Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Why oh Why?

On Thursday evening, my BB connection went from 2mbs to 16kbps!!!

I called BT (British Telecom). I am connected to Technical Support, somewhere in India. I spent a good deal of time repeating myself. I spent a good deal of time asking for them to speak slowly and repeat what they had said.

The person on the end of the phone wanted to 'take over' my pc to 'fix' my PC! Now at 16kbps this wasn't possible, I said. I said it again. And again. And again.

The following morning I got put thru to a UK man who told me that my house telephone wiring must be old and had disintegrated and therefore my BB connection was bad. Strange that I could talk on my phone....

Anyway, he said he would send me a new router.

Later the same day, the tech support called me...from India. After a few minutes of 'pardon?' (I am so very very sorry for you. Thank you for choosing BT Broadband.(from the TS person). Now I didn't choose them. There is no one else where i live. If I could could have chosen I would not have chosen BT. I detest them.

I digress, so this person tells me that they will send someone to my exchange and see what the problem is. Weird I thought.

Later I get a call telling me there is no problem with the exchange. Would I take my PC and plug it into the socket in the kitchen? (Bear in mind this is what I deciphered after many minutes).

No I said, I cannot do that.

We can't help you if you don't, was the reply.

I informed them that it was physically impossible for me to do this.

I am very sorry to hear that, sir. Now will you plug your PC into the socket downstairs?

NO I F*****g can't!!!

Alright, I didn't say that but...

Oh I am very very very very very sorry sir, thank you for choosing BT BB. Now take your PC and plug it in downstairs.

By this time I want to shove my PC up his ****.

No, I cannot physically do that. I am disabled.

Oh, sir, I am very sorry to hear that. Thank you for choosing BT BB. Please plug your PC into the socket downstairs in the kitchen, sir. The extension in your upstairs doesn't work.

Huh?

I give up.

Now we are into Saturday. I am out for the day to Hereford and Stratford Upon Avon(Yes where that playwright lived a long time ago).

I get a phone call on my mobile.

Hello?

I am very very sorry sir, thank you for calling BT BB.

I didn't call BT BB.

Oh I am very very sorry for you sir, thank you for choosing BT BB. We have the engineer and he says your line is no problem sir. I am very very sorry sir.

Do remember that the above is only what I translate after 5 hours of listening....

I get home and there are 3 messages on my answering service from....yes...you guessed it...BT tech support in India. And no, I can in no way decipher what was said.

Sunday-after the same nonsense, I go and buy a 20m long extension socket and plug my modem into that. No deal.

On Monday, tech support from India call me several times more.

I tell them that my new router has not arrived yet. That no I still have a very very very slow connection. Nothing is fixed.

I am very very sorry to hear that, sir. Thank you for calling BT BB.

My new router arrives at about 4.30pm. With dread in my heart, I decide to install it. Before I do so, I see what my modem is doing and lo and behold it is back to normal!

So nothing was done my end at all. Nothing was wrong with my PC. Nothing was wrong with my extension, I wasted money on the 20m long cord. Yet I am happy to be back online. I install the new router and.....it is fine!

This morning I get a call from tech support in India.

Good morning, sir, and how are you today sir.

About ready to commit a henious crime is how I feel but i say:

I am fine thank you. My problem is fixed. My connection is back to normal.


'I am very very very very sorry for you, sir. Thank you for choosing BT Total Broadband .'

And then......I called Amazon. I have just tried to place a LARGE order.

'I have just made a large order but your system is telling me I don't have an account.'

A voice from deepest South America says to me in very heavy Latin accent.....

'You don't have an account with Amazon. Would you like one?' (I am paraphrasing cos it would take just too long)

'I DO have an account with you. I rent DVD's from you and buy stuff. In fact I have 2 dvd's here that belong to you. I have an account. I pay money to you every month'.

'No sir, you do not have an account with us'.

'I just told you, I DO have account with you.'

'What is your name and email?'

30 minutes later, after repeating and spelling and repeating again,'You do not have an account with us sir. The computer says no'.

