Friday, March 2, 2012

But you promised!

Lee and I were discussing how the only thing we are expecting now are 2 Telstra return bags. These have always come in her name - never in Kev's. So we were pretty sure that they wouldn't suddenly turn up in Kev's name.

Cue package slip for Kevin in the letter box. I'm saying how it can't be one of the return bags. It must be something else although we're not expecting anything from them.

We know it has to be Telstra. No one else is nasty enough to send packages to him when it's been so long since his death. I'm at the point now where I want to blow up a photo of him taken in the week before he died and send it to them with a thank you card for bringing this to Lee's mind every single time you do this.

But, they're incompetent and soulless so that wouldn't do anything. It certainly wouldn't raise compassion and get this issue fixed. *sigh* I'm almost bleeding from banging my head against the brick wall that is Telstra.

Turns out, it was the return bag. It's enough. I have had enough.

My day worked out so much better than expected. I found a door in that brick wall that is Telstra.
I rang complaints again. I am so very tempted to send them a letter charging them for all the time I have had to waste on the phone to them. $21 an hour is a fair wage. 

It turns out though I spoke to one of the only remaining people at Telstra with a soul. She was a saint. She was the first person in a very long time to LISTEN to me.

She apologised for putting me on hold - but I told her if she read the notes she'd see what I was talking about. I was so defeated when I said to her look we just want out of the contract with no fees - which after the hell they've put us through I think is enough.

A few people suggested we look into legal action but really what's the point?

Had to laugh when I said to the customer resolutions guy that I had one last request. That they go through their records and see who else is in this situation and fix it. He said "I'll pass on your feedback." That is not what I wanted to hear.

However, this conversation went more the way I wanted after she came back from reading the notes. And I could hear in her tone how horrified and sorry she was. Not that fake I just have to get through this until knock off time tone that most of them have. Eh, yeah Telstra - it does show in their voice. They hated dealing with me. They were talking to me like I was ringing to complain about a bill not the fact that I was complaining about them ruining someones life. (And I'm not exaggerating.) Lee went from starting up a home business to not leaving the house. She was out constantly until this happened. Anyway, this is how the conversation went:

T: Super awesome Telstra employee
M: Me!

Me: Look, we've had enough. This has been going on for months. You've sent 6 out of 9 packages to Kev now. I've been told EACH AND EVERY TIME it will never happen again - and yet here I stand with yet another package addressed to Kev in my hand.

T: I am sorry to hear that. I can see how many times you've called about the issue. I can't let you out of the contract - 

M: *Huge sigh* It's okay, I'll just go back to the ombudsman.

T: I said I can't personally let you out of the contract. Just let me pop you on hold for a minute while I speak to my supervisor.

M: No worries. *starts to feel a tinge of hope.*

I tell Lee what's going on and we wait... and wait talking about omg is this really the end? No, it can't be... it seriously can't be. When she comes back on the line.

T: Okay, so I've spoken to my supervisor and she agrees that this has gone on too long. So do you want to terminate your services with Telstra?

M: YES! OMG Yes.

T: You realise you'll be without services?

M: Yeah, but we're just... so over it. We're so jack of it all.

T: Look, I'll tell you what. Why don't you go find a new provider and then when they port you over it will automatically terminate your services with us and you won't be without.

M: Okay. Thank you SO much. You're an Angel. It's one of the best customer service situations I've had with you guys. Not just because you're letting us out of the contract - but because you actually LISTENED to me. I can't believe you actually listened.

T: (laughing) Well, some of us still like working for Telstra and want to keep customers happy. So, you may get a bill for terminating the services early but I'll give you a reference number in a minute. If you do just ring and give them that number that should fix it.

She then read out to me the notes as she was writing them in the system. You have no idea how happy I was that she did that. I have often wondered what was written all over our account. So, to actually have her read under her breath what she was writing made me so happy.

She gave me the reference number and I thanked her profusely. Lee and I looked at each other and I just started whooping. I felt this huge weight lift.

No more Telstra.

After so many months of hell. No more Telstra.

I can't believe it. Our stint in Telstra hell is over. But, I'm quite happily telling everyone about it. People are horrified.

I can promise you I will never use Telstra services again. I used to at least have them for the home phone wherever I was but now I know how incompetent they are. Never again.

But we're FREE! It's an amazing feeling although I am afraid to trust it. I'm looking forward to the bill that I know will come. The apology letter that will no doubt never come. And, to seeing if they do actually give us that one month free despite us leaving. It takes about 3 months for things to show up on the bill he told me.

No more Telstra. Now to find an ISP that I know is good. I have one in mind. I just hope I can talk Lee into them. Everyone is raving about TPG but I'd rather use a local rather than a national as I am so over huge corporations.