March 2010 update - they still suck.

I'll tell you why they suck. In fact I'll bore you bloody senseless with reasons.

For a start, you can't speak to anyone on the phone - oh noes, that would be waay to 20th Century. These days it's all about the "Live Chat". That is where you type in an instant messenger fashion away to someone who could be a real person or a frikking robot for all you know.

Anyway, you ask them something and generally they say "I'll just check for you" and then dissapear for 20 minutes during which time the automated system cuts you off because nothing is happening.

Personally, I think once they put you on virtual hold, they do the off and return to stealing office supplies or scratching their nuts, maybe just laughing as the endless windows of Live Chat insenced fools accross the UK on their computer screens blink like a consumer powered office disco. I have no proof of this, but I can speculate - I am allowed to you see, it's me rights guvnor.

Then, there is their service. Now, everyone and every company cocks up from time to time. That's life, so let's not get all weird and think that it can all be perfect - it can't. Everyone makes mistakes, but it's how you deal with them that counts.

But, when it doesn't go well, all you have to do is say sorry and then un-cock-it-up. Simple! In fact, to make things easier, most people don't really like to make too much of a fuss, so you probably won't get someone going mad at you when you do make a mistake - they'll probably just say "really sorry old bean, but you appear to have made a mistake" and even say things like "thanks for your help" when you sort it all out for them.

When an online company does things well, they tend to get precioius little thanks, but when they cock it up and you as an employee for them then fix it quicksnap, you can be a hero and have someone thank you personally.

In addition - you'll look great to your boss when you explain just how many problems you have resolved today, and how many customers have thanked you.

How many more reasons do you need to resolve a problem?

The simple plain logic of this seems to have been lost or tossed aside however. Instead with my particular case they seemed to operate on the following mantra:

We will cock it up, promise to fix it, then give up when that doesn't work and tell you we'll refund you. Then cock that up. Then go quiet.

Bear with me while I update the site with the new saga, this should be done by the end of the weekend, if I can stop crying long enough.

13th March 2010

"score"