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I didn't think I'd have to send out grades before the start of the school year, but here we are. A bit of a preface: I'm moving to be closer to my new job, and I am in the process of getting my utilities hooked up to my new apartment. Here is my tale of woe.
First up, the Electric Company.
You first told me you didn't need to get into my building to read the meter. I took you at your word on that. Then on returning by the Ikea near my new apartment the day after you were supposed to turn on the power, I discover that no power exists!
Upon calling back, I discover that yes, you did need to get into my building to read the meter, and your meter readers did not call me when they could not complete their job. Neither did YOU. The Gas Company managed this easily enough, but I guess it was beyond you.
So now you tell me I should try to get to my new apartment, which is 35 minutes away in GOOD traffic, so that I can let in the meter people who are in the area, but are leaving in 15 minutes. During rush hour.
Awesome.
So you reschedule them to come the next day. I reinforce that they should call me when they get to the site so I can call the super and have him let in your team, because I cannot be on the site between the hours of 7:30 and 4:30 and wait for them (review: No power, middle of summer, no furniture, no food, an hour away from my residence, and, oh yeah, waiting all day). I even called back to check on something else and reinforced that point.
Come to today. No phone call comes, so I call the power company to see what's up. They, magically, have NO IDEA if power is on or not. Again, the gas company did not have this issue. They indicate that if the power was not in fact connected, that the only option is to schedule another visit...same as the last two.
So now I'm talking with the super to see if anything did happen, but I may end up having to head down to the apartment over the weekend if I get the chance. Wonderful Power company, you get a D. This assignment was due Monday, and you told me you would get it to me without a problem. If the power is not actually installed, you will fail and I will have to send a notice home to your parents.
Next up: Cable, Phone, and Internet.
I am after a bundle deal for fast internet, TV, and telephone service (cell phones only work so far). In all, the bundle deals are fantastic deals, especially in the first year. Good, because I like to save where I can. I called up a week ago, and had a wonderful chat with one of your reps, who told me I was in the area for your full services. I signed up for a deal, and waited for the confirmation of the order so I could set a date for installation (after my power had been turned on...), with delays on the power front, I wanted to ensure that they didn't show up on a day when I had no power, realize they couldn't set anything up, and go away, wasting everyone's time.
I was told on my previous call that I would receive an email shortly confirming my order. I did not. I called back the next day, just to give them a little extra time. I was told that somehow I did not apply for the television aspect of the service. Confused, I wanted to know the details. Enter phone transfer hell. Half a dozen transfers later, and I am told by the people I was supposed to be transferred to that yes, I was supposed to have television service in my area.
At this point, I'm mad, I'm frustrated, and generally irritated. I call back and am on the verge of becoming a prime example of SC incarnate. I am connected to one of the people I had talked to early, and laid out my problem as completely as I could, including my adventure into phone transfer hell, and my general exasperation of being told two different things. The man on the other end of the line was extremely helpful, but confirmed that yes, Television service was not available, and in fact, the internet connection I thought I was getting was not, in fact, what I would be receiving.
Apparently the phone service I had been dealing with up until this point was a third party organization, not the ISP itself, and didn't have the detailed lookup the ISP had, so when they said that the ISP could service my address, they had no idea that this was in fact, not the case. So when the ISP processed the request, they downgraded everything, but nobody, it seems, saw fit to inform me of this in the process.
So I had to cancel the order, a day before I planned on getting it installed, because they couldn't give me what I ordered. Maybe I'm a bit fussy, but paying more money for less service than what was originally offered to me with an indeterminate promise of when I would get what I originally ordered.
This would have resulted in a flat out "F", but the third party organization saved face because they also work for the competing triple bundle organization in the area, hooking me up with the standard promotional rate, plus other free little bonuses in an effort to make up for the hassle. Now I'm not a fan of the company I have to deal with now, they have policies concerning their networks that I frankly do not agree with, and while I'm honestly upset with the original company that offered me a deal that didn't exist, I'm likely to go right back to them the moment they get access to my new place.
Final grade: C+ Late, disappointing, but the makeup assignment brought the grade up considerably.
Finally, the Gas Company. In comparison, there is little comparison. Helpful, efficient, and communicative. An A, very nicely done, keep up the good work.
Seriously, why is this so process so difficult? Why can't power companies know what their agents do or do not do? Why can't Internet Providers tell me flat out yes or no right off the bat when they can provide for me or not? Is there something I'm missing? Was I overly sucky in some way shape or form? I'm honestly quite exasperated at the end of today. Seriously, I feel like
First up, the Electric Company.
