Customer Service, a Continuing Series

A couple of weeks ago, I was called by one of the companies that provides an essential service to my home. I don't really want to name the specific service, since this story could really be about any of them, but you might be able to guess as I tell my sad story. Anyway, they said that a certain piece of equipment that I was using to access their service is old and needs to be replaced and that they would contact me soon to set up an appointment.

Then yesterday I got a text from them asking me to send an SMS to a four digit number so that this switch out could be scheduled. But, when I try to send this SMS, it doesn't work. I would assume that it doesn't work because said service assumes that everyone who uses their services is using one of the telecommunications companies, but I am using the other.

No problem, I figure, I'll just visit their website and have a chat with them to straighten this all out. Needless to say, 20 minutes of chatting later has done nothing to solve the problem. So I try calling instead, thinking that maybe I might find someone who could help.

Me: Yes, a couple of weeks ago I got a call from you all to replace [equipment]. Then today I got an SMS asking me to reply via SMS to schedule this. But I cannot send the SMS to the requested number.

Him: I do not see any requests for service in your account sir.

Me: Yes, I didn't request this, you all contacted me via phone and SMS.

Him: But I do not see any request for replacement that you have made.

Me: Yes, I know. I was contacted by you. I'm following up on the contact that you initiated. What should I do about the call and SMS that you sent?

Him: Oh, I would just ignore that sir.

Me: ....

Me: Really?

Him: Oh, yes sir, you should ignore that.

Me: Does your company normally send out information to their customers that they should ignore? [At this point I am exerting everything I can to not ask if I can ignore the bills I get from them too.]

Him: I don't see any request for replacement in your account sir.

A bit later:

Him: If you need your equipment replaced, you just need to call us and tell us and we will schedule a service call and replacement if needed.

Me: OK, my equipment isn't working properly and would like to have it checked out.

Him: OK, so just call us and tell us that.

Me: What number?

Him: This one.

Me: You mean like I'm doing now?

Him: Yes.

Me: OK, I'm calling to report that I need a service call.

Him: Yes, sir, just call this number and report it and we will get a service call scheduled.

So, this afternoon it is off to the local branch. Maybe if I show a person the actual SMS something will change. But I doubt it.

May I Change your Order, Please?

Fast food restaurants are famous for messing up orders at the drive through windows. It's a fact of life in the USA, as I'm sure it is world wide. It's hard to hear one another through those low quality speakers. In this country there is an added difficulty....the language barrier. Let me illustrate by using a real life example of our latest run through Burger King:

Ibrahim: May I take your order, please?
Brn: I would like one large diet coke, please.
Ibrahim: You want large fry???
Brn: No, I want to order one large diet coke, please.
Ibrahim: You want fry?
Brn: No! I just want a large diet coke.
Ibrahim: You no want fry?
Brn: No! One large diet coke.
Ibrahim: (says something we couldn't understand)
Bss: What's going on?????
Brn: I don't know, but I think we're getting fries.

Sure enough, we got a large order of fries and a warm can of diet coke. He did understand me when I asked for a cup of ice. He looked perplexed at the idea, but at least he didn't hand me a fish sandwich or something.

Good News

The car dealer called this morning and told me that they would be delivering it before 4:00 today. It will be such a relief to have this ordeal over with. I would have written about this before, but I couldn't write about it without becoming too angry.

It all started a week ago Thursday. I went to Dubai, found a car, agreed on price and loan (everyone tells me that I paid too much, but I knew I was a bad negotiator going in, so I'm not surprised), and filled out all the paper work. They told me that I needed to fax them my bank statement and get checks ready (I had to give them 36 prewritten checks for the monthly payments), and then when everything was approved, they would bring the van here to Al Ain so that we could register it. So I did this last week, they collected the checks on Sunday, so everything is all set.

Except for the next four days, if I called to ask when they were going to bring the van, they either said something like, "Let me check when a driver will be available and I'll call you right back" or "The guy I need to ask is tied up right now, let me call you right back." And then never a call back. I was just getting ready to call and demand an answer or a cancellation of the contract when they called to let me know that it would be this afternoon.

I understand that I'm not their only customer, and that sometimes it takes longer to get things done than you plan on. What I don't understand is why they just couldn't tell me "We are sorry that it is taking this long, but there was a problem with X and it going to be a few days".

The Bank and Customer Service

I set up an account last week at the bank that the university picked out so that my pay can be directly deposited. I have no idea if this bank is typical (I would guess that it is), but the concept of customer service is pretty lacking.

First, let's start with the hours. A lot of places close in the middle of the day here when it gets so hot. But then they open back up in the evening when it has cooled down. The bank is open from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. Period. So, if you want to go to the bank, you have to take time off from work. They are open on Thursday (remember, the work week is Saturday-Wednesday, so Thursday here = Saturday in USA) from 8:00 to 12:00, so if you don't want to or can't take time off from work, you can always wait til the end of the week.

Next, when creating your account, the bank will not tell you about ATM cards, checks, applying for credit cards, internet access or anything else unless you ask. When you do get an ATM card, you have to go to the bank to pick it up, which means you have to take time off from work or wait until the end of the week. You also have to go to another part of the building to pick up your PIN. Neither of these places asked me for any ID before they handed me this stuff. This was also true the two times I made a counter withdrawl from my account. I had to sign the form in three places, but did not have to show ID.

So when I picked up my ATM card and PIN, the bank employee told me that the card would not work until about 4:00 that afternoon (I loved the precision of "about 4:00"). So that evening I went to the mall to buy a couple of things for the house and tried several ATMs. Always got the message, "Your card is invalid". I figured, maybe "about 4:00" means several hours after 4:00, so I tried every hour until after 8:00, always without luck.

I also tried calling the 800 number on the card, and got the usual "all lines are busy" message that I have heard in America so often. However, after about a minute on hold with teeth-grindingly bad on-hold music, I get the message that all agents are still busy, so I should call back later. Click. I finally got through about 8:00, and the very helpful agent told me that my card was not connected to my account, so I needed to talk to the branch where I got it tomorrow.

Tomorrow comes, I visit the branch and have to demonstrate to the employee that it doesn't work. He makes a change in the computer, calls a number, says now it should work. Nope. I go back in, he makes another change in the computer, makes another call, and now I am assured that tomorrow (which is today) at 8:30 it will work. So in 24 minutes, I can take time off to test this out (and no doubt be disappointed again) and then try again to get them to fix it, or I can wait until after work today or tomorrow, and then not be able to tell them until tomorrow that it still isn't working.

I'd tell you the name of the bank, but I'm not sure about the law of defamation, slander, or libel, so I'm a little hesitant to name it. However, if you do a Google.ae search for the bank's slogan, "The Bank That Cares", you will probably be able to figure it out.