How am I doing this morning, questions Facebook. Are you certain you want an answer, FB? OK — here goes. Got up early after battling sleep – tired, but ready to check e-mail and surf the net for research purposes. You’ll never guess what I discovered! The wonderful — ever so dependable (NOT) DEPENDABLE — more like Pony Express dependability— UVERSE is not working AGAIN! I did all the diagnostic testing I could do. I phoned the catalog of phone numbers I am collecting — using my IPhone since the ever dependable land line is NOT WORKING AGAIN!
By the time I connect with a rep, I am touched by her professional mannerism and ability to assist someone who is more like a displeased Julia Sugarbaker than the classy lady I always prefer being. You must understand — this is at least the sixth or seventh time I’ve dealt with these issues in the past week, and that does not include the days of no phone service when I was so sick — during December and early January. During those weeks, my head was a fog of illness and no one wanted to speak with me! Trust me, I am not a nice Steel Magnolia when I’m sick! Just don’t cross my path!
Since we’ve had so many issues with UVerse, I supposedly have a credit on my UVerse bill, although I haven’t received the bill yet. Shouldn’t I be compensated for my time. Aren’t my skills, frustrations and professionalism worthy? Maybe not. I’m still just a bit P-O’d!
For now, if someone asked me how I liked the ‘bundling plan’ with AT&T, I would say — RUN don’t walk away, and don’t EVEN consider bundling. Just cancel your landline and be thankful for cell phones!
If someone asked me how I liked UVerse…I would probably step into the shoes of Julia Sugarbaker and say —
“How do I like UVerse? You are truly asking me for my opinion of how I like UVerse?”
“Well…let’s just say, UVerse appears to take a landline to a part of the Universe that has only barbarian lifestyles and not the lifestyle I am accustomed to living in the Twenty-first Century! UVerse appears to not work, more than it works…and when you book an appointment for dispatch to come to your home, while you wait…and Wait…anD WAIT…when you finally call them after waiting for four hours, you are told that “there have been a few problems within the Southeast, and all dispatch was cancelled for today…”
Not even the courtesy of a phone call? No one had the decency to phone? “Not even an intern? Excuse me, I thought this was the computer era, where computers generate telephone calls to us during intimate hours…during hours where we are sitting with our families having dinner…during additional hours where we are attempting to relax, take a refreshing bath, or during times when we simply want privacy…and now you tell me that no one had the decency to phone my cell phone to let me know that NO ONE is coming to my home today, to repair these issues? My phone is still dead. Thank God I have a cell phone…Do I make myself clear, AT&T?”
This morning, I was so ready for them, but when the nice, courteous, professional customer service rep spoke, my demeanor changed — immediately. I suppose it is true, and I have practiced this all of my life — “Kill with kindness.”
AT&T has truly pushed my buttons lately, while I still collect e-mails with instructions of what to do — those e-mails failed to work this morning. Resetting the modem three times before calling failed to work…and I am supposed to be kind?
And I ask you, UVerse, how is it that when I finally get the right person to speak with, she directs me to ‘reset the modem…’
My reply, “I’ve done that three times so far. It hasn’t worked.”
“Let’s try it once more.”
OK — I place the cell phone down. Disconnect the modem, count to ten, and then to fifteen, reconnect the modem, and the bloody thing decides to work. I check the speaker of my land line…It works.
OK — so let’s face it. Phones were created by Alexander Graham Bell — a man. Computers were created by a male dominated population, and of course, if you ask “Gore” the Internet was created by him. So, it’s obvious…this type of technology doesn’t like women!
Who cares, I say — at least the stupid technology is working for now. How Long? Good question…maybe I’ll ask a man to respond, just to see how he will react.
On second thought –maybe I’ll get a nice cup of coffee, read the local newspaper — The Post and Courier, and look for the typos and grammar imperfections! Now, that’s an idea!
Barbie Perkins-Cooper, Author 