Room 101

[time 8,595]

"Live Chat", particularly as the primary/only means of contact for customer service. Spent 45+ minutes "live chatting" to different "customer experience operatives" to sort out an invoicing problem that would have taken 5 minutes over the phone.

 

Just because you can etc, etc.

[ladyfiona 2,577]

2 hours ago, time said:

"Live Chat", particularly as the primary/only means of contact for customer service. Spent 45+ minutes "live chatting" to different "customer experience operatives" to sort out an invoicing problem that would have taken 5 minutes over the phone.

 

Just because you can etc, etc.

 

And it's most likely an AI robot in India because the company wanted to cut costs and remove half the customer service staff who were there before covid.

[Father Brown 209]

I’d like to include the ones on shopping websites that feel like popping up and being annoying when I’m trying to browse.

 

No, I don’t want your help, it’s driving me away from your site if anything!

[time 8,595]

5 hours ago, ladyfiona said:

 

And it's most likely an AI robot in India because the company wanted to cut costs and remove half the customer service staff who were there before covid.

At least today's experience was with actual humans, either that or AI Bots have come a long way  (or my perceptiveness has deteriorated rapidly - could be either tbh).

[En Passant 3,741]

9 hours ago, time said:

"Live Chat", particularly as the primary/only means of contact for customer service. Spent 45+ minutes "live chatting" to different "customer experience operatives" to sort out an invoicing problem that would have taken 5 minutes over the phone.

 

Just because you can etc, etc.

 

I wish I were as certain, I've had experiences on the phone where I should have stayed with the chat-bot, it made more sense.

[time 8,595]

6 hours ago, En Passant said:

 

I wish I were as certain, I've had experiences on the phone where I should have stayed with the chat-bot, it made more sense.

Good point, but in this particular case, the organisation concerned used to have a customer helpline which was very efficient.

 

Conversely I've also had experiences where I've been on hold for 45+ minutes before the call is even answered (we're experiencing a higher volume of calls than usual (bullshit), your call is important to us (evidence suggests otherwise)).

[En Passant 3,741]

1 hour ago, time said:

Conversely I've also had experiences where I've been on hold for 45+ minutes before the call is even answered (we're experiencing a higher volume of calls than usual (bullshit), your call is important to us (evidence suggests otherwise)).

 

Strange how this invariably happens only with monopolistic corporations where you have no choice or the service, complaints or cancellation departments of those where you do.

Sales of course will be answered in 3 rings and by somebody who can spell GCSE.

[Toast 16,131]

I'm currently having email exchanges with Ticketbastard's so-called "Fan Support".  This follows unproductive intercourse with their chat bots.

Everything comes back to the Ticketmaster App.  Without it you are seemingly fucked.

Their app requires a minimum of iOS16.  My phone is up to its maximum OS which is 15.  So I can't get their app.

 

There's no paper ticket option. I've asked them repeatedly what happens if there's a connectivity problem, which often happens at big venues.

"Use the app" is the response. I've already told them I can't get the app.

Now they say I can transfer tickets to Apple or Google wallet. But the helpful instructions tell you how to transfer them from the fucking app, not my online account.

Waiting to see what they come up with next.  They'll probably tell me to use the app.

[En Passant 3,741]

28 minutes ago, Toast said:

My phone is up to its maximum OS which is 15

 

That of course is a whole other room 101. Nothing wrong with the last 3 smartphones I had, all just ran out of updates. Sure there's a few functionalities on later ones that I didn't have before but I wouldn't have paid the amount I did to get them. The last one was forced by my bank app not running because Android security updates were no longer being applied. 

I don't much care for google, but at least the pixel8 I got this time has 7+ years of O/S updates guaranteed and a bit beyond that for security ones I guess. Apple is normally better but for the cost of the things they should be.

[Sod's Law 445]

59 minutes ago, En Passant said:

 

That of course is a whole other room 101. Nothing wrong with the last 3 smartphones I had, all just ran out of updates. Sure there's a few functionalities on later ones that I didn't have before but I wouldn't have paid the amount I did to get them. The last one was forced by my bank app not running because Android security updates were no longer being applied. 

I don't much care for google, but at least the pixel8 I got this time has 7+ years of O/S updates guaranteed and a bit beyond that for security ones I guess. Apple is normally better but for the cost of the things they should be.

It's six years for iPhones, I believe. Both Google and Samsung made pledges of seven years of updates on their latest phones only this year. Although the way they're pushed out on Android is very different from iOS. Play Store updates are completely separated from general OS updates so you could technically run a phone with a very old version of Android as your everyday phone and most of the apps would still work fine (unlike iOS apps which normally require the latest software release). As you say, it's the banking apps cutting off support that pushes people to upgrade. 

[ladyfiona 2,577]

5 hours ago, Toast said:

I'm currently having email exchanges with Ticketbastard's so-called "Fan Support".  This follows unproductive intercourse with their chat bots.

Everything comes back to the Ticketmaster App.  Without it you are seemingly fucked.

Their app requires a minimum of iOS16.  My phone is up to its maximum OS which is 15.  So I can't get their app.

 

There's no paper ticket option. I've asked them repeatedly what happens if there's a connectivity problem, which often happens at big venues.

