I know that the banks very much disapprove of this practice, that personal bank accounts are for personal use...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: What price should you put on loyalty?
As some of you will unfortunately know, I can’t always fix it. Sometimes I can tell you straightaway as in, no, the energy company/bank/insurance underwriter will not listen to me and won’t care what I write about them. Short-sighted of them, I know.
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: And another thing...
Further on the subject of red tape, I’d like to add my voice to the clamour in our various trade press over the promised bonfi re from the government. They’ve counted them all up.
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Dear Jac
Dera Jac: Scammer time is here again
You can call this once bitten, twice shy, says Jignesh Patel who runs Shreeji in London’s Kentish Town. A big, nicely dressed, softly spoken guy came into his store during a busy period and cashed in some scratchcards. While this process was taking place he walked around the store picking
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Scammertime is here again
You can call this once bitten, twice shy, says Jignesh Patel who runs Shreeji in London's Kentish Town. A big, nicely dressed, softly spoken guy came into his store during a busy period and cashed in some scratchcards. While this process...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Keep on taking their pictures
Given the number of rules and regs and their forever updating, changing face, it’s no wonder we can’t all keep up. Mahesh Patel rang from Yogi Smurti Newsagents in London’s Shepherd’s Bush to say ...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Doing the supermarket shop
I'm getting yet more feedback on buying from the supers (featured in the past two columns). Here are two interesting, rather more 'remote' responses. Mollie emailed: "We visit supermarkets as well as using the C&Cs. We are a very small...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Computer says no to VAT upgrade
Our website had a 'name can be supplied on request' comment from a retailer who is an ex-systems programmer and who had a complaint regarding the cost of updating his Point 4 Epos system to handle the imminent VAT increase in January. He...
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Dear JacDear Jac: Customer care to count on; Bestway Cash & Carry: an apology
I get complaints about some companies with monotonous regularity; others I never hear about. Until very recently ShopEquip fell into the latter category and, apart from a brief blip, I believe all has now returned to harmony between supplier and...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: A tip that’s right on the money
This column often discusses bank charges all tips are welcome. Manjit Sokhal, mentioned in the supermarket-shopping story, also passed on her tip. She belongs to the Federation of Small Businesses, paying a £150 membership fee a year.
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Taking counsel against the council
Anybody know a good joinery company that can do some emergency work before Christmas?
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Name that tune!
Not for the first time I've received a complaint regarding news wholesalers' 'partners' ringing retailers to sell them 'extras' and managing to give the impression that they are the wholesaler themselves.
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Shopping for super bargains
It seems that a goodly number of you shop at supermarkets. Not a bad idea given the current climate as it not only bags you bargains, it also gives you a close-up view of how the opposition operates.
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Paying for the bank’s mistakes
Not that brilliant at money are they, banks? Or perhaps they are brilliant, but in a rather one-sided way.
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Penalty shoot-outs
Every month I hear from retailers realising belatedly what they signed up for. Shaid Hussain emailed me to say that he has been overcharged by his photocopy supplier for the past seven years. When he contacted the company to complain he...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: A wee problem turns nasty
We've had rude customers (conducting the entire transaction while still yakking into their mobiles), threatening customers and hold-your-nose smelly customers all making appearances in this column. Now, for the first time, I bring you...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Paying for mistakes shouldn’t be this costly
"We made a mistake," says Tasnim Aslam, who runs The Right Place in South Shields. She is halfway through a seven-year contract with Bank Machine, which installed and supplies an ATM. She gets 15p on all transactions, rising to 25p on transactions...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: In competition with its own network?
I've had an email, from a sub-postmistress of long standing, accusing the Post Office/Royal Mail of being the main competition out there. She writes: "An office can expand its work via many of the Post Office-driven items. However, each and every...
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Dear Jac
Dear Jac: Beware the roll over
Alan Taylor, director at energy broker Utilities Savings Corporation, was very disappointed by this column two issues back which featured Zac Hussain's complaint that his energy bill went up instead of down after using its NFRN-recommended services....