British Gas = Am I right or Wrong

[Le Baron]

Ash, you went to them, they didn't come to you begging you to take their insurance, I am talking about the man on the street, employed by British Gas to read meters, if they don't do it then who will, you of course, free of charge, no men to read meters, no wages to pay. Your Insurance brokers of twenty years ago wil have been re-located to a call centre, NOT LOST THEIR JOBS.

 

Where would you you relocate a meter reader, whos job is probably contracted out by British Gs?

 

Baz

[Emmie92]

Where would you you relocate a meter reader, whos job is probably contracted out by British Gs?

 

Online meter reading will be redundant soon ... Smart Meters will automatically send your meter readings daily.

[Le Baron]

Not in my life time - maybe in yours, and god help you.

 

Baz

[*_ash_*]

Ash, you went to them, they didn't come to you begging you to take their insurance, I am talking about the man on the street, employed by British Gas to read meters, if they don't do it then who will, you of course, free of charge, no men to read meters, no wages to pay. Your Insurance brokers of twenty years ago wil have been re-located to a call centre, NOT LOST THEIR JOBS.

 

Where would you you relocate a meter reader, whos job is probably contracted out by British Gs?

 

Baz

 

First, I quoted you because you posted a classic example of syllogistic fallacy.

 

Second, this post: nor have British Gas come begging for me to read my meter.

 

I used to work for BG (in between dereg/demerg), and I was a reader too during that time. Reading was generally 'outsourced' to agencies; and I recall and still know of not one British Gas employee who reads meters (not saying that there aren't any though). It would be incredibly inefficient if they did considering they have no monopoly.

 

Where would you you relocate a meter reader, whos job is probably contracted out by British Gs?

 

Well, based on your logic (using the insurance analogy), they will now be working in a call-centre. However, just like the insurance company, computers do much of the work of the previous 'worker'. I think that is what Allen was getting at earlier.

[*_ash_*]

Online meter reading will be redundant soon ... Smart Meters will automatically send your meter readings daily.

 

Yes emmie, this is the next stage. After I finished working at BG, I moved to YW on leakage detection. I had to drive to hundreds of sites every month, removing lids and fishing devices out of puddles to get the info that I needed. My friend and colleague at the time who still does the job that I did, now installs smart devices that I suggested are effectively putting him out of work. Thankfully for him, they need constant attention so my friend won't be out of work in the near future.

 

Certainly the future is in this type of reading though. Like everything in the technological world, there is less use for humans to do anything.

 

If people think things are tough now, then thank goodness people can't see into the future!

[Le Baron]

A syllogistic fallacy it may, or not be, but the fact remains: if more people declined to read their meters, then more men/women would be in work, thereby reducing the profit that BG make, I ask you in all honestly, can we see a reduction in out Gas Bills, by doing this? Savings made by BG through sending our meter readings on line won't reduce our bills, it will only line the pockets of their executives.

[Le Baron]

Well maybe, if we are lucky, we can have a robot to come and empty our post boxes, no **** that, its too easy, it could come to our houses and pick up/deliver mail, and put more people out of work, or even better still, put our addresses on line when we want a letter posting, but of course their is Email.

 

Baz

 

Baz

[*_ash_*]

A syllogistic fallacy it may, or not be, but the fact remains: if more people declined to read their meters, then more men/women would be in work, thereby reducing the profit that BG make,

It wasn't 'may or not be'. It was.

And suggesting 'facts remaining', makes it no more a fact. If everyone (including non-BG customers) declined to read their meters, then more men/women would be in work (temporarily), and it wouldn't reduce the profit that BG make, they would (as would others) simply put the price up to cover it.

 

This type of thing would make no sense logically anyway. This is how private business works - if you and everyone else was boycotting every company who charges more for readers - then someone else will open a company that offers cheaper prices for people who post readings. (granted I've exaggerated there, but it's necessary to show a point)

 

Morally I agree with you. I would support boycotting of companies who move their workers abroad, but since this isn't the case with readers, then that isn't an issue in this case.

 

I ask you in all honestly, can we see a reduction in our Gas Bills, by doing this? Savings made by BG through sending our meter readings on line won't reduce our bills, it will only line the pockets of their executives.

 

 

The shareholders get to see the benefit or loss. If it's loss, then the executives might not have 'jobs'. You're talking in such small figures that I doubt they'll have to exchange their Cuban Cigars for Peter Styvesant if we stop sending readings online.

[Ms Macbeth]

First, I quoted you because you posted a classic example of syllogistic fallacy.

 

Second, this post: nor have British Gas come begging for me to read my meter.

 

I used to work for BG (in between dereg/demerg), and I was a reader too during that time. Reading was generally 'outsourced' to agencies; and I recall and still know of not one British Gas employee who reads meters (not saying that there aren't any though). It would be incredibly inefficient if they did considering they have no monopoly.

 

 

 

Well, based on your logic (using the insurance analogy), they will now be working in a call-centre. However, just like the insurance company, computers do much of the work of the previous 'worker'. I think that is what Allen was getting at earlier.

 

I also worked for British Gas from the 70s to the 90s through privatisation (small world). In the early days we had whole teams of meter readers, much of the time their job was to empty prepayment (slot) meters and hand back any overpayments. There haven't been coin meters for years, they were phased out when token meters were introduced. Now people with prepayment meters just put credits (that they buy in lots of shops) on a card and swipe it.

 

When British Gas had a monopoly in providing all our gas supplies, it made sense to have meter readers, but once competition was introduced, meter reading was outsourced. Reading one's own meter has become an option, much appreciated by folk who are out of the house a lot. However, even those who send in their own readings have to have their meter read periodically.

 

I was eventually out of a job because all the offices in South Yorkshire closed down. But that's life. I've realised, like many people before me that change is inevitable, and to survive we have to adapt. When I started work, there weren't jobs for computer engineers, or software designers, or systems analysts. British Gas probably employs loads of these nowadays.

 

Neither option is right or wrong. Just options.

[tasha_78_1]

we send our gas and electric meter readings in once a month on line. it keeps our bills accurate and we have an up to date bill every month too, so know exactly where we are with our usage. We also get Nectar points!!!!