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Farmer-Rick

(12,804 posts)
20. And these foreign corporations buying out our local businesses
Thu Jun 4, 2026, 10:25 PM
Thursday

We use to buy our propane from a local company. It sold to a larger company, that sold it to a foreign company that ended up in Switzerland.

So one day my spouse and I smelled a gas leak. We pay rent on our buried 330 gallon propane tank and they are supposed to keep it maintained.

So we call the local store and they say they don't handle our business anymore. And we had to call the fire department. We called the fire department and they said they had no equipment to locate a gas leak and to call the corporation.

So we searched for hours and found the corporation in Switzerland that owned and filled our tank. We called the CEO's office....it was dark and after 5 pm here, I think it was in the afternoon there in Switzerland.

After talking to several people, we finally found someone who spoke decent English and told them our problem. They said there was nothing they could do.

We said fine but if our house blows up we would hold them accountable and bring a law suit against the corporation.

Don't you know, 30 minutes later there was a man claiming to work for the propane corporation knocking at our door. He had equipment to hunt down a gas leak. (Turns out it wasn't a propane leak but a septic system problem.)

But if we had not been so determined, it could have led to some serious issues. The fact that a foreign company did not provide emergency services here where their customers are and just expected the customer to pay but not get support from them is typically the result of mergers, sell offs and foreign "investment".

Recommendations

3 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Flagrant price gouging is a big one. People are starting to understand what its like when so few own so much Cheezoholic Thursday #1
I regularly fantasize about the methods of the French Revolution being applied here in America today-- Jack Valentino Thursday #19
Lol, yes I use the metaphor loosely. The French Revolution didn't exactly end well for the French people ;) n/t Cheezoholic 23 hrs ago #25
Actually it eventually did end well for the French people. Ritabert 21 hrs ago #30
Recently bought a new t-shirt that has a cartoon Hey Joe 20 hrs ago #31
Yeah, that's called capitalism. BlueTsunami2018 Thursday #2
No to mention the incorporation of A.I. into customer service. Crowman2009 Thursday #3
When you call customer service.... SergeStorms Thursday #4
I'd rather talk to Bangalore than to an AI bot DBoon Thursday #5
and that's not saying much DinahMoeHum Thursday #8
Not to mention, both are hard to understand! slightlv Thursday #12
You mean "Jessica"? Yeah, I've talked to her too Takket 23 hrs ago #27
Yeah, Jessica, or.... SergeStorms 16 hrs ago #33
Nothing works the way it is supposed to anymore. Nothing. Midnight Writer Thursday #6
I could not have written this better myself! slightlv Thursday #13
Because people keep voting for fascist conservatives who don't give a shit about us? Initech Thursday #7
Online shopping has to be a contributor. LisaM Thursday #9
It's dealing with insurance that drives me nuts BeneteauBum Thursday #10
Didn't see a lot of hope in the article. Raven123 Thursday #11
Anger over blatant company greed over developing or maintaining a reputation for service is on the rise. Aussie105 Thursday #14
Seriously? America is a GIANT ripoff now. johnnyfins Thursday #15
I purchased a Hart product mgardener Thursday #16
I'm sick and tired of getting nickel and dimed JoseBalow Thursday #17
Prices keep climbing and products samplegirl Thursday #18
And these foreign corporations buying out our local businesses Farmer-Rick Thursday #20
The United States of RIPOFFFFFFFFFFFF johnnyfins Thursday #21
Is QA still a thing? moondust Thursday #22
Former QA Officer F-18_AMO Thursday #24
EV Purchase (short version of a long story) F-18_AMO Thursday #23
Easy times make soft men. OC375 23 hrs ago #26
Shrinkflation and enshittification Freddie 22 hrs ago #28
When I call customer service and get the run around, I ask to speak to the supervisor. When, on occasion, that Raftergirl 21 hrs ago #29
Isn't living in a deregulated capitalist society so great? Initech 18 hrs ago #32
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