A perk is an incidental benefit associated with one's position or station. An added bit of gravy if you will. Sometimes a perk is an unexpected bonus that makes us feel special. Other times we feel that we are entitled to these bones, that we have been through the trenches, paid our dues, beared the loads. Sometimes I wonder about the message companies are sending with their perks. I called the bank the other day and was put on hold for an inconveniently long time. When I mentioned this to my perky operator, she give me a new telephone number to call, for the bank's "premier" customers. Basically because I had enough money in the bank or did enough business with the bank, I was entitled to call into a special line to avoid the waits of the average Joe. I was viewed as more important to the bank, and the bank offered me this perk as a token of their appreciation. However, the message that I heard was that they thought I was more important. But why should the average Joe have to wait an inconveniently long time on the phone just because they fall below some arbitrary threshold defined by the bank? I would like to think that the bank considers all of their depositors valuable and important and worthy, regardless of how much money they have in the bank, regardless of what telephone line they dial in on. Of course this entreaty, this hope, extends to more than just our friends in the banking industry, but to our entire world community. The golden rule applies, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Position Perks
A perk is an incidental benefit associated with one's position or station. An added bit of gravy if you will. Sometimes a perk is an unexpected bonus that makes us feel special. Other times we feel that we are entitled to these bones, that we have been through the trenches, paid our dues, beared the loads. Sometimes I wonder about the message companies are sending with their perks. I called the bank the other day and was put on hold for an inconveniently long time. When I mentioned this to my perky operator, she give me a new telephone number to call, for the bank's "premier" customers. Basically because I had enough money in the bank or did enough business with the bank, I was entitled to call into a special line to avoid the waits of the average Joe. I was viewed as more important to the bank, and the bank offered me this perk as a token of their appreciation. However, the message that I heard was that they thought I was more important. But why should the average Joe have to wait an inconveniently long time on the phone just because they fall below some arbitrary threshold defined by the bank? I would like to think that the bank considers all of their depositors valuable and important and worthy, regardless of how much money they have in the bank, regardless of what telephone line they dial in on. Of course this entreaty, this hope, extends to more than just our friends in the banking industry, but to our entire world community. The golden rule applies, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
