Thursday

Thursday




So, though the Iranian government denies it ever occured, a bomb of some sort, or a grenade (several different stories about what, exactly, it was) was thrown at or set off while that president's entourage was driving through. Obviously it missed. Too bad, really........



So, yesterday I decided to get on the phone. I hate calling these large corporations. It takes forever, it just sucks. The first phone call to Qwest communications which is supplying me internet service. Phillipines (I don't want to talk to you, please put me on with an American call-center)(also said that unless they were going to board a plane to Phoenix, AZ, they pretty much need to deal me back to America); to Utah, there I asked to speak to a manager and refused to give the operator any information, 15 more minute wait, a woman gets on the phone. I can hear kids screaming in the background. ???Daycare IN the office? She calls me back - the line was going from here to Philippines back to Salt Lake. Turns out she was at home and had received a call to deal with me since I had been waiting so long.



Great. Long story. My internet is not working as fast as the amount that I am paying for, fix it. She was nice, didn't give her a hard time, gave me her personal cell number - I have been debating quitting the service for a while now - they still haven't buried the temporary line that has been replaced several times by Qwest techs. The line has been promised to be buried at least half a dozen times now.



Done with that call, I get a call from McDonald's. The smug woman, so-called manager, who thought she was going to get away with treating me like s*** at the drive-thru window got a taste of her own medicine. That's because I both wrote and called corporate to complain about this woman's extremely rude behavior. She ATE it and had to apologize. The store's general manager offered a free meal. Well, I'm on a diet and I only go there for coffee, but what the hey, I'll take that free meal and give it to one of the boys.


I then called Dish Network, the satellite company that I am haphazardly thinking about switching to. I asked them specific questions about costs - the cost of a DVR, the recording fee price and the amount I will be charged per month for each box. No answer, instead, going into the plans they have. NO, thank you, I didn't ask you that. I was connected to someone else who also couldn't, apparently, understand clear, concise english and was eventually transferred to a manager. This guy was professional, polite and courteous. He explained everything and the cost in great detail. I said thank you for your time and the info and hung up, immediately calling Direct TV.



Another unwanted trip to the Philippine islands and having to "force" my way back to the U.S. and yes, I bypassed the operator that answered because I know they can and will do nothing for me. TOO much experience on the phone with this company.



Another professional and courteous manager got on the phone, so I frankly told him what I was thinking of doing - switching - and I was comparing costs. He broke down my costs as the stand right now - I have fully 5 different discounts going because of the numerous phone calls I have made asking for such, plus free movie channels. He replied that it was a "breath of fresh air" to get someone on the phone that wasn't trying to hide the obvious fact that you are considering switching to another company. I said what is there to hide? This is the free market.



My cost? $72 per month, right now. That is a smoking deal for 6 receivers, DVR plus package and movie channels. But, it is not going to stay that way forever, obviously, and I will either have to keep calling and demanding the same discounts be reapplied or - switch. I told him that I would consider signing another 2 year contract if my rate would be kept at that price AND I get new equipment. He replied that when these deals are gone, that is the time to write to corporate and tell them that I am going to switch unless they do something.



Okay, good advice, I haven't tried that before, I usually just make as many phone calls as it takes. Any way about it, I do want NEW equipment, all of it replaced. That stuff doesn't last forever and when it goes bad, their stuff isn't exactly free.



Well, I've burned up another pre-work morning's worth of time.



G'day.