Thanks. Of course, there might be details that have been left out, but if he’s just talking about the usual horrible fast-food coffee, they should develop thicker skins and brew fresher decaf. That story’s awful—and did you see the *comment count*? OMG, Canada has an opinion on Timmy’s, for sure.

Heather,

Hello, you!

Sister, meet everybody. Everybody, meet my sister. Now I will never again be able to use my famed 2 1/2-years’-running-gag that no one in my entire family has ever read the MCE blog except The Kid.

No doubt their wages are an issue, but bad information is bad information, and in fact the first two CSRs were very nice. (Much nicer than anyone at my regular phone company, but that’s another rant.) They were, sadly, dead wrong—and so was their literature—and no wage increase would cure that. Verizon’s got some work to do.

All,

The folks at Target, known to long time readers as one of my favorite Big Boys, did indeed take back the phone—and the extra minutes card I’d purchased, then torn so it would fit into my wallet—with zero hassle.

All’s well that ends with helpful people and an easy return!

Until later,

Kelly

Hopefully the Rogers phone did the job. We were talking about you today at lunch today — Happy Valentines Day to both you and The Kid.

Hopefully, somebody dug you out before you got home to 30+ inches of snow!

To your massive success,

Heather

http://bit.ly/airuJL

I heard the story on the news and instantly thought of you.

How about, “Verizon, Take My Call” for you song title?
Stacey Cornelius´s latest blog… Make the most of your down time

Today, finally, I’ll meet the Bonhomme sign him on to the project, then I’ll see if I can hook up with my favorite musician to get this thing going.

“Verizon sucks in Canada” doesn’t have the same ring to it, though, does it. Hmm…

(Oops, did I say that?)

Later,

Kelly

Well.

Do you happen to know any songwriters? I’m imagining a music video with Bonhomme dancing around while you set fire to said cellphone, complete with an appropriately attired backup band.

I’m thinking of Dave Carroll’s adventure with United Airlines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

A music video would go beautifully with this post.
Stacey Cornelius´s latest blog… Become a champion for your art

Since it was not my telecomm folks, and since you wrote it with a much better sense of humour than I have right now, yes. LOL, it did indeed make me feel better. That’s why I’m sticking with my regular company in the States; they may have a weird rule about not calling from CAN, but at least they get daily stuff done without needing your guide.

Alex,

I will be demanding a refund, for sure, but I have hives now thinking about how unlikely getting one is. If I don’t get one, they’re going to hear me all the way back here in QC, for sure.

And yes, The Kid is so excited about the Bonhomme you would not believe!

James,

I’d almost love that but I can’t call home! Waaa!

Graham,

Rogers is a problem? LOL, they’re being recommended highly around here.

What kills me is my standards are pretty low. The worst thing in the world is fine if it’ll make call to the States for a few days. Do what I bought it for and we’ll never talk to each other, people. Yet this is too much to ask.

In the States, these no-contract phones are known as… how to put this diplomatically… drug-dealer phones. (Was that diplomatic?) I wondered while I was having the third call whether the people they set up in the CS department are so useless because of the people they’re expecting to serve.

Worst is, a friend of a friend owns a franchise for a competitor and he tells me these throwaway phones are their *biggest* seller. If they contribute the most to the bottom line, I’d have my best CS people licking boots on the help line, and who cares what your expectations of your customers are?

As Graham says—if you’re listening, Sprint, Net10, Verizon & co., I am definitely available with inside and outside perspective at the ready. Let’s Maximize your Customer Experience… or at least lift it out of the Tuscon cellar.

Regards,

Kelly

There will be a Vacation Rant #2. (Maybe even a #3 and #4…)

The funny part is that the CS guy was almost blaming you for being in Canada. It’s like, hey, you walked into the “Here there be dragons…” part of the map, so what do you expect? (And French-speaking dragons, no less. You should have shouted a few “Pouvez-vous m’entendre maintenant?”‘s at him.)

I’ve experienced that more than once talking to CSRs in the States, the “well, you’re in Canada — do you think that we can provide services to *all* third-world countries?” vibe, laced with a little bit of pity on my poor soul.

Of course in your case, you have a little bit of leverage in the fact that you are (or were…) a Verizon customer. But then again, cell phone companies in general don’t seem to care about retaining customers. Did they skip the day they taught it’s cheaper to keep a current customer than find a new one? They sure keep pouring money into those prime-time ads…

You need to sell your services to one of these guys Kelly! Get them to straighten up and fly straight! Maybe you’d even get a free cell phone out of the deal — you know, the ones they keep behind the counter that *do* work cross-border…

(Hope that phone issues aside, you’re enjoying your vaca!)

~Graham

Muahahahha!

Enjoy Carnaval with Bonnehomme!
Alex Fayle ¡ Someday Syndrome´s latest blog… Resolving to Be Happier: The Happiness Project

Try http://www.stupiditymanagement.com/the-complete-idiots-guide-to-finding-your-arse-with-both-hands/ to see if it makes you feel any better )