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Customer Service is a Fallacy

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:17 pm
by BuzZz
As some here may remember, I am moving to another town at the end of the month, and so I am trying to get all my utilities and services lined up and such. :frusty:

I have possession of the new pad already, and have got some of my crud moved over there, etc. and want my phone and power and such up and running before the end of the month.

So I'm sitting in the living room of the new place today, talking to Telus(like Ma Bell used be in the USA before de-regulation, ie:God) on my cell, trying to get a landline sorted out. I am talking to a person who I can barely understand and can not understand me at all. I can't even get this idiot to understand and repeat my name correctly(shouldn't the ability to at least understand English be a job requirement for these people?). I tryed to be patient and polite, but ended up hanging up and calling back to get someone else to talk to. 3, count 'em 3!!! people later, I get someone who I can at least communicate with.

I tell them what I want and give them the information to the new location. She tells me that the address doesn't exist. I tell her it does, I'm sitting in the place fer Christsakes. No, she is adamant that it does not.... the street ends about 8 house numbers down from the one I give her. So I go outside and look at my house number, the house next me and the next one to that. I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I can tell when a house is right in front of me and when it's not. But she says, nope, don't exist. I hang up again.

After a few minutes of deep breathing exercises, I call back. New person this time. Go through the whole thing again, and again, I'm sitting in a non-existent house. Me pounding on the walls doesn't convince him that there is a house around me. They have no record of this location in their 'very sophisticated' computer system(his exact words) and he assures me that it does not exist. O.K. then, why is there a phone jack in the wall? There isn't, I am told. :frusty: :frusty:

So I take the big leap. "I need to speak to your supervisor, please." I've tryed this before and know what's coming.....' Yes sir. A supervisor will call you back within 48 hrs.' I say 'No, I need to speak to one right now.' Not possible, that's not how it works.

Now I've been polite and kept my cool this entire time. But now I lose it. I unleash on this freakin' idiot with both barrels, but somehow, don't swear. I feel slightly better, but I still am no closer to a supervisor. Click.

I call back after half an hour. I get a new guy and explain the whole deal to him. This guy doesn't have an accent(first one that didn't). He says that something sure isn't adding up(no chit Sherlock) and I hear him clicking away on his computer. By some act of God, he can find the address. But he can't assign a phone number to it because they don't have any left for that area. This town has like 500 people in it, how can you not have a number to assign to it? Just don't, he says. But he can transfer me to another department that can sort this out(maybe they keep the people who can count in another building?). The lady there says she will work on it and call me back. 30 minutes later she does, and I have a new phone number.

Now, when would I like it to be hooked up? I tell her the date and she says O.K......but.... there is a fee(no kidding) and there may be more fees if they have to plant a pole and run a line. Well the pole is there, I've been throwing rocks at it for 2 hours and there is a line running from it to the house I tell her. Yes, but we don't know that, do we sir? You do now, I just told you there is, lady. You don't ride a GSXR-1000 by any chance do you? :frusty:

So that's all straightened out, but I am still gonna give the supervisor what-for when he calls me........ :x

Next, I call my satellite provider to get my service moved. THEY tell me that the town I am standing in doesn't exist.... :shooting2: :shooting2: :shooting2:

God help me......... :frusty: :frusty: :frusty:

Re: Customer Service is a Fallacy

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:29 am
by Wizzard
BuzZz wrote: You don't ride a GSXR-1000 by any chance do you?
Now that's funny and has me roflmsfao . Gotta get ready for work now . Will check out the saga when I get home .
Good luck my brother .
Regards, Wizz

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:21 am
by Sev
Can you believe that back when I applied there I was turned down?

Apparently not knowing English really is an employment requirement!

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:25 am
by CNF2002
Just keep repeating that you want to talk to the supervisor.

The supervisor is in his office playing Solitare. They dont want to deal with customers.

Supervisors will never call you back, dont bother waiting. Remember these CSR folks make 7 bucks an hour and are not hired for their skills at common sense, they are there because they are willing to do repetitive boring labor for cheap. If it isnt in the 1 day of training they get to learn how to operate the software on their computer, they are helpless.

Customer service doesnt exist anymore...and companies are so enormous that no one cares.

Funny thing is, they ARE extremely rude on the phone, especially if you are trying to tell them that they are wrong - they hate that.

If you really are coming up against a dead wall, find out where their office is and just walk in.
Next, I call my satellite provider to get my service moved. THEY tell me that the town I am standing in doesn't exist...
Calmly explain that obviously the town exists and that it simply does not exist in their database, and then ask them how they are going to go about adding it.

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:36 am
by 9000white
i hope none of the banking institutions here in atlanta read this thread.
if they do they will leave no stone unturned until the most illiterate,incompetent,and stupid that were mentioned are placed behind the teller cages here to compliment the staff of stooges they already have.

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:56 am
by camthepyro
Oh, god, don't get me started on banks. I went out of town for 1 week. I got home to find 6 letters from my bank waiting. All telling me the exact same thing, that I'm overdrawn. Ok, I know that now, stop sending me letters. They sent me one saying I have 10 days to pay up, one saying I have 5 days left, one telling me what my account balance is. And then another letter for a copy of each one of those. My god, I get the point, I'm overdrawn, you don't have to bury me in letters to let me know that. And on top of that I get a phone call, in case by some chance I didn't notice the ten foot high pile of letters.

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:32 pm
by Kal
Cheers Buzz

I feel better knowing it isn't just me that can have adventures trying to arrange the most simple things... :lol:

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:33 pm
by Jamers!
in the last 2 weeks ive lost 432 dollars to my bank in fees that dont add up. im being charged for bouncing checks i havent written, fined for not having money in the account yet i pay for the fines with that account. . . ive spent all day today politily telling the bank it owes me a buncha money back for this crap. . .then again if they dont if gives me a valid reason to bomb it so smitherieneens. :)

bottom line, screw banks

JWF

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:33 pm
by NorthernPete
personal fav, calling and being disconnected 3 times, and on the fourth time, being told the office is closed, please call back....



I feel for ya buzzz, really I do, hope all works out in your non existant home in the town thats not there!

do you see gremlins outside on the wing?

Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:05 pm
by BuzZz
NorthernPete wrote: .....
do you see gremlins outside on the wing?
Well yeah, everyday.

In fact if it's just gremlins, that's a good day. It's not until I see the Tooth Fairy and Pipi Longstocking out there, dancing with the gremlins that I get nervous. :peep:

:laughing: