Consumer watchdog
Friday, October 18, 2013
First Rule of Business. Never lie to a customer because you WILL eventually be found out.Second Rule of Business.Never have sex with a customer because it will all go wrong and you'll both be FIRED.Third Rule of Business.Never say rude things to your customers about your competitors because it makes you look like an IDIOT.
Those were the rules I was taught when I joined a company I worked for many years ago. I admit that the order of these rules did vary slightly, but that depended on who had just transgressed and was about to be fired. Nevertheless they were strictly enforced, for good reason.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...