Combatting Exploitation of a Small Business Owner (Who Happens to be my Father)
My dad is an old school small business owner who hasn’t adapted to the digital and information age we’re currently living in. He entered the restaurant business when somebody’s word meant something. His old school moral code, where somebody’s word means something, is why he was shocked to receive an additional $4,000 charge on his electricity bill after reopening his restaurant. This came as a surprise to him because he called the electricity company in April to request payment support due to the extended closure of his restaurant. The representative on the line told him not to worry about it as they were making adjustments for all their clients. He didn’t call back again because he felt reassured by the representative and everything he’d heard in the media about the supportive approach utility companies were taking with their customers. He was excited to open up the restaurant for takeout and delivery services, but a bit daunted about the overdue bills he needed to pay. There was one bill that stood out, one bill that he couldn’t explain – a $7,000 electricity bill. He knew he was overdue on payments, but when a restaurant is closed for two months, he couldn’t
