It was a different world when the year began. Readers were losing holidays because of delayed fit-to-fly Covid tests and out-of-date vaccine passes. Customer service departments blamed the virus for their inability to serve customers. As the mist of Covid lifted, life returned to normal. Holidays were lost for reassuringly familiar reasons, such as hotels that didn’t exist and flights that never flew, and customer service departments blamed customer demand for their inability to serve customers.
Companies eviscerated by lockdowns have had to adapt to survive in a leaner, meaner climate, and the inventiveness with which some have bolstered their finances is what keeps me in a job. From a suite of faulty suitcases to a street of faulty houses, readers’ ordeals have highlighted the common business strategy of corporate Britain – produce as much as possible, for as little as possible, pocket the cash and go to ground. Works every time – until newspapers get involved.
