The angry thread

[Browning 9mm]

I HATE COMPUTERS

why cannot firms answer their phones ?

bbbrrrr brrrrr hello
simples

but no, they need a computer to answer,
then you need to submit your details in their format
some like your dob as xx-xx-xx, others want xx-xx-xxxx
account numbers,
some want with letters, some want just the numbers

then finally you get, after  music to speak to a human,

and the first thing they ask for is

INFORMATION YOU TOLD THEIR  COMPUTER FIVE MINUTES AGO.

how is this customer service ?

it's just a way to    off customers.

[Bealman]

Yep, same in Oz.

[Browning 9mm]

when I covered a shift in the guardroom, you were expected to answer the phone within x 5 rings....
"Main Guardroom, Cpl Jenkins, Sir"
if you didn't you would find yourself being 'advised' by your sgt.
same when I worked on security, answer the phone within x 5 rings

why is it now acceptable to have to wait for ages, after call answered by 'computer', before you get to speak to a human to solve your problem ?

nothing to do with reducing staff / costs of course 

customer service ?

not in my book.

[dannyboy]

(See also https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?msg=828394 )

[thebrighton]

Online chats, aaaaargh!

I like listening to music and have Spotify which I play in the car via Bluetooth. When notifications come through on my phone the volume dips and if the phone rings it cuts out all together just like it should.

However, on occasion I use satnav and when it gives directions Spotify increases the volume so you can't actually hear the instructions which rather defeats the point.
Anyhow, I thought I'd contact Spotify to find a solution and discovered the only way for a chat is the good old online chat. I hate them.

The chat lasted just over 4 hours, yes 4 hours and is still ongoing. I went through 8 different agents as every so often it popped up that I had been disconnected from them agent and a new one took over. Every time they asked me to wait whilst they read through the thread so they could help. A couple of them were disconnected before they ever added another reply but when they weren't without fail they asked me something I'd already answered. It took over 2 hours before anyone asked what satnav I was using. They got me unpairing/pairing, installing/uninstalling just to confirm that the volume dropped when notifications came through which I pointed out numerous times was never an issue. One even suggested I instal the app on another phone to see if that worked. What magical phone is that, I just have the one and surely to see if anything worked I would need to go for a drive using the satnav. Apparently that wasn't necassary.

Somehow I managed to remain polite through out even when one agent said they were working through a fix with the 'team' then 20 minutes later "you have been disconnected" and a new agent appeared. One agent apologised and assured me I had his undivided attention and we was working on a solution never to be heard from again.

The 8th agent says they are working on it and to leave the chat open so they can reply when they have an answer. How long should I leave it open? An hour, 2, a day? We can't give a timescale.

I thought I'd raise a complaint but there is no way to complain; you have to use online chat 

So over 4 hours and counting, 8 agents and as yet, no even vague solution.

[Skyline2uk]

Halfords

Bought a bike last September. I admit it was a cheap one, but so help me I only want to do 2 miles each way on tarmac to get to work.

Also, in a rare moment of daft ness I got talked into a "Extended care" plan for £30. They said I got unlimited puncture cover and as I get at least 4 a year that seemed useful.

Did a "service" around Christmas, told its fine.

Roll on last week; the pedals had disintegrated so badly one fell off.

Took it in yesterday.

Phone call last night

"Yeah you would be better off getting a new one"

Excuse me?

"Yeah we don't know what you did to it, but it's knackered. Where do you keep it?"

It's locked up in a purpose built metal box over night and at work it's in a covered shed.

So, apparently, the rust on it has appeared in 4 months (since Xmas) simply due it being allergic to the U.K.

I could have kicked up a stink, but I wasn't getting anywhere with them after 30 mins so cut my losses and took a £10 "scrappage" card.

Then I went to a name brand bike shop and did what I should have done to start with and spent a few quid.

 

Skyline2uk

[thebrighton]

I have had a very similar experience with Halfords. Bought a mountain bike and after 2 days one of the plastic pedals disintegrated. I was advised by the sales assistant it was because I bought a cheap bike so what did I expect. Again, only used on a tarmac cycle path.

Asking to see the manager resulted in someone probably still at school who also wouldn't budge. It was how I'd treated it, not a fault of the bike so, no, I couldn't have a refund and would have to take them to small claims court.

I gave up wasting my time and bought a couple of new pedals elsewhere. It's still going strong 10 years later so not too cheap then.

