Nearly all organizations have a
customer service department which is created mainly to drive customers up the
wall with frustration. I’m not sure what
the qualifications for these particular jobs are, but a lack of common sense
and an ‘I don’t really give a fig,’ attitude, seem to be the main requirements.
Two nights ago I noticed my DVR wasn’t
working properly. It was in fact
recording a beautifully blank screen.
Further fiddling with remotes and screen buttons had me deciding that
one of the HD channels was indeed completely blank. At the time I thought it might be something
to do with the cable provider rather than my TV set, and decided to leave it
until the next morning.
The problem was still evident the next
day so, silly me, I called the customer service number. I should have known it was not going to be a
great experience as soon as the young lady answering the phone asked me ‘on
which island do you live?’ These kinds
of questions always bother me. I figure
if they’re somewhere they can’t see my caller ID, they’re in a time zone that
can’t be of much help.
I wondered if she was sitting on a mat
in India
but no, she was not. As a matter of fact
she informed me, she was sitting on a chair in Canada. Good to know, but again, not much help to me
in Hawaii.
Ah, but how wrong could I be? This young lady had all the answers.
It appears that my inability to get
the HD version of one of my favorite channels was because there was a cell
phone tower blocking the signal. Apparently
this tower was built overnight by some very speedy, hardworking gentlemen,
because there certainly wasn’t any interference from anything or anybody for
the several weeks, even years prior.
But, just in case, my DVR box was
rebooted and rebooted. I think three
times in all by the secret signal direct from the provider. Then, a short time later and while watching
Fox news, the poor news anchor was left with her mouth hanging open while my
DVR box rebooted itself with no request from me or anybody else. Half an hour later it rebooted itself again.
Another call to Canada produced
even less joy. It seems no one in that
vast country could fathom why my DVR box would do that. You know you’re in real trouble when the best
the customer service person can offer is: ‘gee, I’m not sure why it does that.’
Finally, it was determined that an
actual technical person would have to present himself at my house to fix the
problem. Of course that couldn’t happen
for at least two weeks. So now
what? I know there are a gazillion other
channels to watch, but I love all the shows that are broadcast on the
channel that doesn’t work, so bite me!
I guess I’ll just have to stay grumpy
until the cable guy arrives and fixes what I’m sure will be something
incredibly simple. Either that or spend
more time with my Kindle. Not a bad idea
at all eh?
I can sympathize. Sometimes situations like these make you want to pull out your hair.
ReplyDeleteYou've seen my hair Stephen...perhaps pulling some of it out would be a good thing!
DeleteDid you EVEN TRY whacking the side of the cable box? Do they not teach basic cable repair in the Islands? Oh btw...which island?
ReplyDeleteHa.ha.ha. I don't even know what a phillips head screwdriver looks like, how would I know to whack a cable box...with what? As to island...see my sister's smartie answer below :)
DeleteWhich island? Well with your Australian accent you could have had some fun with her and said "The very big one down south next to New Zealand."
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! Except I really do want to have this jolly thing fixed...preferably this year :)
DeleteI empathise with you - our 'free-to-air' digital broadcast has always been 'iffy' during the midweek days. We could never figure out why and our national telecomm provider reckoned we were crazy and there was no problem, I eventually deduced it was a 'signal problem' and called in our friendly TV aerial guy who promptly diagnosed the problem - a school adjacent to our home turned on its fluorescent lighting and that was enough (Hundreds of fluoro tubes going on at once and running all day with their own transformers and starter switches) to interfere with our signal.
ReplyDeleteWe are now on the list for satellite digital dish installation approval and although it will cost us to install it our problem will be solved.
Every time I think I have an insurmountable problem, someone has a bigger, better one...good luck John. Hope you get your satellite dish and soon :)
DeleteIt'z always the channel we watch most, isn't it? Hope it gets sorted out soon, in the meanwhile be adventurous and do some channel-hopping. :-)
ReplyDeleteI guess I'll have to Perpetua. But all the new season 'favorites' are just starting and I'll miss most of them...bummer. On the other hand I'm still plowing (and I do mean plowing..as in thick mud) through War & Peace..perhaps I'll get it finished while waiting for the cable guy :)
DeleteStay cool my friend, stay cool.
ReplyDeleteAt least you could understand the words she was saying even if they did not make much sense.
I'm on satellite and every time there is a thunderstorm I loose my signal. Nothing I can do about that.
Oh dear...hope JohnD above doesn't read your comment. He's waiting for a satellite dish installation...and he lives out in the country! Aren't thunderstorms a bit more crazy there?
DeleteHello Astrid - I was going to mention the same things as Irene. At least you could understand the 'brand' of english spoken by the person unlike some of the 'helpers' we end up speaking to who are on the subcontinent.
ReplyDeletedon't worry too much - if it doesn't get fixeed soon at least you can catch up on your reading!
Too true Cathy. My Kindle will be smoking!
DeleteTV companies can make you crazy! We had so many issues when we moved. That whole put your DVR in a box and move is not as simple as they say it is. :(
ReplyDeleteI hope your's gets fixed soon.
Me too. I'm practically counting down the days until the techie arrives. Hope he can figure it all out though :)
DeleteOh I hate to deal with the cable company. Hubby started say trading and can't live without his internet so I get to sit back and let him take of the problem. Hallelujah!
ReplyDeleteI must admit I've been lucky. This is the first time there's been any kind of problem. Here's hoping it's also the last :)
DeleteG'day Astrid. Great post. As I am sure you know, it happens here too in the beautiful land of Oz. We ring for assistance and get someone in another country, not to mention the fact that I have trouble understanding them and have to keep asking them to repeat themselves.Very frustrating to say the least.Good luck. I hope they fix your problem. Take care. Liz...
ReplyDeleteI know Liz...at least someone in Canada is better than someone sitting on a mat in India...but not much better. They still can't seem to help.:)
DeleteWell, you could always leave incisive comments on my dusty little blog.
ReplyDeleteAh,Ilion, if only I could figure out some incisive comments. Told you your posts are way too intellectual for me. But I do read them!
DeleteIf my posts tend to be "way too intellectual for you", then why not ask incisive questions and so help me learn to write in a way that isn't?
Delete