When I wrote this the day had been a mixed one of
accomplishment for me. I felt really
good mid-morning, finally being able to safely dispose of an accumulation of papers
needing shredding -- thanks to our local Senior Center arranging for a shredder
truck. Maybe I can keep up with
shredding here at home now. Still lots
of materials to sort through as I gradually whittle away in one of my latest
projects.
Seem to be more spring time pollens in the air
since February rains ending, temperatures warming, blossoms and blooms
emerging, but stimulating a few sneezes and my eyes watering a bit. Actually, it’s become suddenly summer with
temps pushing 90 degrees.
A
handyman/carpenter was able to complete painting, weather/bug sealing a door
replaced following also security screen door installations. The latter I wanted because they allow me to
look out but the person outside cannot readily see inside. Also, the screens do allow more fresh air
circulation in the cooling evenings if I want to catch a breeze.
Then, there was the matter of an incorrect phone
bill invoice for the second month in a row.
I phoned at 5:30 pm successfully navigating my way through the recorded
messages, instructions, inputting on the correct keys to then listen to
interminable music before a live person answered. Then, until 6:30 pm I related my past one
year history since this new company became the provider of my land line and
internet services. Having exhausted her
ability to correct my March bill by confirming the rate I had been promised in
January, and the February bill had been corrected to when I phoned then, she
then transferred me to another department.
Another recording and a hold for fifteen minutes
more before, once again, I had to relate the past year history to which I added
reference to all the internet connection outages to which I’d been subjected. Presumably, her putting me on hold to seek
further clarification, allowed another fifteen minutes to go by and then its 7
pm when suddenly my line is disconnected.
Knowing this service person had my phone number I mistakenly assumed,
whether we lost contact by her accidentally or deliberately disconnecting, that
she would phone me to apologize. Wrong! Is this a “wearing down” process?
I took the opportunity to fix and eat my dinner,
but the call never came. I was ready to
let it all go for the rest of the evening, but then thought maybe I could
actually reach her as I had her name – or at least the name she gave -- I
always get names. So, at 7:35 pm I
phoned again, waded through all the recorded steps, and eventually reached a
person, but had to eventually hold with this new person. She was unable to resolve the issue, so I requested speaking to someone else. At 7:50 pm she informed I would be called by another person but would be in two days.
They better call today, or I’ll be calling them again – getting an
address to write their President with a copy to the Federal Communications Commission
who approved their purchase of our phone company with service strings attached
for them to meet. I’ve had a history of tolerance with this
company since they took on the responsibility for our service over a year ago. My patience has reached its limits.
I was really
tired by days end – all this wasted time as need to do further work on my
income tax – another day, I guess.
Things like your phone bill issues eat up so much time and are frustrating, aren't hoops games they make us jump through.
ReplyDeleteI've never hear of security screen door. But I do like regular screen doors. I got one four years ago so I can talk through it when someone comes to the door.
I had a regular screen door on my front door, but these are constructed differently, often made of steel, have a key lock and dead bolt lock. The screen is such can see from the inside out, but not the reverse.
DeleteWow, I'd like that! I have the key and lock but not the rest.
DeleteI too take notes and names of the people I talk too. This can be so frustrating! It seemed much easier back in the day, when the phone company was located in a city a few miles away and you could call, talk to a real person immediately and the problem would be resolved? There are old people who do not have the brain power or the staying power that you and I have and....they just give up on things like this. Go get 'em Tiger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI sometimes think they deliberately count on wearing people down.
DeleteNothing aggravates me more than a day spent trying to resolve something by phone with an uncooperative company. Big Business is certainly heartless in more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteWhat seems strange to me, is one month it was simple -- as it should be to get the correction -- then this month would take an act of Congress and we know how that has worked in recent years.
DeleteDealing with bureaucrats is always time consuming and they could just take our numbers and call us when our time has been reached. They protect their time-- not ours :(
ReplyDeleteApparently these low level employees have limits as to what they can do -- or at least some of them.
