simonb.com

Ban 15% Service Charge Not Included

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:38:10 -0000

Ever seen this on a menu?

"15% service charge not included"

Who exactly does this serve? This message is all about the service provider and nothing to do with customer service.

The service provider is essentially saying:

"Not only are you paying for our goods but there's an extra fee for the privilege of paying us money."

"We like ripping off our customers."

"The people who made the menu couldn't multiple by 1.15."

These lines about service charges leave a bad taste in my mouth. This is unfortunate as they're usually found on menus; always in very small…

Disappearing Acts

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:43:15 -0000

I've just discovered The Guardian series Disappearing Acts. A series of reports presented as an audio slide show covering skills and professions that are... disappearing. Marvellous stuff: stonemasonry, calligraphy, silk ties... Well worth a look.

Shanghai Snow

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:54:09 -0000

It snowed yesterday in Shanghai. Snow is a tricky subject for photography - it moves too fast and the autofocus doesn't see it. The two above are about the best of a few shots out of our office window. Done with manual focus and shutter speed priority.

In other news the temperature in Shanghai is predicted to go form -7 to +20 C. Spring is just around the corner.

Teen Pregnancy UK

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:43:10 -0000

The Guardian have a map of teen pregnancy rates in the UK. The place I grew up - North East Lincolnshire, formerly South Humberside, formerly Lincolnshire - has been highlighted on the map for special mention. Not in a good way.

Frozen Business Models (A Parable)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:22:36 -0000

An ice cream shop made the best pistachio ice cream around. It was the only flavour of ice cream it made. For years it sold well but one day sales started to decline. Some of the customers told the shop owner they should think of serving different flavours. But pistachio had sold well for years so the ice cream shop continued to make only pistachio. The ice cream shop told its customers that if they didn’t buy more pistachio ice cream, the shop would go out of business and they'd never again taste their pistachio ice cream. Some of the…