This is how hubby has spent much of the past two days – fighting with Qwest. Now, before I get started, this isn’t one of those stories where I whine about how expensive everything is and how I deserve to have special exceptions made for me. It’s not. This post seeks to address the problem of “why can’t people do what they say are going to do?”
Being an author, I have about 43 cents to my name at any given time, but I am always thinking and scheming and plotting about the one great thing that will make me rich beyond my wildest dreams. That being said, we got the disconnect notice for Qwest, which handles all of our basic life support. Last week, we called and made arrangements to pay a certain amount and pay the remainder this week. V. said, “Sure, that’ll be fine, no problem,” and then merrily accepted a payment. Well, yesterday rolls around – prior to the agreed upon time – and they shut us off.
*deep, heavy sigh*
So, hubby calls back to find out how to get the internet back. They tell him an amount and he readily agrees to pay it. This time we spoke with D., and she cheerfully accepted ANOTHER payment and assured that our internet and phone would be reconnected within four hours. At the four hour and twenty minute mark, he calls AGAIN. This time he speaks with someone named “Festering Ham Wallet,” who, when asked why the service hadn’t come back as promised, explained that we hadn’t paid an acceptable amount and that contrary to what we discussed with D., the reconnect order had never been placed. She then went on to dress him down for being so behind on his payments. Of course, his voice was that of reason and she acquiesced because she had to. *flips bird*
Really? Is that really part of the job? So, without regard to the fact that we have made not ONE but TWO payments, it is OKAY to speak to us with a tone that denotes superiority and class separation because we are behind on our payments? Well, let’s talk about accountability, shall we? When I call Qwest and make an arrangement, I have an EXPECTATION that there shall be follow through on the part of the employee. When Qwest shakes me down for every last penny that I have, and I willingly pay it, I have an EXPECTATION that I shall not be addressed discourteously. Evidently, Qwest has a differing opinion of customer service that does not align well with my expectations, so here is what’s going to happen next:
Since I am a deadbeat because the money I give you is an unacceptable pittance compared to my outstanding balance, I am going to redirect that money into something that suits my needs better. I am going to take the next allocation of money that WOULD have gone to Qwest and give it to your competitor who has already told me that I will be paying considerably less each month for better service. I said, “It doesn’t matter that I owe Qwest money, does it?” and the very helpful “Mike” said, “nope.”
So, rather than asking you to go to the terrible inconvenience of discussing payment options with me, I will just stop bothering you all together. When you call me to get money, I will say, “Yeah, sure, NO PROBLEM,” and I will promise to repay every cent of it. Good luck with that, Qwest. Since you charge entirely too much for marginal service, I think what I have paid you thus far is more than fair.
Adios Qwest!
I have had similar Customer Service experiences in the past — Which coincidentally, prompted me to ALSO seek out competitors with better rates, and to hell with these jerks and their shoddy services and condescending attitudes. ^_^