I was having a conversation with my Dad the other day about the state of today's newspapers. Although not a daily reader, his preferred read is the Telegraph.
It's not a paper that appeals to me because it appears to be written by, and for, people who live in a different society to me and pretty much everyone else I know (sorry Dad).
My attention was drawn (thanks once again Nobby) to a comment piece by Richard Wilson (Lord Wilson of Dinton was Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service from 1998 to 2002).
Lord Wilson explains that the:
"The Service has done its best to change while remaining true to its traditional values of integrity, selection on merit and political impartiality. Work by Mori shows that over the past two decades, when trust in most professions has not changed, there has been a noticeable rise in trust in civil servants."
"Hordes of visitors come from overseas to learn how we do it."
Who is he trying to kid? And what about his assertion that the Civil Service is now smaller than in the 1970s.
Having read the article in full, I was at least pleased to see that he has the good grace to finish on a joke:
"Civil Service reform is important, but it needs to be accompanied by a hard look at the role of central government. As Gordon Brown has said: ''The British way is to break up centralised institutions that are too remote and insensitive and so devolve power." We live in hope."
As another famous Richard Wilson might put it, "I don't believe it."
Rebuilding trust in civil servants
Showing posts with label Service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Service. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Friday, January 12, 2007
Scrap the BBC.
BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation?
BRITISH Broadcasting CORPORATION?
British BROADCASTING Corporation?
BRITISH Broadcasting Corporation?
British BROADCASTING CORPORATION?
It doesn't matter which way I look at it, it doesn't get any better.
BRITISH Broadcasting CORPORATION?
British BROADCASTING Corporation?
BRITISH Broadcasting Corporation?
British BROADCASTING CORPORATION?
It doesn't matter which way I look at it, it doesn't get any better.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
From BA..d to worse!
Over the years, British Airways has seen some turbulent times ranging from the Freddie Laker and the Virgin Airlines competition debacle through to the more recent staff uniform and crucifix saga.
Amongst other events, the recent summer terrorist scare in which thousands of passengers were severely disrupted amply illustrates problems within BA regarding it's ability to respond to the needs of it's customers.
The recent disruption to service caused by severe fog resulted in thousands of bags going missing; two weeks on, and many passengers are still affected with up to 15000 items waiting to be reunited with their owners.
The fact that there is still such a big problem is bad enough, but it now appears that BA are actually profiting from the misery caused.
Passengers who wish to find out about their missing property are being made to ring a premium rate number which sees BA getting up to half of the 3p-a-minute cost of calls, and some desperate callers say they have been on the phone for up to ten fruitless hours, trying and failing to recover bags which in many cases are filled with long-overdue Christmas presents.
BA admitted it did make money from calls to its baggage number, but insisted the charges were necessary to offset the cost of running a call centre in Newcastle.
BA are solely responsible for the loss of passengers luggage and as such all costs should be picked up by them.
The sheer arrogance shown by so many of today's big businesses towards their customers is staggering and would make shocking reading were it not for the fact that such arrogance is commonplace in the public sector and within Government at all levels.
Fortunately it is quite easy to show BA what we think of their attitude, take your business else where. As for the public sector, despite the era of so called "choice", would that it were so simple.
BA profits from lost luggage debacle
Amongst other events, the recent summer terrorist scare in which thousands of passengers were severely disrupted amply illustrates problems within BA regarding it's ability to respond to the needs of it's customers.
The recent disruption to service caused by severe fog resulted in thousands of bags going missing; two weeks on, and many passengers are still affected with up to 15000 items waiting to be reunited with their owners.
The fact that there is still such a big problem is bad enough, but it now appears that BA are actually profiting from the misery caused.
Passengers who wish to find out about their missing property are being made to ring a premium rate number which sees BA getting up to half of the 3p-a-minute cost of calls, and some desperate callers say they have been on the phone for up to ten fruitless hours, trying and failing to recover bags which in many cases are filled with long-overdue Christmas presents.
BA admitted it did make money from calls to its baggage number, but insisted the charges were necessary to offset the cost of running a call centre in Newcastle.
BA are solely responsible for the loss of passengers luggage and as such all costs should be picked up by them.
The sheer arrogance shown by so many of today's big businesses towards their customers is staggering and would make shocking reading were it not for the fact that such arrogance is commonplace in the public sector and within Government at all levels.
Fortunately it is quite easy to show BA what we think of their attitude, take your business else where. As for the public sector, despite the era of so called "choice", would that it were so simple.
BA profits from lost luggage debacle
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