And They Say the Government is Helping, Yeah Right!

Business has many great benefits, but it can also make you want to punch out a wall. Much of that has to do with the Government bodies that answer phones with their cushioned pay cheques and have the power to make people want to jump through the phone. I have had two instances in the last little while that just leaves me shaking my head and cringing at the fact that people working for agencies can have their heads so far up their $&@ that they turn out being a wasted seat.

One was an agency representative that felt he owned the show and didn’t seem to want the help of outside expertise at an employment centre, and the other was the tax department that seemed more intent on trying to make life worse for the people calling than searching for people who are not paying their taxes. I am a firm believer in you make your opportunities in life and I am willing to take risk to make the career and lifestyle that I want for myself and my family. There are millions of people who skip out on their taxes and efforts should be in place to bring them to justice, but at the tax department it seems easier to wait for someone to call in with a legitimate question, and when they don’t know the answer threaten them with going through a tax audit. The reason I didn’t know the questions was because it was an adjustment that my accountant had done and asked me as the business owner to call and get more information. After all that is why I hire an accountant. Further to that is the guy that doesn’t want to use an industry expert to help employ people in his town because he has an authority issue. As one of the many frustrated business owners and tax payers in the world I would like to offer this letter of suggestion to Government employees.

Dear Government,

I am writing this letter to remind you that we are not all criminals as you seem to think. The Government is voted in by the people, funded by tax dollars from the people, so in effect you work for us! You are a support position to help keep the economy of the country moving, keep people paying taxes by helping to provide jobs, and support businesses in order for them to be successful and pay taxes which keep you employed. So the next time you feel that you own the country let me remind you that if the tables were turned I wouldn’t offer you a job because you don’t have the proper criteria to offer good customer service to my clientele, in other words you would be out of a job! I am sure when you call me for a job, your tone would be different on the phone than the tones you have used lately when I called you.

Just a note to jog the memory,

Yours Truly,

A tax paying citizen.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a business and leadership consultant and author of the books Running by the Mile, Driven to Drive, and How to Start an Artistic Business in 12Easy Steps. More information can be found on his website at www.outridge.ca