No I did not call him account. I just curled up into a ball and sucked my thumb...

No, actually this person hung up on me!

I then got an email telling me my order will be delivered tomorrow.....

I think it shows a gross lack of respect to both the employees and the customers that companies are doing this. The employees must get fruistrated because they are doing their best. The customers are trapped because there is no one else to deal with and if you do say you cannot understand to anyone, you run the risk of being labelled a racist. I did call today to speak to customer services to lodge a complaint about my 4 day runaround. I got put thru to...yes you guessed right.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh Lordy, I had to laugh. I just went through a similar run-around with my bank. Although the person was 100% American, she apparently has lost the ability to understand English! I told her I received a phone call. Her answer ..."just don't open it." OOOOkay ....not listening, eh? When I mentioned her inability to listen (very nicely said I say) ... she hung up on me. Customer service? My left foot!

CP Warner said...

Oh, Colin, I am veryveryvery sorry, but we have all been there and done that, and heavens! You had me laughing! I had one Indian tech support fella try to get me to change all sorts of information once, to hook me back up. The sort of infrmation changes that get you windows that ask "Are you SURE you want to do this?" and when you click yes you get "Are you really, REALLY sure?" LOL. My husband wouldn't let me do that, so I went without a connection for a week. then when he was out, I called tech support and did everything they said, and it actually worked. No blue screen of death. it was a miracle, 'cause I barely understood a word the tech guy was saying. Glad you're back in operation again.

I don't like to knit with cotton much, but your socks look so nice, I might have to go out and get some. I love the colors, and the way the stitch patterns worked out.

Enjoying the puppy breath, too, from newborn pics right on up through the latest. Could not believe how tiny they were in that first pic! So beautiful. Congratulations!

Regards,

Paula

Anonymous said...

Dearest Colin,

I had to email about your latest blog, it was sooo funny I laffed my ass off. I know exactly what you went through. The same happens here in the US and I become very indignant when I reach someone who I cannot understand. I'm paying good money for service "right here" and if these companies choose to use support from India because it's cheaper, then let them spend $$ to train them in English. If I cannot understand someone then I nicely let them know that I do not understand and I ask for someone who speaks clearer English and or a supervisor. I stopped long ago, being nice and saying "pardon me". I then complain to the local office when possible.

Not only do we have that problem, but now here in the good old USA, when you call just about any service business you get: press 1 for ENGLISH .. WTF?? press 2 for Spanish. EXCUSE ME? This is an ENGLISH speaking country, I ain't pressing nothing !

Hugs and hang in there,

Anonymous said...

Really laughed reading your post. But you know, we have the same here in France !

Robin said...

I feel your pain with trying to understand what customer service is trying to say. Glad that it is fixed. Life without internet would be hard. I use mine all the time.

Sheila said...

Oh, man what a long torture that must have been! Frustration! I'm glad you are back on line. Come see some more pictures of the West.

Anonymous said...

I can't even laugh. I have FELT the pain, because I have been there, with D-LL from h-ll, the computer people. Oh, the frustration! They give canned responses, which flip me out. I wasted five days last year, trying to communicate with them. There is no comprehension with these foreign call centers, and no one to whom you can complain. I have to lie down now.

Anonymous said...

Hi Colin.
I am walking in your shoes.
I got a new computer with Vista operating system. Each time when I call with a question I get connected to India, or Philippines, or Venesuella and have to wait for at least an hour to be connected. Of course I did not understand what they are saying. For instance he said "Take a clot" and finally I understood that he meant cloth. Then he said press the pon button. After a while I understood that he mean the "pound" key", and so on.
I think I could write a book on my experiences with technical support service.

Anonymous said...

So glad I found your blog.

I lost my job three years ago due to outsourcing to India so I am especially sensitive to this.

I am an avid socknitter as well as a very best friend of "Purl" my 2.5 year old long haired mini-dauchshund. She has taken to knitting very well (after intense puppyhood). Loves to sit on my lap while I knit.

Joan/NYC