I'm moving - in cyberspace anyway. If you are someone who is used to mailing me at my demon address, please note that this will not be operational for much longer. I've opened a google mail account in the meantime and will get round to contacting you shortly.
We're moving to BT after the most appalling nonsense with our ISP of some 14 years, Demon. I've lost count of the hours spent on the phone to India ( I suppose), being asked to perform the same procedures over and over again. The problem lies with the system rather than with the unfailingly polite help-line operatives: they have to ask the questions on their card, and it is impossible actually to engage in a conversation. I was tempted to ask one of them how many people had died of a heart attack in the middle of a session on the helpline, just to see what he'd ask me to do next. When we finally got through to someone who could operate independently and actually talk with us instead of at us, we initiated the business of severing our connection with Demon.
The truly devoted among my readers will note that this all began with an amazing electrical storm, which hit Dunoon on May 4th. Since then we've been offline. We still are. We spent two weeks persuading Demon that the modem had been fried, and the rest of the time (a) waiting for a replacement and (b) failing to get it to work either. Expert advice (local) tends to be that this modem too is non-functional (supply vulgar expression of your choice). Our idea now is that we should marry up our internet and our telephone provider - perhaps we can get some joined-up thinking as a result.
And after all this I shall need another holiday.
Chris, you note, “they have to ask the questions on their card, and it is impossible actually to engage in a conversation.” It’s not so much the robotic check list I mind, ‘though that’s bad enough. It’s that some demon has inserted into the instructions for all of these “helpers” the information that we will be mollified if our first name is inserted into every sentence and the expression, “Don’t worry. Everything will be OK” into every paragraph. (I consider holding the line while my expert “consults with my supervisor” a special bonus.)
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I hope you will forgive a bit of schadenfreude from one who has been there a time or three, but I did laugh aloud at your words–laughing past the graveyard, I suppose, for I know not the day nor hour when I will next have a similar conversation.
I know the feeling! I have moved to talktalk - much better than BT. You must send me your new address. Have had a very stressful time, hence the lack of blogging, but will be back to tell the tale soon.
ReplyDeleteMAy the 4th be with you... couldn't resist.
Thanks, guys, for the kind words .... You're dead right about the mollifying name-use, Walter ("some mollification for your giant ....")
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to get my own world back again!