One of the challenges I continue to face is the loss of patience and I will admit civility on my part when dealing with the support systems for large bureaucratic companies that I have to deal with.Two instances yesterday.
The first was underway because we received a notice of service termination from our electrical provider. I checked our data. We paid the bill on the 28th. It had to travel from Houston to Dallas. I saw that it was deducted from the bank account on the 4th. I called to inquire and it took 16 minutes of my time to get through to someone and discuss the issue. It appears that they farm the payment services out and the subcontractor got behind on payment entry. I told them that I did not ever want to see another notice like this and set their bill up on auto payment. Now I have to go in monthly to my credit card and schedule the bill payment. Power to choosenincludesnthenpower to change.
The second has been the dragon slaying with the insurance company. The severance package included 2 months of subsidized insurance before I had to purchase the COBRA at full weight. The insurance company would not tell me what the subsided rate would be. First you have to accept the agreement then they will send you the revised cost. Nothing wrong with that picture is there?
Finally got the agreement that the subsidy was available and what it was. Still they have no way to send you a payment schedule etc. Someone had planned my departure from the company, but somewhere in the communication, the ball was dropped and I was provided with two different sets of information. Their poor communication left and continues to leave us without coverage until they actually get the account credited which even with electronic bank draft (which I pay a surcharge for) will take another week.
It doesn’t take long when you first have to work the touch tone computer operator to get access to a human for the frustration to build. You are calling for a reason and the Corporation fobs you off to computer assisted purgatory. You are on neglect waiting to talk to a human and are being reminded that you can also access the website. This might be acceptable if there was a decent FAQ or help index, but no, more often than not you are the first one with this problem ( or at least so you will be told by a human).
When you finally get to a human, located in some third world call center, you find them limited to a flow chart or script and have to argue about getting the issue accelerate/elevated to the next level(s) until you find one empowered enough to be able to help. Then you discover that the solution will not be completely satisfactory, but it is as good as it gets. At this point I am very less than pleasant. I am that very very rude fellow. I ask for they programmers thumbs so they cannot be on the keyboard again. I declare war and do not take prisoners from the front ranks. I want my hand on the throat of the decision maker.
Then occasionally you find the right person who understands the level of frustration foisted on you by the poor design, documentation, or unilateral decision of the parent company and is willing to help you resolve the issue. More than once in conversation with these few, you actually hear sympathy. You realize that they too would man the barricades and put the petty tyrants in the upper.1% up against the wall. They too fight the dragon.
It's all good so far 