"Use the app" is the response. I've already told them I can't get the app.

Now they say I can transfer tickets to Apple or Google wallet. But the helpful instructions tell you how to transfer them from the fucking app, not my online account.

Waiting to see what they come up with next.  They'll probably tell me to use the app.

 

And this is why I mainly buy tickets using AXS. Nothing but positive experiences with them and it's easier to get tickets at the 9am rush.

[Toast 16,131]

56 minutes ago, ladyfiona said:

And this is why I mainly buy tickets using AXS. Nothing but positive experiences with them and it's easier to get tickets at the 9am rush.

 

AXS weren't selling these though.  There isn't always a choice.

[TQR 14,386]

Maybe I'm just reaching the age where I'm losing touch with the language of the yoof, but all this 'skibidi' stuff is a load of shite.

[Master Obit 828]

The month first date format. It's a truly horrible system and I can't understand why anyone would use it. 

[Toast 16,131]

1 hour ago, Master Obit said:

The month first date format. It's a truly horrible system and I can't understand why anyone would use it. 

 

I think it was convenient for the old-fashioned filing cabinet system, where you would locate the month first and then go through it for the day.

[time 8,595]

4 hours ago, TQR said:

Maybe I'm just reaching the age where I'm losing touch with the language of the yoof, but all this 'skibidi' stuff is a load of shite.

Cool beans.

[TQR 14,386]

53 minutes ago, time said:

Cool beans.

 

Oh dear.

[Master Obit 828]

1 hour ago, Toast said:

 

I think it was convenient for the old-fashioned filing cabinet system, where you would locate the month first and then go through it for the day.

Even then, you'd locate the year first. Year-month-day I'm fairly fine with because it also makes logical sense (it's still ordered), though I think it looks a bit clunky. What I take exception to is the month coming before the day and the year, which makes no logical sense at all and looks horrible. The day comes in the month which comes in the year. 

[TQR 14,386]

[Sod's Law 445]

4 hours ago, Master Obit said:

The month first date format. It's a truly horrible system and I can't understand why anyone would use it. 

I hate it. I have to deal with forms for work that automatically upload dates onto Excel in the mm/dd/yy system but my workplace wants them in the dd/mm/yy system and I have to manually retype each one in the correct order, which is tedious and takes precious time away from much more high priority stuff. I don't care that this stupid dating system came first, along with Fahrenheit and not pronouncing the 'h' in 'herb'. That doesn't automatically mean that it makes more sense and anyone should stick with it.

[Sod's Law 445]

6 hours ago, TQR said:

Maybe I'm just reaching the age where I'm losing touch with the language of the yoof, but all this 'skibidi' stuff is a load of shite.

Was just in a department store in Lincoln where they started playing 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' by Tears for Fears over the sound system and a gang of about seven 12 year olds randomly started yelling out the lyrics at the top of their lungs. I've only just googled it and found out it features in those Skibidi Toilet skits on YouTube which are like crack for kids in that age group now. 

[En Passant 3,741]

7 hours ago, TQR said:

Maybe I'm just reaching the age where I'm losing touch with the language of the yoof, but all this 'skibidi' stuff is a load of shite.

 

First time I've even seen the word, so you're not old until you don't even know what something like this is (fortunately I'm guessing if it's shite, and I'm not looking it up to affirm that).

[time 8,595]

8 hours ago, TQR said:

Maybe I'm just reaching the age where I'm losing touch with the language of the yoof, but all this 'skibidi' stuff is a load of shite.

 

4 hours ago, time said:

Cool beans.

Just to clarify, I have no idea what skibidi is either (I initially thought of Cab Callloway, but not sure how relevant he would be to the yoof!), but I was in the ame boat when 'cool beans' was popular vernacular. Still no idea what it means!

[Master Obit 828]

All this lunch/dinner crap. I resent the fact I'm constantly having to switch between the two to get people to understand that I'm referring to the midday meal. Can't we just decide upon a standard name for it across Britain? 

 

I grew up in a very working-class, northern household - you had breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper. If I use dinner in the environment I work in (an industry where a lot of the people I work with are based down south/grew up a bit more privileged than I did), then they'll think I'm referring to the evening meal. If I use lunch within earshot of any of my relatives, they'll lambast me for being "posh" when I was "raised a northerner". 

 

What's the split on here? Is it lunch, or is it dinner?

[ladyfiona 2,577]

11 minutes ago, Master Obit said:

What's the split on here? Is it lunch, or is it dinner?

 

As someone raised in an area which is affluent where old and new money lives, but who have parents/relatives who used to live in Croydon and working class. This is what i've been taught. My grandmother was Irish and grandfather was Scottish, but as far as i'm aware they never taught me different.

 

Breakfast - First meal of the day to set you up. Could be anything from toast, full English or cereal etc

Elevenses - Morning snack or tea (drink) if feeling peckish.

Lunch - Small meal from 12-2pm roughly where usually have a sandwich or something light

Tea - Light snack or a break for...well tea and biscuits. Similar to elevenses.

Dinner - Last meal of the day anytime from 5pm to 8pm (later if going out to eat).