Google and stupidity

Google deleted my blog for a while, apparently they hired some past Yahoo employees who are used to deleting whatever content they disagree with.  Truthfully I don't have any idea what happened, I just know it disappeared and cvame back.  For all I know the Obama admin asked for it to be removed or maybe Google cut a deal with the ghost of Genghis Khan.  Although what Genghis Khan would have against my blog I have no idea.

I complained and checked back after a week or so and here it is.

One of the big problems that confronts governments and businesses is that while all businesses and governments must maintain the right to remove customers (or allies) this right must be used judiciously or the organization will suffer from alienating their allies (or customers).

I'm just a guy so I figure if I run into a problem somewhere it means other people have also.  Here are some personal anecdotes.

I bought some wrenches from Montgomery Wards that had a life time guarantee.  I took a wrench back because it had some minor damage and MW refused to replace it because the damage was caused by my "mishandling" the tool.  Not true and I never bought tools from Montgomery Wards again.

I used to take my car to a service center at Montgomery Wards.  I pulled my car up on ramps and checked the underside before I took it in for some service.  I was particularly interested in the exhaust since it was a few years old.  I checked the car out and then took it in for a tire rotation, oil change and lube job (so sue me, I hate tracking down somewhere to recycle used oil).  I was told my CV boots were torn.  I knew they weren't since I had just had them replaced at another place about six months earlier and I had just inspected them.  Never went back to Montgomery Wards again.  About ten years later they were out of business.

I still buy tools at Sears, and I typically have watch batteries, watch work done at Sears.  I don't shop there for anything else.  Way too many issues with sales people and their "satisfaction guaranteed".  Twice Sears refused to honor their guarantee, many times sales people ignored me.  Sales went to commission and then sales people were arguing over who got my sale.  Too much, I quit shopping at Sears except for tools and watch stuff.

I used to use Yahoo boards a lot.  Yahoo did the same thing, alienating customers and I switched to Google.  Yahoo dropped and still can't get it back together and regain market share.

I figure if I feel like a company (or government) is alienating me that company is probably alienating other people also.

That isn't always true, I became fed up with Rite Aid and they didn't go bankrupt or experience large scale failure.  I went to Logan's Roadhouse and it was miserable, I never went back.  Sometimes problems are coincidence or are one-offs.

In general though, I figure if I am having a bad experience so are others and the first thing a corporation that is going to fail does is alienate customers.

Looks like Google isn't headed down that road yet, maybe they will be one of the companies that doesn't become arrogant and stupid.

Only time will tell.