I've been slack about updating this but that's because I am avoiding something.
In that theme here is a story I heard last night.
You see I've mentioned a couple of times that NZ is cold at the moment and in fact in a cold country at a cold time of year I live in an especially cold house . Cold. Cold. Cold.
I have had this conversation with several people lately and last night a kiwi told me a story that I want to share with the world on the off chance that organisations like the UN, Amnesty International or The World Health Organisation will storm the country and enforce central heating.
You see this guy, who I will call Phil (because it's his name you see), was staying at a friend's house. And one morning he woke up. And he opened the fridge and he felt WARM AIR COME OUT.
Case closed.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Friday, June 16, 2006
Sky TV
Some time ago I received PANTS service from my Digital providor Sky TV> They really wound me up and I'm not sure that I got that message out to enough people. So I thought I'd post it here.
Hello,
I am writing to complain about the level of service I have recently received from your contact centre.
As a customer of almost four years, I have found your technical staff to be a total nightmare, however having been up to date on all payments, and generally ahead, I have never had to deal with your customer service staff before.
Last year I moved into a flatting situation and began to pay my Sky bill from a group account which we use for rent bills etc. On Thursday, 30 March, I paid the money intended for our Telecom bill to Sky. This was my mistake and I accept that. I called Sky immediately to advise that I needed the refund as we will otherwise have insufficient funds in the account to cover our fortnightly rent. The very friendly customer services person I spoke to advised that as it hadn't shown in the Sky account yet it could not be refunded until Monday, 3 April. She took my home and mobile phone numbers so that she could call me if there were any issues. I paid the money I owed to Telecom on this basis although that bill isn't due for weeks.
On Thursday, 6 April I called again as the refund still had not appeared in my account. The customer service person I spoke to advised the request had been sent to a team leader and that she would have the original representative call me back. She again confirmed my contact numbers. I asked if this meant that the money would be refunded. She iterated she would have someone call me but would not commit to that.
Having received no follow up, I called again today (7 April) and spoke to a third representative. Although I asked to speak to a team leader she didn't seem to want to allow that. Commendable - happy to take ownership (and as I was about to find out - it wasn't going to make a blind bit of difference anyway). She advised that Sky was never going to refund my money on Monday as promised as you have to wait five working days. I do wish you'd said. However five working days (or at least according to my understanding of a working week and not the working week of Sky satellites) would have meant that the money was available for refund on Wednesday, or Thursday at the latest, assuming that it's five working days from when the money shows in your account. So why, on Friday, I asked, was it still not in my account?
Apparently it will then take your Finance team three to seven days (where do you get these SLAs and is it possible your Finance team are simply having a laugh??) to refund it back into my account. So instead of Monday 3 April as originally promised we are now looking at April 19 before I can have my $116 back. The representative pointed out that it is not Sky's fault that I overpaid my account. I agree. I pointed out that it is, however, Sky's responsibility to their customers to manage their expectations and keep them accurately informed when they have an issue.
Then it got worse.
I asked again to speak to a team leader and with a succinct, "Cool" I was put on hold. From the outset the team leader was absolutely intent on being of absolutely no use. I did point this out to her. She didn't disagree. She advised that in fact it is SEVEN working days before you can authorise a refund. Presumably then, Finance sit on it for a further seven days and finally somewhere around mid June I can expect to see my money.
That's ace.
Nice work.
So after four years of Sky service, during which I estimate I have paid you in excess of $13,000 including installation ($600) and technical assistance each time I've moved ($70) and in return received a reasonably decent digital service (with some notable and well publicised gaps in this service) and one free pay per view movie as a thank you (lads, take it easy- I'm overwhelmed) I am now treated with contempt, rudeness and inconsistent service.
I look forward to your response to this situation.
Yours sincerely
Lorraine Breheny
About three weeks later- they sent me a CHEQUE.
Hello,
I am writing to complain about the level of service I have recently received from your contact centre.
As a customer of almost four years, I have found your technical staff to be a total nightmare, however having been up to date on all payments, and generally ahead, I have never had to deal with your customer service staff before.
Last year I moved into a flatting situation and began to pay my Sky bill from a group account which we use for rent bills etc. On Thursday, 30 March, I paid the money intended for our Telecom bill to Sky. This was my mistake and I accept that. I called Sky immediately to advise that I needed the refund as we will otherwise have insufficient funds in the account to cover our fortnightly rent. The very friendly customer services person I spoke to advised that as it hadn't shown in the Sky account yet it could not be refunded until Monday, 3 April. She took my home and mobile phone numbers so that she could call me if there were any issues. I paid the money I owed to Telecom on this basis although that bill isn't due for weeks.
On Thursday, 6 April I called again as the refund still had not appeared in my account. The customer service person I spoke to advised the request had been sent to a team leader and that she would have the original representative call me back. She again confirmed my contact numbers. I asked if this meant that the money would be refunded. She iterated she would have someone call me but would not commit to that.
Having received no follow up, I called again today (7 April) and spoke to a third representative. Although I asked to speak to a team leader she didn't seem to want to allow that. Commendable - happy to take ownership (and as I was about to find out - it wasn't going to make a blind bit of difference anyway). She advised that Sky was never going to refund my money on Monday as promised as you have to wait five working days. I do wish you'd said. However five working days (or at least according to my understanding of a working week and not the working week of Sky satellites) would have meant that the money was available for refund on Wednesday, or Thursday at the latest, assuming that it's five working days from when the money shows in your account. So why, on Friday, I asked, was it still not in my account?
