One other thing here: credit. It relates to #5, but drastically increases the cost of doing business.
The "unexotic underclass" tends to not be very prompt at paying their bills. They often don't have credit cards (or even enough credit to get one), so the typical billing mechanisms are out of the question. Things get prioritized, and a lot of people will choose to let their bills go to collections before they pay them (if ever).
Sending debt to collections means you only get about 50% of what you're owed (and sometimes far less). It's usually not even worth going after people for less than $100. If this happens to even a small percentage of your customers, it can wipe out all of your profits.
There's a reason nobody goes after the "underclass" at any scale: even a minor downturn in the economy can cause a large spike in the payment delinquency rate. The only companies that seem to have success with these customers border on criminal enterprises: places like payday loan shops, pawn shops, etc. are popular because they provide temporary relief for the biggest problem most of these people have: where is the money for rent going to come from?
>There's a reason nobody goes after the "underclass" at any scale
There are plenty of companies that go after the underclass at scale - things like "no bank needed" debit cards, prepaid phone cards, payday loansharks, western union-style money transfer businesses, public transport companies etc.
Eliminate things from the list that are payment at service time (fast food, transit, stores, etc).
Even cable, America's biggest luxury addiction, has some trouble obtaining payment.
However what I'd like to see far more is a systemic solution. Instead of permatemps, part time workers, new hire probation (sort of), or even wellfare, 'unemployment' should mean more like a new deal program. There will be something for all workers to do, preferably in/near their training. If there is not, based on aptitude, retraining will be subsidized while more generic work is scheduled around the training. All initial hires/temps/etc will be paid for at full pro-rated cost (but less inherent risk/mutual solidity) by companies in question. The government will also pass on only a discounted rate of payment (but full benefits otherwise) to encourage the worker to land a job outside of the support system.
The "unexotic underclass" tends to not be very prompt at paying their bills. They often don't have credit cards (or even enough credit to get one), so the typical billing mechanisms are out of the question. Things get prioritized, and a lot of people will choose to let their bills go to collections before they pay them (if ever).
Sending debt to collections means you only get about 50% of what you're owed (and sometimes far less). It's usually not even worth going after people for less than $100. If this happens to even a small percentage of your customers, it can wipe out all of your profits.
There's a reason nobody goes after the "underclass" at any scale: even a minor downturn in the economy can cause a large spike in the payment delinquency rate. The only companies that seem to have success with these customers border on criminal enterprises: places like payday loan shops, pawn shops, etc. are popular because they provide temporary relief for the biggest problem most of these people have: where is the money for rent going to come from?