Customer Service- Two Cans and a Piece of String

This past week has been extremely difficult. We never realize how much we depend on technology until we are without it. I have had several times in my life where it was "like the good ole days". During my time in CA we had a couple times when earthquakes were bad enough that we could loose power and sometimes were unable to use gas for long periods of time. We would dig out candles and try and make an adventure out of a bad situation.

This past week I had to do without phone and Internet usage..Not good when your business pretty much depends on both to get things done. We had another pretty significant rainstorm which usually brings problems to the phone service anyway. But this time it was different. We went from static to sporadic usage to a dead line.

The process of getting it fixed started Tuesday morning where a call to customer service said it would be Thursday before someone could get out. Two days?? Let's go back, of course the first call was through an automated system, (no human) where over and over I put in the phone number and pressed the designated numbers. Unfortunately, they should include a number for all of the above, which they don't. The time frame for the appointment was 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. as stated in the recorded message, someone 18 years or older must be at home, (that would be me), all animals must be out of the yard (no problem), and we must be able to get in the area where the phone box is (still no problem, everyone can get in our yard). So I looked forward to a day at home. As the time ticked away and first the morning passed and then afternoon and still no call or repair tech. By 7:00 p.m. I attempted to call back the repair number but with no way to talk to a human voice. By this time our second line was having the same problem so I got the bright idea that if I reported it I may be able to actually talk to someone..Wrong again.

So bright and early on Friday morning I called the repair number again this time getting a human and basically giving them a piece of my mind. Why did no technician show up? No explanation. The only advice was to send it to the "Expedite Dept". Ok fine I need phone service before the weekend. I have already been here a full day without a call as to what was going on. Of course the first words out of their mouth is "I am sorry for the inconvenience". Are they really?? Some one will call you in the next two hours to set up an appointment before 5:00 p.m. Your kidding right, Friday?

Well thirty minutes later the technician called saying he had just gotten the order. Hummm what happened yesterday, he hadn't a clue.. He was out in fifteen minutes and had the problem solved in less than thirty minutes. Apparently between old, rotting lines and possible lightening strike the lines need to be pulled to expose new line..Problem solved..almost..

After a lengthy conversation with the technician, he explained like all companies today, they are also cutting back staff in all areas.. Basically one technician for a pretty large area. How can you expect service to work with that? How can these same companies continue to air commercials that state they have 97% of phone users? If they do a large percentage are not really happy. Over the course of several weeks I have talked with several people who are not exactly happy with either land line, Internet, or cellular service.. Bottom line customers would much rather be able to voice their concerns one on one, not to an automated system, or even an e-mail on the Internet. Sometimes that human contact can really only get the job done..

Which comes to the conclusion, and something I sarcastically but truly believed at that point in time. "I would do better with two cans and a piece of string at this point".