The Drawback of Hacking Off a Blogger Through Weak Process Gaps and Pathetic Customer Service

With all of the recent data theft in the financial sector, it is important to make sure that we don't go crazy trying to protect ourselves from risk. Risk management does have a value but this value lies mostly on the front end. Reactionary risk management almost always produces a point at where the value of protecting oneself or one's customers overshadows the product or service that you are offering. The majority of companies always go beyond this point, some thinking they can even sell it to the customer as a security measure and build their brand with it.

This is a lazy and terribly detrimental course of action for any corporation to undertake.

I recently called Citistreet, the company that manages the 401K plans for the corporation I will be leaving in a month. I was sent a PIN number about six months ago via snail mail but misplaced the paper and one of the security questions they ask is, "What was your start date with the company." Well, I worked for a subsidiary of the company that was eventually taken back into the motherfold--so I really have two hire dates and I couldn't get it straight with the woman from Citistreet.

So, the first gap in their process was a pathetic back-up security system of identifying appropriate customers.

Next, I was told that I would be sent a new PIN number through the mail in 5-7 business days and could then access my account via the web or the phone.

I said, "So, let me get this straight...I have to wait 5-7 business days to get into my account? You do realize that we're talking my money here, right? I want access to my money right now and if you can't do that, then I am not going to take my money elsewhere (in 5-7 business days) but I'm going to tell everyone I know about the pathetic operations process you guys have (that's what I'm doing now)."

In today's Instant Information environment, it is unacceptable to ask your customers to wait even 5-7 minutes to deliver information. Imagine my shock when I was asked to wait 5-7 business days--it was like someone told Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin after their Apollo 11 space capsule crashed into the ocean that they would be returning to land via clipper ship and the journey would take four weeks.

So, I'm cashing out my funds and moving to another vendor and I think any of you who use this company are insane not to do the same.

The woman on the phone apologized and kept saying, "I'm sorry, Sir--but that's just our process."

I finally said, "Your process just isn't good enough. Fix it or the market will." What she didn't realize is that I am the market and so are each of you. Vote with your social contracts, my friends, and you will correct the market and remove incompetence as a barrier to raising the living standard all over the world.

Joshua Minton is President of an Internet publishing and business consulting corporation, Family Bliss Enterprises, Inc. He is also author of two novels, several short stories, poems and articles on art, philosophy, politics, sociology, science, popular culture, business, health insurance administration, internet marketing, blogging and personal success.

You can keep up with Josh through his Podcasts (http://joshuaminton.blogspot.com) and his Blog (http://boyswearpants.com).

His book, Flipping the Temple: Win the Information War Using the Internet to Create Fantastic Success as an Author, will be coming out this Fall and will available exclusively through http://joshuaminton.com where you can sign up for free for Josh's exclusive weekly newsletters, where he posts his private thoughts and article embryos to his appreciated audience. In gratitude for allowing Josh to keep you updated on his thinking, you will be immediately sent two of his novels and a book of poems that he has published and are available only to members of his newsletter subscription list.

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Google News Updated : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:08:13 GMT McCain, Obama court Latino group - Los Angeles Times Voice of America McCain, Obama court Latino group Los Angeles Times - 2 hours ago Sen. John McCain addresses the League of United Latino American Citizens in Washington, DC. today. McCain plans to tell the Latino advocacy group that the nation must secure its borders "while respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal ... Candidates talk up Latino connections Boston Globe Candidates woo Hispanic group USA Today New York Daily News - Houston Chronicle - San Francisco Chronicle - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel all 500 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:56:13 GMT Cheney's staff censored EPA, ex-official alleges - Boston Globe Washington Post Cheney's staff censored EPA, ex-official alleges Boston Globe - 1 hour ago WASHINGTON - Members of Vice President Dick Cheney's staff censored congressional testimony by a top federal official on the health threats posed by global warming, a former official of the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday. Cheney’s Office Said to Edit Draft Testimony on Warming New York Times White House in climate change "cover up" Reuters San Francisco Chronicle - USA Today - ABC News - Wall Street Journal all 564 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:36:02 GMT Iran test fires long and medium range missiles - Reuters Malaysia Star Iran test fires long and medium range missiles Reuters - 1 hour ago By Fredrik Dahl TEHRAN, July 9 (Reuters) - Iran has test fired nine long- and medium-range missiles, including one which it has previously said could reach Israel and US bases in the region, state media reported on Wednesday. Iran Test-Fires Missile Capable of Reaching Israel (Update1) Bloomberg Iran test-fires Shahab-3 long-range missile RIA Novosti BBC News - Monsters and Critics.com - International Herald Tribune - Jerusalem Post all 347 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:02:53 GMT Cheesesteaks, troops withdrawals and cigarettes that kill Iranians… - FOXNews Cheesesteaks, troops withdrawals and cigarettes that kill Iranians… FOXNews - 4 hours ago by Mosheh Oinounou PITTSBURGH, PA - Sen. McCain, joined by his wife Cindy, made a previously unannounced visit to the Primanti Brothers Restaurant and Bar, a famous Pittsburgh-area sandwich shop, Tuesday evening for a retail stop-turned media ... Caution: Can Iran cigarette jokes be dangerous to McCain's ... Los Angeles Times McCain jokes about killing Iranians with cigarettes Reuters The Associated Press - Washington Post - ABC News - Tribune Review all 156 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:11:13 GMT Reiser deal ultimately hinges on judge's OK - San Francisco Chronicle Washington Post Reiser deal ultimately hinges on judge's OK San Francisco Chronicle - 44 minutes ago (07-08) 17:14 PDT OAKLAND -- The defense can ask for a deal in a murder case like Hans Reiser's, and the prosecution can sign off on it, but it's the judge who has the final say. Reiser takes plea deal for lesser sentence San Jose Mercury News My interview with murderer Hans Reiser Salon San Diego Union Tribune - SiliconValley.com - The Associated Press - CNET News all 654 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:23:31 GMT Hunger for victory defines Obama - Financial Times BBC News Hunger for victory defines Obama Financial Times - 2 hours ago By Edward Luce in Washington When Democrats criticise John McCain, they first praise his honourable military record. When Republicans do the same to Barack Obama, many begin by conceding that he is an “attractive and talented candidate”. Video: AP Campaign Minute AssociatedPress McCain, Obama Trade Early Fire in TV Ads FOXNews ABC News - KVBC - The Associated Press - Newsweek all 2,342 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:54:07 GMT VMware Ousts CEO Diane Greene - BusinessWeek Boston Globe VMware Ousts CEO Diane Greene BusinessWeek - 1 hour ago by Aaron Ricadela VMware ended a long-running battle over its strategic direction on July 8, ousting co-founder and CEO Diane Greene and installing Microsoft veteran Paul Maritz in her place. EMC Replaces the Chief and Co-Founder of VMware, Silencing Talk of ... New York Times VMware CEO abruptly replaced SiliconValley.com Wall Street Journal - Forbes - MarketWatch - San Francisco Chronicle all 361 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:13:27 GMT Clickbank Data Feeds Get Paid for Surveys

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