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Responsibility

nst-vinci

The power of
the consumer

The internet and its reach gives a powerful voice…with possibly far reaching consequences.

While searching for a place to stay in Bozeman, Shreesh ran into the description for a B&B … “Room was nice but so and so made it hell”. I wonder what the innkeepers had done to the guy to make him strike back so vengefully. One review like that could put the kabash on a small inn. (Needless to say, we did not stay there).

While we have had (one) bad B&B experience ourselves, I remembered the drama during our climb of Mt. Shasta. We had almost made it all the way down when the lead guide blew up, called some of the clients names and stalked off in a huff. While this was completely unprofessional, I can attest to the fact that the clients in question would have tested the patience of a saint.

Responsibility. The reach of the internet has given us much power. We can vent, rave and rant on the internet, give products and people bad (or good) reviews and do it anonymously. Our reach is far. Who are the people who write these reviews? Are they the ones with an agenda, an axe to grind? Would someone who had an average experience or even a good one bother to write up a good review to balance out a bad one? We live in a society that discourages personal responsibility. “I choose to smoke and destroy my lungs but the cigarette companies are at fault”. Are we responsible enough to have the power to affect someones livelihood?

Maybe the person in question did have a bad time. And maybe ebay has it right…it gives the power to both the consumers and the providers to rate one another, making it an even balance of power.

The inns we stayed at in MT and WY were spectacular with gracious innkeepers

lehrkind-mansion bentwood-inn

9 Responses to “Responsibility”

  1. Suhasini Taskar says:

    Dear Shreesh & Neena
    The pictures of the two B & Bs reminds me of the unique B & B we (you both & myself) stayed at the Amador county (wine country) in CA. This B & B made a permanent impression on me. Each room was tastefully decorated to suit the title/name of that particular room.
    I had the “Rose” room wherein each item in that room had roses either printed or embroidered on it. There was an old fashioned bath tub with roses printed; the vanity and the frame of the mirror had roses carved in wood. Even the book for guest comments had pencil holder and a cover with roses. Each and every item was carefully chosen and had an artistic touch. I have not come across such a beautiful B & B since then.
    Aai

  2. Pramod Taskar says:

    Neena & Shreesh,
    What happened to November 17th, Aai was asking questioning???
    Daddy

  3. Vinay says:

    Good post! I think we express our opinions more often when they are negative. I think it’s because of that entitlement thingy.

  4. Fred says:

    Hello from Shanghai : reading the posts okay now, despite the fact that the Chinese govt. seems to have Feedburner blocked. Ditto Wiki. Keep the info flowing we are all over it like a cheap suit.

  5. Shreesh says:

    I’m Glad the Chinese Gov’t hasn’t blocked our site!!

  6. Ram dada says:

    Considering that Lehrkind Mansion B&B in Bozeman is so close to the railway lines, the scene in “My cousin Vinny” came to mind where a thundering and blaring freight train wakes up the characters asleep in their motel room in the wee hours of the morning. Anything like that happen to you? :-))

    Did you up to Gardiner, Montana (the Roosevelt Arch gateway to Yellowstone)?

  7. Neena says:

    Hi Ram,
    No, no trains disturbed us. It was areally nice stay and Bozeman is actually a nice city.
    Neena

  8. shanta auntie says:

    Where are you guys? Missed the blogs!

  9. shanta auntie says:

    How long is the training? How much snow do you have there?

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