Fishy

For decades large businesses have criticized the professional ethics of smaller enterprises; especially some of their sales and marketing practices, describing them as sharp, and here we are witnessing Ofgem issuing a ‘penalty’ of £4.5 million to EDF Energy for unreasonably door-stepping potential customers.

This follows the multi-billion refund to customers by Banks for mis selling PPI to borrowers.

APA thinks it is time for small businesses to stand up and shout about their standards and values and point out that they stand to lose everything (even the owners property) if they get it wrong – not just a penalty or two. Big is no longer beautiful, in fact it can also be sleazy and heartless in the way it deals with its customers.

APA is still awaiting an apology from a major Hotel group that treated us like a trivial customer when a PA qualification programme was ‘bumped’ from its allotted and contracted room in favour of a leading accountancy & management consultancy client (with a much bigger budget I’m sure). Watch this space.

Standards should apply equally to all, irrespective of size.

APA

The mis selling definition consists of cases when a financial company sells you something without properly assessing your suitability.