You first told me you didn't need to get into my building to read the meter. I took you at your word on that. Then on returning by the Ikea near my new apartment the day after you were supposed to turn on the power, I discover that no power exists!
Upon calling back, I discover that yes, you did need to get into my building to read the meter, and your meter readers did not call me when they could not complete their job. Neither did YOU. The Gas Company managed this easily enough, but I guess it was beyond you.
So now you tell me I should try to get to my new apartment, which is 35 minutes away in GOOD traffic, so that I can let in the meter people who are in the area, but are leaving in 15 minutes. During rush hour.
Awesome.
So you reschedule them to come the next day. I reinforce that they should call me when they get to the site so I can call the super and have him let in your team, because I cannot be on the site between the hours of 7:30 and 4:30 and wait for them (review: No power, middle of summer, no furniture, no food, an hour away from my residence, and, oh yeah, waiting all day). I even called back to check on something else and reinforced that point.
Come to today. No phone call comes, so I call the power company to see what's up. They, magically, have NO IDEA if power is on or not. Again, the gas company did not have this issue. They indicate that if the power was not in fact connected, that the only option is to schedule another visit...same as the last two.
So now I'm talking with the super to see if anything did happen, but I may end up having to head down to the apartment over the weekend if I get the chance. Wonderful Power company, you get a D. This assignment was due Monday, and you told me you would get it to me without a problem. If the power is not actually installed, you will fail and I will have to send a notice home to your parents.
Next up: Cable, Phone, and Internet.
I am after a bundle deal for fast internet, TV, and telephone service (cell phones only work so far). In all, the bundle deals are fantastic deals, especially in the first year. Good, because I like to save where I can. I called up a week ago, and had a wonderful chat with one of your reps, who told me I was in the area for your full services. I signed up for a deal, and waited for the confirmation of the order so I could set a date for installation (after my power had been turned on...), with delays on the power front, I wanted to ensure that they didn't show up on a day when I had no power, realize they couldn't set anything up, and go away, wasting everyone's time.
I was told on my previous call that I would receive an email shortly confirming my order. I did not. I called back the next day, just to give them a little extra time. I was told that somehow I did not apply for the television aspect of the service. Confused, I wanted to know the details. Enter phone transfer hell. Half a dozen transfers later, and I am told by the people I was supposed to be transferred to that yes, I was supposed to have television service in my area.
At this point, I'm mad, I'm frustrated, and generally irritated. I call back and am on the verge of becoming a prime example of SC incarnate. I am connected to one of the people I had talked to early, and laid out my problem as completely as I could, including my adventure into phone transfer hell, and my general exasperation of being told two different things. The man on the other end of the line was extremely helpful, but confirmed that yes, Television service was not available, and in fact, the internet connection I thought I was getting was not, in fact, what I would be receiving.
Apparently the phone service I had been dealing with up until this point was a third party organization, not the ISP itself, and didn't have the detailed lookup the ISP had, so when they said that the ISP could service my address, they had no idea that this was in fact, not the case. So when the ISP processed the request, they downgraded everything, but nobody, it seems, saw fit to inform me of this in the process.
So I had to cancel the order, a day before I planned on getting it installed, because they couldn't give me what I ordered. Maybe I'm a bit fussy, but paying more money for less service than what was originally offered to me with an indeterminate promise of when I would get what I originally ordered.
This would have resulted in a flat out "F", but the third party organization saved face because they also work for the competing triple bundle organization in the area, hooking me up with the standard promotional rate, plus other free little bonuses in an effort to make up for the hassle. Now I'm not a fan of the company I have to deal with now, they have policies concerning their networks that I frankly do not agree with, and while I'm honestly upset with the original company that offered me a deal that didn't exist, I'm likely to go right back to them the moment they get access to my new place.
Final grade: C+ Late, disappointing, but the makeup assignment brought the grade up considerably.
Finally, the Gas Company. In comparison, there is little comparison. Helpful, efficient, and communicative. An A, very nicely done, keep up the good work.
Seriously, why is this so process so difficult? Why can't power companies know what their agents do or do not do? Why can't Internet Providers tell me flat out yes or no right off the bat when they can provide for me or not? Is there something I'm missing? Was I overly sucky in some way shape or form? I'm honestly quite exasperated at the end of today. Seriously, I feel like
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