Mahmoud Ahmad Few weeks ago, I found a National Water Company, NWC, sticker stuck on the front door of my house informing me that their services to my house has been disconnected due to an outstanding bill. Usually at times like this I panic and blame myself for not paying the bill. No one objects to the company's right to disconnect any service if the bill is not paid. Then I saw the warning notice and read it, and tears rolled down my cheeks, not because I was upset, but because I was laughing. For it struck me after the initial aberration that as long as I could recollect I have been buying water tanks and I rarely relied on their so-called on-the-time service. So excuse me NWC, what services are you talking about? I had to keep a straight face and the warning notice in my living room, especially when I showed it to each guest that visited me. Their initial response, like mine, when they saw the bill was to laugh out loud and ask what services they were talking about. Some encouraged me not to pay the bill because they do not deserve it. But my conscience prompted me to pay the bill, for you need their water even if it came in drips. I am not going to question the performance of water delivery to homes because it has been discussed many times and people are sick and tired of discussing it because it all becomes pointless at the end of the debate. Last month there were water crises in Jeddah and other cities around the Kingdom. The cities are suffering and we will continue to suffer in the future. But who is going to hold the water company accountable? Since many people are paying their bills and services are not delivered on time and sometimes randomly disturbed, then shouldn't the company be held accountable? If the company is facing difficulties adjusting then that is not our problem because we do not get any leeway when we do not pay on time. The refrain always is “pay first, talk later.” The same goes for the Saudi Electricity Company, SEC, whose repeated power outages during the peak time of the year when their services is needed the most — summer time, is well known. Who is going to hold the company accountable when services are disturbed? Who is going to compensate the residence of the affected city when they suffer from power outages for many hours during summertime? SEC employees are very quick to send their agents to disconnect the services of subscribers when payment is late. On the due date an unannounced agent will arrive, lock the service and disappear in short time. He will later appear after many hours after the payment has been made and reconnect the service with a smile on his face that would imply “make sure to pay on time”. Again the SEC plants may not be efficient to provide services to consumers because many factors, but it is SEC's problem. What did the company do to compensate victims during summer season? Did they receive a 20% discount on their bill? Did they get a written apology? Or is it the company is extremely efficient when it comes to their rights and not toward the rights of consumers. Saudi Airline is another problem. No one is compensated when the flight is delayed or canceled. But other airlines around the world deal with the same issues differently. They even give a free ticket, apart from other services that would make the passengers comfortable. which is their way of saying sorry to their consumers. In a competitive world, companies are fighting to keep their clients. They will do the impossible to satisfy their customers to keep them coming and to make sure that more will stay with them. The reason is that they act professionally. It is time for all the utilities and their employees to act professionally. If they do not compensate people fearing that they might lose money, then the least they can do is admit there is a problem and say “sorry”. By the way, it is free. — The writer can be reached at [email protected]
