Thursday, July 06, 2006
Thank you, come Again!
My DSL modem broke. As such, I had to call Verizon to schedule a replacement. I am so angered by the level of inadequate customer service provided to me.
I am very liberal. However, I must say that while I encourage equal opportunity, I am not a huge fan of sending these customer service jobs overseas to begin with. I guess that is one price we pay for true globalization. It was originally meant as a cost-cutting measure as overseas wages were significantly lower than domestic wages, especially once benefit costs were tabulated. While Verizon's plan is supposedly aimed at saving me money, I would gladly pay more for an experience similar to that when contacting Cingular, which operates from Tennessee. I'll take a drawl over a choppy accent any day.
My call was routed to "George". George did not speak very good English, which quickly answered the question of whether I was speaking to someone stateside or in India. George could not answer my questions, he proceeded to tell me (not in so many words) that I don't know what I'm talking about. I must have ventured too far off of script. Once he realized he could not help me, it was determined that I would need a replacement modem. He struggled to deliver my home address, having no clue how to pronounce Philadelphia. PHIL-A-DEL-PHI-A! You know, one of America's LARGEST cities! Even in Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, or anywhere else from where you may be operating, you have surely heard of it. And I am surely not the first person in all of Philadelphia to require a replacement part.
I am sure that costs for the amount of time I wasted trying to bridge the apparent language barrier have now been offset by the costs it could have taken to resolve the issue (which I might add was not actually resolved) in half of the time speaking to someone who was didn't have the Verizon Script in one hand and Hooked on Phonics in the other.
I hate to cut into George too harshly though, he did give it his best shot. I'm more angered by the ineptitude of his employer. Here is my favorite part. The automated system placed me on hold, but first ran me through some potential trouble-shooting procedures. Finally, before sending me to George, they finished with the message "we're sorry you are having difficulty connecting to the internet, we will be happy to assist you. While you wait for one of our technicians, try logging on to help.verizon.net to assist you."
Correct me if I missed something here, but how is providing me with a website to troubleshoot connectivity going to help me AT ALL?
Screw you Verizon. And your little Indians too!
I am very liberal. However, I must say that while I encourage equal opportunity, I am not a huge fan of sending these customer service jobs overseas to begin with. I guess that is one price we pay for true globalization. It was originally meant as a cost-cutting measure as overseas wages were significantly lower than domestic wages, especially once benefit costs were tabulated. While Verizon's plan is supposedly aimed at saving me money, I would gladly pay more for an experience similar to that when contacting Cingular, which operates from Tennessee. I'll take a drawl over a choppy accent any day.
My call was routed to "George". George did not speak very good English, which quickly answered the question of whether I was speaking to someone stateside or in India. George could not answer my questions, he proceeded to tell me (not in so many words) that I don't know what I'm talking about. I must have ventured too far off of script. Once he realized he could not help me, it was determined that I would need a replacement modem. He struggled to deliver my home address, having no clue how to pronounce Philadelphia. PHIL-A-DEL-PHI-A! You know, one of America's LARGEST cities! Even in Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, or anywhere else from where you may be operating, you have surely heard of it. And I am surely not the first person in all of Philadelphia to require a replacement part.
I am sure that costs for the amount of time I wasted trying to bridge the apparent language barrier have now been offset by the costs it could have taken to resolve the issue (which I might add was not actually resolved) in half of the time speaking to someone who was didn't have the Verizon Script in one hand and Hooked on Phonics in the other.
I hate to cut into George too harshly though, he did give it his best shot. I'm more angered by the ineptitude of his employer. Here is my favorite part. The automated system placed me on hold, but first ran me through some potential trouble-shooting procedures. Finally, before sending me to George, they finished with the message "we're sorry you are having difficulty connecting to the internet, we will be happy to assist you. While you wait for one of our technicians, try logging on to help.verizon.net to assist you."
Correct me if I missed something here, but how is providing me with a website to troubleshoot connectivity going to help me AT ALL?
Screw you Verizon. And your little Indians too!
M.S., B.S., what do they all mean?
Well, it has been a bit too long since my last post. Almost two months! I apologize, but I had some very big events happen in my life. First and foremost, I got a new job! I start on Tuesday working for my old boss as a Marketing Manager, a step up from where I am now. On the same day she reached out to me, I also learned that I was accepted at my top Grad School choice to get an MBA.
I have always thought about the MBA as a fairly meaningless degree that most people just bought. After meeting with my counselor, however, I have learned that the program at this school is a bit more rigorous, but the end results should be a bit better too. Much of our program is geared towards Human Resource issues, producing more effective managers and leaders within an organization.
I cannot think about "human resource issues" without being reminded of all of the bad bosses I have had and have seen depicted on TV and in movies. Most recently, I saw The Devil Wears Prada, which I swear could've been written about my first boss. I'm strangely going back to work for her now, but only because we have a very successful (albeit very bizzare) love-hate working relationship.
I'm excited to see what kind of manager I will turn out to be. I hope to be fair and encouraging, but I will still need to look out for myself, which could inadvertently prove ugly. Thus, the lessons I learn in school should help me Master Being an Asshole. Isn't that what that degree is all about anyway? Afterall, I have already perfected all that was learned from my undergraduate in Bull Shit. Don't believe me? Read the rants I have posted throughout here and then see where I place my priorities!
I have always thought about the MBA as a fairly meaningless degree that most people just bought. After meeting with my counselor, however, I have learned that the program at this school is a bit more rigorous, but the end results should be a bit better too. Much of our program is geared towards Human Resource issues, producing more effective managers and leaders within an organization.
I cannot think about "human resource issues" without being reminded of all of the bad bosses I have had and have seen depicted on TV and in movies. Most recently, I saw The Devil Wears Prada, which I swear could've been written about my first boss. I'm strangely going back to work for her now, but only because we have a very successful (albeit very bizzare) love-hate working relationship.
I'm excited to see what kind of manager I will turn out to be. I hope to be fair and encouraging, but I will still need to look out for myself, which could inadvertently prove ugly. Thus, the lessons I learn in school should help me Master Being an Asshole. Isn't that what that degree is all about anyway? Afterall, I have already perfected all that was learned from my undergraduate in Bull Shit. Don't believe me? Read the rants I have posted throughout here and then see where I place my priorities!
