Let me start by stating quite categorically, I could not and would not do a telephone based CS role for all the tea in China.

But boy, have I just had the worst experience dealing with some fellow representing Telecom in their CS Call Centre in Christchurch. Maybe it was his last day?

Rang 126 with an enquiry regarding my understanding of prices quoted when we changed to Telecom Total Office in January and what we are currently being charged (and the extras that we are currently being charged for). I also thought that I would bring to mind the fact that we had been offered two months free credit as we agreed to maintain our current modem and that our Total Office product would include free call minder and call diversion on both lines. Fair enough, I am a businessman and mistakes happen. But nothing prepared me for the person I was about to encounter.

Well spoken North American Accent came on line and listened to the first part of my query which focused on the pricing.

CS   "No sir, you are wrong - we do not have any pricing like that"
ME   "But I am looking at that pricing right now - on line"
CS   "No sir, you must be mistaken - that price does not exist. How much broadband do you have?"
ME   "20 Gigs"
CS   "No sir - maybe 10 Gigs. You are mistaken"
ME   "But I am looking at your website and pricing as we speak!!! - $78 plus GST for the first line (and we can focus on the second line later)"
CS   "Who signed you up? - They must have been mistaken".
ME   "Somebody from this number 126. I am looking at this online as we speak now"
CS   "What's the web address?"
ME   " https://www.telecom.co.nz/business/shop/totaloffice/ "
CS   (After about 2 minutes) "At least you have broadband, this is taking me a few minutes - what's the address again?"
ME   Repeated address "Are you still having problems down there?"
CS   "No sir, we have our own system based on dial up. It is twice the speed of dial up, but two times nothing still equals nothing!!"
CS   "Hopeless"

At this stage I could tell that I was on a hiding to nowhere and that no good would come out of this.

CS   "Hmmmm, I still think you are wrong because this product came out a week or so after you signed up to it. You have made a mistake"

At this stage I thought I had better cut this call short and try again on Monday. Hopefully today was his last day. Either that or he has a good weekend and turns up to work a little happier and more willing to help a customer who has a legitimate business enquiry.