Negative Attitude and Backwards Approach to Business

<p> </p> <p>Looking for a wireless internet link for my premises, and come across PC Network whose web page appears to eb professional and the company responds to emails somewhat promptly - which is surprising for any business in Cape Town.</p> <p> </p> <p>For any company offering wireless internet, they have to come to your premises and perform a line of site survey to determine if they can deliver said services. However before this company will come a do a site survey they demand that one signs a contract for services with them up front!!! Are these guys insane. Who in their right mind would enter into a contract with a company who doesn't even yet know whether they can provide a service. The attitude is very negative and distrustful as its predicated on the idea that they might come to do a line of site survey and then the customer might choose to not avail of their services, so they need to lock them in up front. What horribly negative attitude to adopt towards people one might be doing business with. It certainly doesn't help to create a positive trusting vibe between two parties. One party is saying to the other "Well I feel that you might f**k me so I need you to sign this contract before I do anything."</p> <p> </p> <p>There are other ways of dealing with such a scenario. Perhaps charge to do a line of site survey, say R1,000 and if there is no line of sight or useable signal refund the R1000. If there is a useable signal and services can be provided then subtract the R1000 from the installation fee and proceed as normal, if the client deicdes not to sign up then keep the R1000. This is something very few people would take issue with.</p> <p> </p> <p>How PC Network operate is another example of how not to do business, and another reason why foreigners percieve South Africans as rude with bad attitudes, I can understand their perspective when you run up against this kind of situation.</p>