big mistake (lyn)

Yesterday morning.  Having made the discovery that I need to be more cognizant of what I eat, I am not in a good mood.  I pick up the phone around ten to call WW to get my etools re-installed so I can begin tracking again.   There is no dial tone.  I check the connection.  It’s fine.  I think maybe my last caller didn’t disconnect.  I wait and try again.  Still no dial tone.  I use my cell to call Verizon.  After 15 minutes I get through to someone.  He quizzes me first (my name, address, account number, and nature of problem) even though I have already given all this information to the automated voice.  Then the rep warns me that because I do not have repair insurance, if the problem is with my phone, I will be charged $75 for a home visit.  “Okay.  I get it.  Just please, get me to the repair department.”  I am totally exasperated and I haven’t even gotten to the right person yet.  Finally, I am put through.  I explain everything all over again (including for the third time my name, address, account number and problem).  Really, why is all this information never passed on?

The call proceeds as follows:

Unhelpful rep (UR): Okay ma’am. There seems to be a problem at the central office.  We will get someone to work on it.

Me:  Great.  When will that happen?

UR:  Well, we can only work on the lines during Safe Time.  (He says this as if I should be familiar with the term Safe Time.  Of course, I’m not, who is?).

Me:  What is Safe Time?

UR:  Oh, that’s between two and five am.  Safe time is the only time we are allowed to work on the phone lines.  That way, if other lines get compromised in the process of fixing yours, there is a good chance the other parties will not notice.

Me:  So are you telling me that the best I can hope for is that my phone will be working by tomorrow morning?

UR:  Yes, ma’am.  Is there anything else we can help you with?

With all the technology available today, I have to wait almost 24-hours to get my phone fixed?  This seems absurd.

Today I wake up and go to make a call.  There is no dial tone.  I call Verizon from my cell, and get a more intelligent rep than the one I spoke to yesterday.  I explain the problem.

Helpful Rep (HR):  Let me check into it for you. (I always love the rhetorical question that comes next).  May I place you on hold for a minute?

Me:  Sure.

HR:  I’m really sorry but it looks like the request was never sent to the right call center.  I’ll send another one through right now.

Me:  You’ve got to be kidding!  So now I have to wait until Safe Time again before they can fix it?

HR:  I’m sorry, but I’m not sure I understand.  What is Safe Time?  (I explain it).  I’ve never heard of that.  But no, they will work on it right away.

Me:  Help me understand.  Are you saying that the first rep I spoke to yesterday send the repair request to the wrong place, and then the wrong place didn’t forward it to the right place?????  That means two people screwed up.

HR:  Well, it’s all taken care of now.  Is there anything else I can help you with?

By 11, my phone is working again.  I call Weight Watchers and re-join etools for three months.