[Skyline2uk]

I have had a very similar experience with Halfords. Bought a mountain bike and after 2 days one of the plastic pedals disintegrated. I was advised by the sales assistant it was because I bought a cheap bike so what did I expect. Again, only used on a tarmac cycle path.

Asking to see the manager resulted in someone probably still at school who also wouldn't budge. It was how I'd treated it, not a fault of the bike so, no, I couldn't have a refund and would have to take them to small claims court.

I gave up wasting my time and bought a couple of new pedals elsewhere. It's still going strong 10 years later so not too cheap then.

It was the woman telling me she has known these bikes last 10 years with "proper care"....

Well my previous bike lasted 11 years doing a more harsh commute than this pile of junk.

I wasn't aware basic push bikes need more fuss and lavish care than the average F1 car!

Skyline2uk

[RailGooner]

..

I like listening to music and have Spotify which I play in the car via Bluetooth. When notifications come through on my phone the volume dips and if the phone rings it cuts out all together just like it should.

However, on occasion I use satnav and when it gives directions Spotify increases the volume so you can't actually hear the instructions which rather defeats the point.
Anyhow, I thought I'd contact Spotify to find a solution and discovered the only way for a chat is the good old online chat. I hate them.

...

Are you using the car's SatNav? If yes, then try using the phone's 'Maps' app. Spotify app will yield to another app on your phone - Notifications, Maps, etc. - but will increase the volume to compensate for external 'noise'.

[thebrighton]

Are you using the car's SatNav? If yes, then try using the phone's 'Maps' app. Spotify app will yield to another app on your phone - Notifications, Maps, etc. - but will increase the volume to compensate for external 'noise'.

No, I've a Skoda and it uses the Skoda Move & Fun app on your phone so it should yield. Like I mentioned it drops the volume for notifications and calls but not for the satnav.
Incredibly Spotify are still investigating and I chase them every hour or so but the 'chat' has now been open for just short of 12 hours and I'm up to 10 agents. Had to leave the laptop on overnight so will see what the morning brings....

[thebrighton]

Online chat update.
It lasted 19 hours and 22 minutes and involved 11 different agents. Overnight an agent clarified the issue but managed to get it completely the wrong way round. This morning the agent introduced themselves and said they'd read through the thread and assist me. Within minutes I had a new agent. Eventually the 11th admitted they didn't know the answer and gave me an email address so I could start an email thread with a specialist department.
I wonder how long that will take....

[Bealman]

Ah, technology.

[The Q]

Farmers putting in cattle troughs in a field, so Anglia water close the road to dig the hole to connect up...
alternative routes?

1, A boat, aka a Byway Open to All Traffic, this is mud and sand with dips an holes up to 18 inches deep, a mile or so long.

2, a single track restricted Byway, soft mud, tractor wheel sized ruts full of water, up to 18 inches deep, over a mile long.

3, a single track restricted Byway, tarmac with grass down the middle, overlaid by sand in places and water in others. Also in some places deep water filled ditches each side, in others between the walls of houses and fences so close together impossible to get an artic down... Over 2 miles long.

It was like the above for 3 days... At least I have a landrover...

[stevewalker]

Halfords

Bought a bike last September. I admit it was a cheap one, but so help me I only want to do 2 miles each way on tarmac to get to work.

...

Phone call last night

"Yeah you would be better off getting a new one"

...

So, apparently, the rust on it has appeared in 4 months (since Xmas) simply due it being allergic to the U.K.

Cheap bikes have obviously gone downhill a lot over the years ... or maybe it's just Halfords - my cheap one was bought in 1997 and is still fine. My sons all have cheap ones, bought up to  2019 are all fine. Even my wife's (she can no longer ride due to medical problems), where the chain had rusted solid, is now absolutely fine, after just a new chain and is ready for me to get around to passing it to someone else.

I think that I night have used their opinion that it was "knackered" after such a short period, to invoke consumer protection laws and demand proper compensation. The bike was clearly not of satisfactory standard.

[Browning 9mm]

it's that time of the year

house insurance renewal

no changes
no claims

so my premiums have gone up by over 25%

load of robbing b'stards.

'you can change your voluntary excesses'

so I can say I will pay more if I make a claim, which means that it will probably not be worth claiming, but if I tell you you will put my premiums up even more ?

my pensions have'nt gone up by 25%
I can't vote myself a 25% pay rise.

aaaaaggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh