I've returned to Calgary, following a rather dismal end to an extraordinary relationship and far too much mundane baggage. And, having found a place, am now in desperate need of an ISP. . .who shall I call? Well, again, with the monopoly, it's Shaw. And somehow I am persuaded, bamboozled, not only into accepting their internet service, but their new digital phone service as well.
I should know better. I do know better, what was I thinking?
So it's August 1st when I call, a long weekend, they'll be able to come on August the 5th to get me set up. All set up; with their digital phone as well, special introductory price, a terrific new phone number, how does life get better? It doesn't. I'm booked into a 4 hour slot - 8:00 - 12:00, on Tuesday morning. How lucky is that?
By 12:30 on Tuesday I realize how lucky I am. The installer hasn't showed - possibly one of the commonest of Shaw stories, and I set off to find a phone to call them. . . .
The Customer Service Rep, after the mandatory 15 minute wait, advises me that I'm correct, the installer hasn't showed up, but she'll have him there in 10 minutes.
"Is there a number we can call you at?"
This is a bit of irony, apparently to get anything done you need a phone. Even to get a phone. I explain that I don't have a phone yet; there is no number they can call me at; I am no longer at home, can she please have the installer return this evening. . .
She will call me back.
After an hour waiting I call back, they've booked a technician to return in a week. I explain that this is not appropriate, am put on hold, eventually negotiating a return between 5:00 and 9:00 PM.
By the time I return home there is one of the SHAW 'sorry we missed you' signs hanging from the door.
This is so typical of SHAW that there's no use even commenting. Nonetheless, at 6:00 or thereabouts the installer shows up. And within an hour I have my phone and internet.
My joy is to be short lived. By the next day at noon, all services are out. No dial tone on the phone, no internet connection, nothing. Absolutely nothing. I attempt to fix things with limited success, guessing that since both services are out it must be a connection problem I go and pull upon branches in the yard. Returning inside I find the internet working intermittently, the phone is still out.
So once again to a friends, where I make several calls to shaw to try and fix this. The first call requests remedial troubleshooting, I explain the situation; he arranges for a technician to visit the next day - Thursday, August 7th - a 12 hour appointment between 7 AM and 7 PM.
I'm glad to be working from home.
At 9:00 AM the next morning the technician shows up - I explain my ridiculous connection theory, he politely ignores me, resets the modems (both) and service is restored. He doesn't believe its a connection issue.
At 11:00 AM another technician comes to visit. And leaves when he finds out service has been restored.
And things are great apart from the fact the phone has to sit next to the modem, but for some reason I thought the package I signed up with came with voicemail. And having played with it a bit I call customer service to see what's up. The first call gets a 4 digit password from the agent. I hang up and try it. Doesn't work. I try again. Doesn't work.
I call Shaw back.
The next agent explains that I need to have it added to my account for a nominal extra $5.00 a month fee.
I agree. When will it be ready?
She doesn't know for sure, maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow. That works.
She calls me back in an hour to tell me it will take a few days - it should be set up by next Tuesday, August 12.
Now I'm not so happy about this, but at least she called me back, and so I agree.
On Tuesday I'm still waiting for a call, I go online, check my services, still no sign of voicemail.
And so I call Shaw yet again - by now I've committed to waiting for their technicians, Installer & troubleshooter, for 24 hours. I've spent probably 5 hours on the phone trying to get various levels of service.
Their happy analyst informs me he can see my work order. . .I ask why it's not set up yet. . .he advises "probably lots of people want the voicemail", and that's the end of it.
I go online daily and check to see if it's been added to my account.
By Tuesday the week following I'm beginning to get annoyed. Tuesday, August 19th. And so I call Shaw and ask again why my voicemail hasn't been set up. Once again, the helpful SHAW analyst tells me that it hasn't been set up, that it's still outstanding, she will "escalate" the situation.
This is a polite way of saying nothing, ever, will get done. I've learned Shawspeak.
I am so P***** off I get off the phone and call Telus. It's 5:00 PM. They tell me my phone will be set up the next day. I go to bed around midnight, by 7:00 AM I have full phone and voicemail - under 14 hours. Possibly as few as 8 hours.
I go down to the SHAW building and return my phone modem, and request they remove the service from my billing.
There are no questions asked.
When I return home I call to confirm it's been removed, the analyst advises me it hasn't because the workorder for the voicemail is still pending. But it will be, rest assured, sucker, it will be.
Not once in any conversations was there mention made of any renumeration for time spent waiting for technicians (24 hours in total); for time spent on the phone with analysts (now approaching 6 hours - 6 hours of listening to Shaw offer me deals on it's digital phone service. Not that it winds me up.). After all, they're the only show in town and we should be grateful.
UPDATE: Receive bill - Invoice date September 13, 2008 still charges on it for their digital phone service. Please pay for services not recieved by October 5th. Have yet to call Shaw. Note that if I paid this bill, like many people might, I would not necessarily be eligable for any sort of refund - remember, they aren't obliged (in their own contract) to refund differences of under $20.00. How much, do you think, do they make doing this?