This is good list of customer rights, called the Social Customer Manifesto, (though I don't really know why the social is in there), but these examples could also just be called "treat me with respect":
- I want to have a say.
- I don't want to do business with idiots.
- I don't want to be called by another salesperson. Ever.
- I want to be able to tell you when you're screwing up. Conversely, I'm happy to tell you the things that you are doing well.
- I want to do business with companies that act in a transparent and ethical manner.
Let's take this even further, after all, I'm a man of extremes.
I'm going to live my life on my terms, not those dictated by society–I expect that will turn out to be the better way to go in any case. I will not suffer idiots, for any reason. If people bring nothing but their own agendas to the table, then pretty soon they're going to find the door locked. If people are not being honest and frank with me, then they're doing me no favors; and true friends will want me to act the same. If I have to worry about other people's motives or things going on behind my back, then I'm wasting my time with them. Life is to short for compromising.
Now, to live this life is going to cost. Its going to cost money, success, power and some of the other trappings of society. But I looked at that choice long ago, and chose to put my energy into actual accomplishments and activities that I could feel proud of. I live in a really inconvenient location for my line of work–there's just not a lot of software engineering or startups on top of a mountain with a couple thousand people around.
If I had wanted the money and the other things, then I would have moved to the big city, become a lawyer (instead of an engineer); and I would have put 100% of my energy into raping the land, muzzling the consumer, and lining the pocket of the rich (while taking my cut); after all, if you're going to have a vision, you should focus on it completely, and not let anything else get in the way.
But I decided to live the life worth living, in a wonderful location (with air you can breath), doing worthwhile things like creating, building, fixing and teaching; and interacting with others with integrity. I'm not rich, I'm not on the cover of Forbes, I don't get invited to the exclusive "money" retreats in Aspen, I don't jet around in my own private Lear or vacation in Rome; but I think I'm sure a lot more happy than those poor fools that do.
