Do you get what you pay for?

http://www.consumer-confidential.com

“Do you get what you pay for?” That is the best consumer question I have ever been asked, and I have been asked a lot of consumer questions. I have answered thousands in my television reports, during my radio talk show, and in newspaper columns. “Do you get what you pay for?”

My answer? You get what you ask for. If you are trying to show off to impress friends or strangers, rest assured, you will overpay. If you are trying to be the cheapest human being alive, you’ll surely get an item similar to what you want—but not the real thing—less expensively.

Being a good consumer is not about money, it’s about awareness and fairness. A good consumer is aware of his or her surroundings, legally and emotionally. Good consumers are concerned about what is fair, for others as well as themselves.

Far too many people equate consumerism with money. Certainly money and consumerism run parallel courses, but they are not one and the same.

I disagree with my consumer-activist colleagues on most money issues. They have been taught, and pass along, the concept that money is the root of all evil; many even believe that money itself is evil. Too often my peers are obsessed with money, either pushing it away or hoarding it. They carry a strange dichotomy of thought: on one hand, money is evil and should be avoided; on the other hand, money is too precious to spend, so it must be piled up and guarded at all costs. Which is it? Neither! Both of these thoughts are toxic. Money is a means to an end—that’s it.

Other consumer activists I know spout the individual-above-all doctrine, saying in their oh-so-sly way that anything you can “pull off” is good. Find a new way to rip off a major company and you are a hero. Slip through a government loophole and you are to be congratulated. For these people, life is like a caper movie—say, Ocean’s 11—only on a smaller scale. Not me. Just as being cheap doesn’t make you a good consumer, in my book, being slimy doesn’t work either.

Consumerism = fairnessConsumerism is a lifestyle choice that puts personal worth above personal wealth. Being a good consumer means going after what is fair for you and for others. It’s about finding your own comfort zone and your own place in this world, while freely allowing others their space and breathing room. Being a good consumer means being a good person and gently nudging others to join in.

A woman called me while she was going through some terrible times with her insurance company. She had had a fire in her home, and the company seemed to be doing everything in its power not to offer a fair settlement. She had complained and argued and was now simply worn out. “Michael,” she said, “I’ve paid my premiums for years and shouldn’t have to go through this—the company should do what is right.”

I contacted the insurance company and asked for a review of the case. Knowing that I was keeping track of its shenanigans, the company sent a new adjuster to the home, and the consumer was offered a much higher settlement.

The burned-out bedroom was indeed rebuilt, and the company was there every step of the way, making sure that everything was getting done correctly. The woman was thrilled, and the company avoided bad press. A win-win, but there was still more to do. I telephoned the company’s CEO.

He said, “We’ve done everything you want. The house is rebuilt; our client is thrilled.” He was annoyed. “What more do you want?”

I said, “We want an apology.”

“What?”

“Your client needs an apology. Sure, you paid what you owed, but that’s simply doing what you were supposed to do. You never said you were sorry.”

The phone line went silent; I could hear breathing, so I waited. Probably 15 or 20 seconds went by without either of us saying a word.

Then the CEO said, “To me it was business; to her it was personal.” You could all but hear the idea sinking in. “You are right, we owe her an apology.”

Later that day he personally called the woman and apologized. Now that is a consumer victory! Education occurred—possibly even personal growth .