DeleteThe only thing worse in keeping the bills straight, is having them hang up on you after keeping you on hold for half of forever. I believe they do that on purpose, hoping you'll give up.
ReplyDeleteThat disconnection is what really upsets me, but they say they take your number so they can call back if that happens. Had it happen the previous month, but they called me back immediately. This time, not a peep.
DeleteJust the mention of a phone bill sends me into a panic attack. I wonder if all phone companies are difficult to deal with? My experience is about the same as your, dreadful.
ReplyDeleteIf your phone company is new -- took over from Verizon a little over a year ago -- we may have the same company.
DeleteHello from a silent reader. Your phone bill odyssey rings a bell. We went through similar adventurous and long winded channels to no avail - the people you speak to probably have online names and could possible sit in a service center in India.
ReplyDeleteAt least that applies to German telecom.
However, we found a way to solve the problem. Find someone who is on facebook if you are not yourself. Find the facebook page of the telephone co. and write down, as a comment, your complaint, politely and in detail but without giving your address or any other too personal detail. When we did this, the problem was solved within 24 hrs.
Good luck!
Sounds like a plan! Thanks Sabine and appreciate your stopping by. I'll add an update as just now have been told the problem resolved. I do have FB but it lies dormant and haven't used for several years -- didn't like how Zuckerberg was handling the site in his zeal for becoming commercialized.
DeleteWe had a very poor service experience with Expedia online. Hubby trying to by 4 round-trip tickets and our card being charged for 16 round trip tickets! Took him days as they said Expedia was the only one who could cancel and NOT the airline. We now think it is resolved but will only know when our bill becomes due in a few weeks. Comcast came to install a new cable box which they insisted was necessary along with the new voice control remote (which most surely will add to my bill.) They said I had to do this or I would lose HD...now I have the new cable box, but they could not make the HD channels work. They claim it is my TV, although everything worked fine before they got here!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds maddening! When Comcast in our city a few years ago I recall reading and hearing of lots of complaints, but I had no personal experience with them. Family I knew in different area had no problems. Hope your next bill is correct and hope you can get the HD issue resolved.
DeleteIt is enormously frustrating and I do believe you're correct in the assumption they are relying on our fizzling out.i got action once when I plastered my rage over their Facebook page. It is dreadful when any kind of customer service is a thing of the past.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Customer service really does seem to be a thing of the past -- rare when it's good.
DeleteThe customer service from your phone company seems to be appalling. Time to move to another company, I would say.
ReplyDeleteI've considered changing but wanted to give this new growing company a chance as they're supposed to be upgrading. Internet connection has been an ongoing issue with prominent previous company so have been looking forward to improvement plus more speed -- since Jan. this year has been so. Just the billing has to be straightened out now.
DeleteGOOD NEWS! Billing issue is resolved with rate I understood it would be. Seemed unlikely I was going to receive call back, so late this afternoon I phoned -- call answered quickly but received repeated and varied explanations that the new $35 higher rate was accurate -- that I had made changes to my account, which I countered that I had not -- if there were changes, company had made then. In the next ten minutes she placed my call on brief hold, then agreed to lower for this month but rate would be higher rate in future. I requested to speak to someone higher up -- I was being transferred, I thought, as had a short hold. But then, the same person came back on the line informing me my rate would be the lower one I had understood it would be. She said a promotion of some sort had been in place which had allowed me to continue with the rate I had been paying in 2016. The promotion had not been activated in their records. Nothing about a special promotion had been mentioned to me in January, only that finally a higher speed (only 7-10 mbps which is slow) would be mine now (was only up to 3 mbps) that others would be receiving, too. So all was resolved in what took 25 mins. -- this time.
ReplyDeleteI think endurance is what is often required. Sadly, lots and lots of people are truly busy. They don't have the time to wade through hideous pushbutton menus and various individuals on the phone, escalating their problem until it eventually gets resolved.
ReplyDeleteAnd, as many have noted, that is what huge companies--notably telecoms--are banking on (literally).
