Oliver Grant

About the author

Oliver writes Contoh's opinion pieces on technology, business and modern life.

If the Rep and the Chatbot Disagree, the Written Policy Should Win

Customers now fact-check company reps with AI. The fix is simple: clear, dated, written policies everyone can check.

Hidden Fees Shouldn’t Be Legal on Delivery Apps Either

The FTC’s fee rule forced tickets and hotels to show the real price. Delivery apps and airlines still get a pass, and that gap makes no sense.

Restaurants Should Keep a Paper Menu Next to the QR Code

A QR code menu pushes the restaurant’s job onto the diner’s phone. Offering paper alongside it costs a few cents and keeps everyone welcome.

Smart Gadgets Should Tell Us When the Security Updates Stop

A pending U.S. label could finally tell shoppers how long a connected device will get security updates. Until it arrives, we should demand a date on the box.

Don’t Make Me Hold: Offer a Callback Instead

Companies say your call is important, then leave you on hold. A callback that keeps your place in line would prove it.

Stop Changing the Clocks, and Make the One We Keep Standard Time

The House passed permanent daylight saving time, but sleep doctors say standard time is the better clock to freeze. An argument for ending the switch the right way.

Black Friday Now Lasts a Month. Pick Your Day and Ignore the Rest

Retailers have turned Black Friday into a month-long countdown. A simple plan can keep you from buying on their schedule instead of yours.

Gift Cards Are a Lazy Present, and a Risky One

Gift cards feel safe, but the value depends on one store staying open and on you remembering to use it. Here is what I’d give instead.

Give Me a Real Delivery Time, Not an All-Day Window

Delivery companies know where the truck is. Customers should not have to wait all day to find out.

Unsubscribing Should Take One Click and One Day

Gmail already makes bulk senders offer one-click unsubscribe and honor it within 48 hours. The federal rule still allows 10 business days. It’s time the law caught up.

Every Customer Service Chatbot Needs a “Talk to a Person” Button

Bots are fine for package tracking and password resets. But when something really goes wrong, customers deserve a visible, no-tricks way to reach a human.

Let Me Check Out as a Guest

Forcing shoppers to create an account before they can pay costs stores sales and leaves more of our data lying around to leak. Put the guest button first and ask for an account afterward.
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