- adapted from Douglas Adams
Gone but not forgotten
(or catharsis from the past)
and back into history...
Blogs that take my mind to better places
Adrift at SeaAeolian dissonance
A Rain of Frogs
Meanwhile across town
Lette's blog
The Pomo circus is in town
This is nothing, you should hear me play piano
Places that it is my pleasure to take you
MellaflusiaTiger's bites - a recipe site
Alberg 29's - sailing!
Customer service?!? · 3 August 04
I’ve just had a strop at a lady on the phone – they just wouldn’t admit that their colleague could be wrong – hedging round with, maybe you were unclear as to exactly what you wanted, or, we give a very good orientation that clearly states all the forms you need to fill in! No way jose, as we say…!!! I seem to run up against this wall with American service – the nice smile and polite (almost uncrackable) tone of voice drive me up the wall when the service actually sucks! You haven’t received your cheque book after 3 weeks – oh well, you can pay to cancel all your cheques (175!) and buy some more if you like! You were unclear as to your needs – despite specifically describing the TWO accounts I needed to sign up for and getting them to talk me through every single form (or so they claimed) I needed to fill in!
I had this really interesting conversation with one of my new American friends a couple of weeks ago. She had been having problems getting her cable internet working, and the cable company hadn’t been able to help. However, she commented on how good their customer service was, and how nice and friendly compared to the other company she had been with before. But they haven’t fixed the problem? I asked. No, she admitted. And the other company, did they fix the problem? Oh yes, but they weren’t nearly as helpful… You what!!!
Do you know, before I came to the US, I was always hearing how much better their customer service was, and how awful the European service was. However, before I came here, I had also never been driven to the verge of rudeness by a customer service representative. I think they can’t tell the difference between being fobbed off in an extremely polite manner, and actual service, albeit without the veneer!!