And the current climate of politics is making that easier to become the norm, unfortuately. The loosening or outright discarding of consumer protections in the shape of federal regulations will make these huge companies more able to get away with this behavior.
I fear you (and I) will have more battles to come.
Yes, this President who promotes himself and his administration as caring about and being champions of the ordinary person has been and is busily issuing executive orders, pushing for legislation that removes consumer protections in his "removing troublesome regulations" efforts.
DeleteDifficult to understand why supporters tolerate those actions.
I had tried to post a comment with a link to a youtube clip twice yesterday but failed. I thought that perhaps they have gone to your approval list and checked today to find that they have not been posted yet. I just wanted to say that the title of this post reminded me of Phil Collins song another day in paradise.
ReplyDeleteYes, like the reference to Collins song!
DeleteI don't know anything about YouTube clips in my name or comments that would be posted there -- nothing I've posted there. I attempted to find such a site but could find none. I see lots of Jared sites, but none for Joared at youtube. Please send me link if Joared -- not me.
I gave a link to the song on youtube. I think that your site does not accept links in comments. Shall email the link to the song to you,
DeleteI may have misread your comment previously -- sorry! Did not receive your two earlier comment efforts. Since I frequently post youtube music videos on my blog, I think you're probably correct that comments can post only URL youtube video links but not an actual video. All that said -- the title and lyrics of the Collins song are most appropriate -- thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat a mess with your phone company. I have hopes that our hodge-podge of companies for the phone/internet keeps on working.
ReplyDeleteDon't know who your provider is but don't wish my frustrations on anyone. Hoping all is resolved now.
DeleteIt helps to have an accountant for a husband. He has been doing our taxes since day one of our marriage. Lol.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely -- having an accountant spouse would be an advantage! My husband wasn't an accountant but he always did our taxes. I had always prepared my own taxes when I was single, so I sorta kept track of what he was doing, plus his notes on previous years helped me undertake preparing them on my own when I decided to do so after he suddenly passed away.
DeleteOh, my. I've had a run-in or two with Comcast and Verizon, but I've discovered a trick that seems to work. Rather than hanging on the phone, I drive directly to their storefront. With a live person who has the ability to connect directly to my records via their computer, things can click along nicely.
ReplyDeleteOf course, that's not always possible, and some have to deal by phone, but I've been lucky.
On the other hand, I can't say enough good things about WordPress support, or some of the other tech businesses I deal with. When it comes to the computer itself, I took the advice of some knowledgeable people, and had my new one built locally, rather than buying a name brand off the shelf. While I was getting rolling, all I had to do was pick up the phone and talk to the guys who where three miles away. And if I need, there's always the possibility of an "office visit" for a diagnosis. Simplify, simplify, that's my mantra. If Ipay a little extra upfront, the savings in frustration's well worth it.
I wish there was an office to which I could go, but the company that purchased the line from Verizon doesn't have a storefront.
DeleteMy introduction to the internet was with a desktop my son gave me when they bought new laptops. He lived in another state and has been my tech guru remotely. We used a system that permitted him to take over my screen on occasion, but could direct me, too. My learning to use a computer was a baptism by fire with many long hours on the phone talking to India techs, too, as service with Verizon then was much less refined, also. I've long since acquired some other digital devices I have my son order, he programs them for my needs, then ships them to me. I probably should have taken an operating class, but have just learned by using. There's much more tech info I need to learn, but just haven't wanted to spend so much time on the computer.
I have thought of moving my blog to WordPress, but always seem to have other things on which I want to spend my time than learning the new operation. I probably should periodically up date the blog format I have, but I spend my time otherwise. When I accidentally launched publishing this blog after my husband died, I fantasized I'd whip out a post in twenty minutes toward the end of my day if I wasn't doing something else. Not! I ended up spending much more time with blogging than I ever intended, especially in the beginning when novelty of the internet combined with blogging mesmerized me. A couple years later I began to sort my life out in better order, limiting internet time, including blogging. I surely agree with simplifying, simplifying.