Time to get what I pay for

As adults we are held to a specific standard.  We are expected to pay bills, show up to work, complete our work  assignments and even life goals, on time.  There are consequences if we don’t, some of these consequences can be detrimental.   Some can prevent us from being able to do other things. 

So why is it that when we as consumers demand that same standard from people to whom we pay money it seems there is a different expectation.  As consumers we are told we must hold up to contracts and agreements, yet the company has no obligation to provide us with decent customer service or even service at all.

Not kidding.

I was livid to find out my cell phone provider is under no obligation to deliver me cell phone service.  Then what am I paying for?  I don’t have service where I live, they can not provide me service where I live, no other cell phone company can provide service where I live but I am still obligated to pay my contract...on time.

Another service provider has taken over three weeks and rescheduled installation five times (without calling ahead of time so I actually had to wait the entirety of the 4 hour installation window each time) and when I called to complain and cancel the service they told me I was obligated to pay a cancellation fee.  Yep they wanted to charge me money for being dissatisfied with their service... and they wanted their money right then.  Never mind they had already charged me a two hundred and fifty dollar installation fee for an installation that hadn’t happened.   Which they said they would refund me but it would take up to three months.

Really?

Can I take up to three months to pay my bill?  Can I not show up to work and then charge my employer a “firing fee”?

When does the service provider take some responsibility for holding up to their obligations.  It is  ludicrous to be obligated for a service the service provider can no longer provide.  Where is the honesty in that?

The way I see it, it is about time the burden of keeping clients or customers should be on the merit of the company and their service not because they strong arm the consumer to hold up to a contract that fails to hold the company responsible for even providing a service.