Main Area and Open Discussion > Living Room
Hidden Taxes... ever considered these?
Veign:
Hmmmm... would it be fair to say, "advancement of technologies" = shifting costs = hidden taxation?
-CodeTRUCKER (October 19, 2010, 01:42 PM)
--- End quote ---
No. Everything gets more expensive. You don't know the financial impact on an organization/company by automating, or eliminating, paper forms. You're in no position to say that the reduced cost of forms hasn't caused a lesser increase in costs somewhere else within the organization. It probably has.
The fact of the world we live in. Technology moves us forward and with that comes changes to the way things are done. It's not always a 'gotcha' or 'gonna screw you over' thing. Its things moving forward.
There are things I do now that have no other way but electronic. If you don't have access they provide it in the office.
(fyi: I create web-based applications for companies, including insurance companies, to reduce internal costs and overhead. My direction is to remove paper forms and processing.)
steeladept:
Actually I have been far too aware of these types of issues. They have been doing things like this to the military for some time. I can't get my leave and earnings statement from the military anymore, now I have to download and print it out. This doesn't do anything but shift the costs to the individual instead of the organization. Sure you could say they save on postage, except they still employ the same postal workers and they don't pay for stamps or anything, so there is no savings of cost there. Maybe there is a savings in envelopes, but I doubt it given the bulk of envelopes they buy. I know for my company, the cost of envelopes, stuffing, paper AND postage all costs less that the retail cost of postage - and most of that cost is the bulk rate we receive on postage. The military is a MUCH larger organization, so the cost benefits would not be less and probably would be more. In the end, since this is a required piece of paper for each individual to have printed out and available at all times (more or less), I get around it by just printing it on the unit's printers. However, I am not in the majority at my unit, and I think if that is the case around the country, then the military is using this huge cost savings by passing it on to the individual. To me, this is not right any more that what the OP stated. IF it is REQUIRED, then it should be PROVIDED. If it is optional, well then all bets are off.
steeladept:
The fact of the world we live in. Technology moves us forward and with that comes changes to the way things are done. It's not always a 'gotcha' or 'gonna screw you over' thing. Its things moving forward.
-Veign (October 19, 2010, 01:56 PM)
--- End quote ---
I generally agree, but when the methods change due to technology, but the processes do not (such as the requirement to submit a paper form), then I disagree - that is when you are just cost shifting and screwing the end user/customer.
(fyi: I create web-based applications for companies, including insurance companies, to reduce internal costs and overhead. My direction is to remove paper forms and processing.)
-Veign (October 19, 2010, 01:56 PM)
--- End quote ---
Question for you though - in your applications, do you FORCE the end user to print it out and submit it, or do you also provide a way to submit online as well. The former is where I have problems, the later is completely desirable (in my opinion).
Veign:
(fyi: I create web-based applications for companies, including insurance companies, to reduce internal costs and overhead. My direction is to remove paper forms and processing.)
-Veign (October 19, 2010, 01:56 PM)
--- End quote ---
Question for you though - in your applications, do you FORCE the end user to print it out and submit it, or do you also provide a way to submit online as well. The former is where I have problems, the later is completely desirable (in my opinion).
-steeladept (October 19, 2010, 03:51 PM)
--- End quote ---
All applications have PDFs to download and print. Applications are being converted to online version but that takes time and money and some applications simply don't have enough applicants to justify an online version.
Shades:
In the Netherlands (when I was doing my bit in the service) the post that went to our men and women overseas was free, the national (but commercial) postal service took care of that, even if that had to go through other countries postal services. That was a nice gesture from them.
But for all other post that had to go to non-military places a special machine had to be used to "stamp" the post. And those were very costly, not because of the machinery, but for the money they were allowed to stamp. I believe it was for the machine in the relatively small army base (on average 3000 people) where I was posted, about 60.000 euro's annually.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version