TRIED AND TRUE

Shame on businesses, specifically random phone companies, that deliberately target senior citizens and lure them with promises of lower long distance rates, but respond slowly, ignorantly, or not at all when services fail, need Verizon's help to fix EVERY problem, then stick the trusting seniors with a repair bill that eats away all of the money they were SUPPOSED to have saved as a result of switching FROM Verizon in the first place.
Talk to the senior citizen in your life. Look out for shady creditors among their bills if you can. Though they may have caller ID, many seniors don't bother to check it, and then ignore numbers that most likely belong to slick telemarketers. Even the wisest of our elder family members, friends or acquaintances have been convinced to open their wallets and purses to contribute to hoax charities, or pay for poor products and services. Make sure they haven't been scammed.

I'm all for entrepreneurial spirit, and keeping an eye on monopolies, but if it's supposed to be new and better, then...well...it should be new and better. There are companies and brands that consumers have trusted for years, and new companies and brands know that. If they want your business, they have to be awfully special--provide exceptional service that trumps that to which a consumer has grown accustomed. The thought of saving a few dollars is always a good thing to plant in the mind. It would be nice if quality and good customer service don't have to be sacrificed in the quest to save a few dollars.