The Bad and The Ugly

So, I know it probably reads like my life is all happiness and roses these days ... and to be fair it mostly is, certainly in comparison to last year, in my opinion. But then you get days like yesterday :(

You know what kills me, relying on other people. And it's not that I'm some super feminist or out to prove anything by being self-reliant or anything like that. It's mostly the incompetence of other people and the stress and frustration that having to rely on other people brings me.

One word for you, Telkom. and to be fair, they screwed up my Monday, not my Tuesday. But they certainly frustrate me to the point of tears. Because there's nothing I find more frustrating than not being able to do anything to fix a situation. I want internet at home. Not such a tall order, I would've thought. But here's the thing. I placed my order telephonically with Telkom on the 1st of February. And I must say that on majority thruout this process their call-center staff have been friendly and helpful (let me rather say I have perceived them as helpful because they honestly haven't really done anything helpful!). I specifically asked that they write a note on my order saying I lived 3 minutes away from work so could the technician please phone me when he got to my house and I'd be right there to let him in.

A few days later I got an sms saying that the technician would be coming round on Friday the 12th. 2 weeks after ordering, but who's counting. After not another word from Telkom (I was told I'd be called to confirm my appointment) I called them on the 11th to find out if they were indeed coming the next day. Yes ma'am they will. Okay fab, could you also please confirm that it says they should phone me because I live 3 minutes away from work and will come home and let them in. Yes it does. Awesome.

On that Friday, around midday I called to find out what sort of time I could expect the technician (having not heard a word yet). And I was told he'd be there after 12h30. Fab. And he has the instructions I left to call me when he arrives. Yes he does. A little later, I got a call from my land-lady's home-office saying that Telkom was there for me. Fuming I went home, demanding why I hadn't been called directly "Oh no, I don't have your phone number". The dude checks everything out and tells me the cable guys need to connect me up to the exchange before he can do anything more. Biggest fattest waste of 10 minutes of my life :P Apparently this shoudl take the cable guys 2-3 days. And yes, next time he'll call me when he arrives.

So the following Wednesday (last Wednesday to be exact and 3 working days later) I call Telkom to say well now, what on earth is the progress (if any?). Oh yes, ma'am, they'll be round your place on Monday (22nd). Perfect. And this time they will call me, right? Yes ma'am they will.

Well on Monday I eventually called them around midday again ... to find out what was potting. Oh no, the technician has already been round and nobody was home. EXCUSE ME?!?!

So now, I shoot to the back of the queue again and wait my turn for their technician to visit again. I'm sure you can feel my mounting frustration? And this new call-center lady tells me I have to tell the technicians, when they call to confirm their appointment, to phone me. I've yet to ever be called by their technicians to confirm an appointment (so this time I'm not calling back because apparently if I do and am told by the call-center when they're coming that counts as a confirmation and then they don't bother to call you). She's also put some kind of "escalation" into effect about calling me when they arrive. Lawd know what this'll do and she got very flustered when I tried to press her about what the process would be when they yet again didn't follow simple instructions, apparently only then can I speak to a supervisor :P

So you see, I'm frustrated because I have taken every possible measure to ensure this happens smoothly and it hasn't. I've now gone so far as to investigate the possibility of Neotel (erm no, because I don't want a 24-month contract nor can I FICA myself ... yet another rant) and iBurst (which you need an existing Phone and ADSL line for their ADSL service and their wireless service is only one step up from poor in my area). There is nothing I can do to advance my internet-less-ness, but wait until Telkom deigns to come to the party. Talk about feeling completely powerless.

And on that topic, I don't understand Telkom. I mean sure, I could understand if their after sales service was crap, they have the monopoly and you'd already be paying them monthly so why bother. But seriously folks, here I am, desperate to give you money every month. And you just don't seem to want it. Which brings me back to my house-hunt. As I've said, I've found the place I plan to buy. I'm all ready set to go, sign papers and pay in a sizeable deposit on the place. But do you think I've heard from the Estate Agent, or that she has managed to get me an appointment to see the actual unit I want to buy? She can't get hold of the tenant. Lady, it's been just over a week since I told you I wish to purchase, do you want to make a sale or not. What irritates me is that if this is in fact the unit I wish to buy, what am I going to do, go and find another place? Just to show her? She'll no doubt eventually sell the place to someone else anyway, and I'll be missing out on a good deal. It is driving me batty with frustration. Where is the incentive to do your job? Again, another situation where all I want to do is hand over my hard earned cash and they're not letting me, and I can do nothing about it ....

And then folks, yesterday was supposed to be dining-room table delivery day. Which I'd all but lost hope of happening by 3pm when they eventually phoned. And they dutifully arrived and called me (10 points!) and proceeded to unpack my table. At which I stared at with exhaustion because inside the box was a black table, not the gorgeous light mango-wood table I'd ordered and paid for. Sigh. Do you see the kind of week I've been having?!? On the plus side they were very friendly about it and *hopefully* the correct table will be arriving later today ... hopefully.

Yesterday afternoon CollegeInstructor and I went to see The Lovely Bones. It's the first time I've been to a big-screen movie since Sherlock Holmes with Varen!

I'm absolutely positive I've read the book ... although it must've been pre-blog days. It's a decent enough movie, but helluva drawn out and more like a meandering story than something twisty-turny with a definitive outcome. On the plus side I did see some awesome trailers so am keen to get back into the movie-going spirit ... especially now that I have someone to go to the early shows with :) Nothing better than the quiet of 5 people in a 5pm cinema!