Apparently it will then take your Finance team three to seven days (where do you get these SLAs and is it possible your Finance team are simply having a laugh??) to refund it back into my account. So instead of Monday 3 April as originally promised we are now looking at April 19 before I can have my $116 back. The representative pointed out that it is not Sky's fault that I overpaid my account. I agree. I pointed out that it is, however, Sky's responsibility to their customers to manage their expectations and keep them accurately informed when they have an issue.
Then it got worse.
I asked again to speak to a team leader and with a succinct, "Cool" I was put on hold. From the outset the team leader was absolutely intent on being of absolutely no use. I did point this out to her. She didn't disagree. She advised that in fact it is SEVEN working days before you can authorise a refund. Presumably then, Finance sit on it for a further seven days and finally somewhere around mid June I can expect to see my money.
That's ace.
Nice work.
So after four years of Sky service, during which I estimate I have paid you in excess of $13,000 including installation ($600) and technical assistance each time I've moved ($70) and in return received a reasonably decent digital service (with some notable and well publicised gaps in this service) and one free pay per view movie as a thank you (lads, take it easy- I'm overwhelmed) I am now treated with contempt, rudeness and inconsistent service.
I look forward to your response to this situation.
Yours sincerely
Lorraine Breheny
About three weeks later- they sent me a CHEQUE.
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Weekend
I'm in bed at eight o clock on a Sunday night. This is because I had a big Saturday night. But not as big as Alex's. The World Cup is on in Germany which means that the games are on at stupid o clock in NZ.
Alex told me several hundred times that there was no way that he was going to go out after the England game. He knew that someone would suggest it. He knew that he would be classed as a big jessie if he didn't go. But he wasn't going into town. No. Way.
So when I awoke/regained consciousness at seven this morning the telly was on, the house was empty and Alex was in the city with Kev and Alan and Alex Chimbo. He eventually got home at eight thirty. Not a bad effort for someone who was absolutely, categorically, one hundred and ten per cent NOT going out.
I'd take my hat off to him but I'm afraid he'll be sick in it if I do.
Alex told me several hundred times that there was no way that he was going to go out after the England game. He knew that someone would suggest it. He knew that he would be classed as a big jessie if he didn't go. But he wasn't going into town. No. Way.
So when I awoke/regained consciousness at seven this morning the telly was on, the house was empty and Alex was in the city with Kev and Alan and Alex Chimbo. He eventually got home at eight thirty. Not a bad effort for someone who was absolutely, categorically, one hundred and ten per cent NOT going out.
I'd take my hat off to him but I'm afraid he'll be sick in it if I do.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Cat skills
One of my cats, Pinot, has discovered that: to get into my room she has to lean up against my bedroom door and scrabble her heart out. To get out of my room she has to lie on her side, stick her paw under the gap and pull it towards her. This means the following:
- She no longer worries about trailing around after me like a puppy. She can come and find me when she needs me. My opposable thumb is no longer of any use to her.
- The heater in my room that costs me eight million dollars a month to run is useless. She will let the heat out as soon as I fall asleep/leave the room/fail to pay her sufficient amounts of attention.
- Changing clothes/ getting dressed takes on a whole new speed/agility/vigilance requirement when there is any one else in the house.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Hangovers
I am hungover. This is because I was roaringly drunk last night. That was not a good idea.
It was goodbye drinks for bloke at work. He got to work on time this morning. I didn't.
My friend Belinda said she knew we were in trouble when I said to her, "Should I just get a bottle this round?" Ironically I knew we were in trouble when she replied, "Yes. I'll get the next one."
I smoked cigarettes
I explained to senior management exactly what the issues were at work
I told one guy I barely know what a top bloke he is (for about half an hour)
I told about twenty people that I really dislike a particular guy in the office
I explained why I'm a rampant lefty to our general manager
I lost my make up bag
We made the cab go to drive thru McDonalds (I have never done this before in my life and have been vehemantly opposed to McDonalds since reading Fast Food Nation about four years ago).
I remember nothing about the final bar we went to other than my drink had a lychee in it and I have a feeling that I said something really subtle like, "it's lovely you can be so incredibly camp" to the owner.
Today we had our office Diversity Lunch. This is run by the Community Committee which I head up. I was supposed to make soda bread and potato scones. I went to the supermarket this morning and got normal bread instead. I had to 'say a few words' I kind off burbled a bit and then wandered off behind the telly. It was not good.
It was goodbye drinks for bloke at work. He got to work on time this morning. I didn't.
My friend Belinda said she knew we were in trouble when I said to her, "Should I just get a bottle this round?" Ironically I knew we were in trouble when she replied, "Yes. I'll get the next one."
I smoked cigarettes
I explained to senior management exactly what the issues were at work
I told one guy I barely know what a top bloke he is (for about half an hour)
I told about twenty people that I really dislike a particular guy in the office
I explained why I'm a rampant lefty to our general manager
I lost my make up bag
We made the cab go to drive thru McDonalds (I have never done this before in my life and have been vehemantly opposed to McDonalds since reading Fast Food Nation about four years ago).
I remember nothing about the final bar we went to other than my drink had a lychee in it and I have a feeling that I said something really subtle like, "it's lovely you can be so incredibly camp" to the owner.
Today we had our office Diversity Lunch. This is run by the Community Committee which I head up. I was supposed to make soda bread and potato scones. I went to the supermarket this morning and got normal bread instead. I had to 'say a few words' I kind off burbled a bit and then wandered off behind the telly. It was not good.
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