Phones and Moans.

I was going to write about another topic today but I just have to get this moan off my chest. I love this country but sometimes the laissez-faire attitude to Customer Service [or lack of it] can drive you to distraction.

Last Wednesday evening we realized that our phoneline was out. The next morning after checking that the actual phones were okay I phoned France Telecom. We have a mobile but it's only for emergencies as the signal in the house is very poor so you have to stand outside to get a reliable signal. For this reason we have a minimun "abonnement" which gives us 10 minutes of free calls each month, if we use more than that the calls are VERY expensive!!!! I explained the problem and was told that no-one could call that day but it would be on the Friday. So we stayed in all day Friday but?????? yes you guessed it no-one came. I phoned on Saturday morning and got a text message to my mobile that the line had been repaired. Of course I rushed back indoors to try the phone NOTHING!!!!!!! So back outside and phone again, now if you call from a landline it's a free call but if it's a mobile there is a charge. And like any other company a lot of it is automated, press this no. put in your no. etc etc, then you wait to speak to a human. And you wait and you wait and you wait. The OH bought me a chair and a cup of tea and was on hand with an umbrella as it was threatening to rain. FINALLY I talk to someone.
He thinks the line has been re-established aswell. I have to convince him that it's still not working, and that no-one came the previous day. I ask, can a technician call today? Oh dear me no it's Saturday. He makes an appointment for 8.30 a.m. Monday morning. Fine, we've got friends round for a meal on Sunday evening but hey I can do it.

Late to bed Sunday but I'm up at 8 the next morning, the chap finally arrives at about ELEVEN!!!! Okay never mind now we can have our phone back [oh and the internet has been playing up aswell] He's as miserable as sin and he can't fix the problem, he will be back next morning with the part he needs.

Tuesday morning he comes back with the part but it still doesn't fix the problem, he will have to call out a specialist team to check the line. Okay when will they come? He doesn't know but it won't be that day. So we have to stay in on the off chance that they might turn up!!!! He tells us not to worry the line will be fixed as if that should be enough to placate us. We have already been without a phone for FIVE DAYS!!!!

Wednesday morning at about 9.30 the dogs are making a noise, the OH goes outside to investigate and finds a Telecom truck STUCK in the grass verge. We have a concrete turning area but they had decided to do a three point turn in the road and were stuck. So OH has to get the tractor and pull them out!!! But they are very friendly and say that the line should be okay now, they had found a break and mended it, They were just off to check further up the road and would phone to verify the line.

We went indoors and the phone worked for about FIVE MINUTES then it went off again.!!! The OH decided to drive up the lane to find the Telecom truck, he found them halfway to the village working on what was apparently a fuse box. A fuse had blown aswell as the other problems, is this unusual the OH asks them. OH NO they say the CHASSE [HUNT] often shoot out the lines or fuses. Only slightly worrying if you think that the lines all run alongside the road!!!!!

Nevermind we have the phone back and the internet connection seems to back to normal. Now all I have to do is have a good moan at France Telecom about their appalling service, although I know from past experience that it's like water off a CANARD'S BACK.

Well I feel better for getting that off my chest, back to normal service for the next post, unless someone else annoy's me.