 What is ironic about Earth's customer service policy?
A Gift From Earth By MANLY BANISTER Illustrated by KOSSIN [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction August 1955. "It is an outrage," said Koltan of the House of Masur, "that the Earthmen land among the Thorabians!" Personally, he was in favor of the coming of the Earthmen to the world of Zur. It is our strength and our fortune. Earthmen may come and Earthmen may go, but clay goes on forever ... and with it, the fame and fortune of the House of Masur." "It is a damned imposition," agreed Morvan, ignoring his father's philosophical attitude. By this, he seemed to imply that the Thorabians would rob the Earthmen, which the Lorians would not. Such frank expression of motive was unheard of, even in the secret conclave of conference. "When your opinion is wanted, we will ask you for it. It was a common enough thing among the brothers Masur, as among everybody, to be frustrated in their desires. If it was impossible to hope for much in the way of metal from the Earthmen, what could one get from them? By and by, the Earthmen came to Lor, flying through the air in strange metal contraptions. Speeches were made through interpreters, who had much too quickly learned the tongue of the aliens; hence these left much to be desired in the way of clarity, though their sincerity was evident. The Earthmen were going to do great things for the whole world of Zur. This, in effect, was what the Earthmen had to say. There was also some talk going around about agreements made between the Earthmen and officials of the Lorian government, but you heard one thing one day and another the next. Accurate reporting, much less a newspaper, was unknown on Zur. Finally, the Earthmen took off in their great, shining ship. The anti-Earthmen Faction—in any culture complex, there is always an "anti" faction to protest any movement of endeavor—crowed happily that the Earthmen were gone for good, and a good thing, too. Immediately, the Earthmen established what they called "corporations"—Zurian trading companies under terrestrial control. In spite of the fact that a terrestrial ship had landed at every Zurian city of major and minor importance, and all in a single day, it took some time for the news to spread. "There is a paper with each pot that explains how it is used.
 What is 'right' for the customer always benefits the corporation, directly or indirectly
 The customer service policy was drafted by Zurians, not Earthmen  The customer service policy offers no ideal alternatives for non-Earthmen  Earthly corporations have no real solutions for dealing with problems presented by their customers  What is 'right' for the customer always benefits the corporation, directly or indirectly