to be utterly fed up of "because of pandemic" being used as an excuse..

[5foot5]

..for piss-poor service. Particularly on call centres and the like.

Granted in the early stages I can see it would have an impact - people off sick or self-isolating. Initially also I suppose there was some set-up to get people working efficiently from home. But, come on, it has been over a year. Surely things should be sorted by now?

I have just spent 45 minutes of my lunch hour waiting for my call to be taken. And yes I do know that some of my questions might be answered on the web-site FAQ and yes I know that I can manage my account on-line for some things. But not this thing. Even though they gave me four choices of musical style to listen to while I am waiting it doesn't help. Of course I wasn't arsey with the person who eventually answered as it's not his fault (I assume) but I do wonder if some companies are now using this excuse to cut down on staff and explain the long waits away on "unprecedented" circumstances.

DH is in a similar position. He sent a query about something to one of his pension funds. February was when he made the original query. He got the "because of difficult times" excuse and was told it would be in excess of 20 working days before they they could reply. More than 6 weeks later and no response he chased it. Then he was told another 10 days. Of course no joy so queries again and now it is 5-10 days. FFS 3 months to answer what he thought was a simple query

Just how long I wonder are companies going to keep hiding behind the pandemic excuse

Places charging you the same amount for less of a service e.g. childcare needing collecting an hour earlier due to cleaning, the incessant long automated phone lines where no options work (billing out still works fine), council - tried every option available on the line - all led nowhere, merlin passes to go as often as you like - except you can't get tickets when you actually want to go, people/firms who have delayed and delayed and delayed pre-covid are now saying cos covid, even when issue you are (STILL) raising predates covid! I hate how long life admin takes at the moment. As for people wfh with kids, after school clubs aren't running and available childminders are like gold dust (round here anyway).

I agree life admin is taking so much longer.

Totally pissed with this aswell. You are soooo right OP!
My perception is that many businesses are continuing to use the furlough scheme to extend absence from the workplace. Aren't furlough payments tapered, according to the number of hours companies are asking people to work? Companies are also getting rate and tax allowances into their banks during covid restrictions.
And thats before we even get to the GP services..... Dire atm, ours is 3 weeks to get a phone consultation!

YANBU. It seems to be driving everyone crazy. :-(

Totally agree OP, also fed up of hearing that the lack of customer service / lack of anything and everything is due to Covid.
DM has had terrible trouble with her GP services and advance appts that she needs to have resulting in many calls, stress and upset. It’s just not good enough.

Unis are looking to keep elements of their courses blended using covid as the reason. Probably really about their plans to do that anyway and increase numbers. We talk about it endlessly on FE threads. Many first years have never been to a live lecture 🤷‍♀️

I phoned ikea and I heard a message saying that there was an hour wait and sure enough, one hour and five minutes later my call was answered. I had to phone again about something that was for their benefit and I got the exact message, I put the phone down. I'm convinced that their phones are set up not to ring until an hour has passed so only those really desperate will wait...
I'm sick to the back teeth of COVID being used as an excuse to give dreadful service. It's shameful.

Totally agree. I have a long weekend break in Bath, when it’s allowed. Booked into a B&B. Have been told there will be no cooked breakfast due to Covid!! WTAF?

YANBU at all. It’s regularly trotted out as an excuse when companies are late to post online orders too. Understandable last year, now it just isn’t. You’ve had over a year to get to grips with a new business model ffs.

The only time I understand it is when there's smaller businesses who might benefit from a few days extra. I don't mind waiting 2 days extra for dispatch from a small company who are otherwise running a brilliant service.

In my experience the worst offenders for pandemic as an excuse are big companies and local councils.

@Nannewnannew

So glad to hear that I'm not the only one complaining. And thank you for the flowers. I'm doing fine, just building up my stamina now.

Overall I don't have a major issue with companies etc. It's just good to be getting back to normal. But the situation with GPs is an utter disgrace.

I think a lot of companies used COVID to take advantage of furloughing or laying off staff, hence the downturn in customer service. COVID is an easy excuse. I was made redundant last month, having worked through the entire pandemic. My job still exists, its been split among other people. This was done to save money and will have an effect on customer service. I dont think I'm alone in the situation.

Not entirely the same, but specsavers, (or is it the government?) are now only allowing one free pair of glasses per child, where as before, they got a free spare pair. It was very useful if the first pair got damaged and needed to be repaired, as it can take up to a week, and so they had a spare pair to wear. The reason I was given was 'because of Covid'. How on earth does Covid affect them providing a free spare pair of glasses? What a load of bollocks!

@Karanight

I phoned ikea and I heard a message saying that there was an hour wait and sure enough, one hour and five minutes later my call was answered. I had to phone again about something that was for their benefit and I got the exact message, I put the phone down. I'm convinced that their phones are set up not to ring until an hour has passed so only those really desperate will wait... I'm sick to the back teeth of COVID being used as an excuse to give dreadful service. It's shameful.

I'm running my own little personal boycott of IKEA due to their £5 collection charge. I was informed on here that I was being unreasonable to object to paying to drive to their store to inconvenience their staff by providing custom due to Covid, but I don't care. I just get the stuff from elsewhere. Plenty of companies dont charge for self collection and IKEA aren't that cheap or that great quality to make it worthwhile.

And Dunelm Mill, get your stock availabilty sorted out. I gave up trying to buy anything from you at all during the last lockdown because it took me half an hour to track down 1 item in 1 store, another item in another store 200 miles away and a third item that was mail order only. Its just toouch hassle.

I’m not entirely sure why “covid” prevents councils from counting yesterday’s votes (as per my local council page). Are they having to quarantine the ballot papers for 7 days?

It is the new, 'the dog ate my homework' excuse. No one believes you and your credibility has just died as soon as 'because of Covid' leaves your lips. I am leaving Vodafone as soon as my contract ends as that is all I heard of why after 4 months I haven't had a returns box sent for my faulty phone. RM have been set back 4 months according to them!

I tried phoning O2 as I wanted to pay off my device plan. Could I speak to anyone? Of course not. The only way I could speak to a human being was if I was vulnerable or planning on leaving O2.

@IrmaFayLear

I’m not entirely sure why “covid” prevents councils from counting yesterday’s votes (as per my local council page). Are they having to quarantine the ballot papers for 7 days?

I did the Postal count, we were in a huge room spread out more than 6 ft apart and still had to wear masks with zero covid where we are. We aren't allowed to do the main count due to covid bubbles so I think this is why they are counting today? If you got up from your chair to ask a question you got the death stare

Well our GP has got worse today
We have one phone line, for two surgeries. That's about 3k people across these two huge surgeries.

You could, once upon a time, ring for a non-urgent appointment, after 10.30am. An urgent one meant trying to get through from 8am. That was never easy and generally if you didn't get through by 8.30am you'd had a wasted half hour.

Now, you must be triaged by desk dragon. I think of it as akin to that popular 90s kids TV game show-Knightmare. As one is blindly having to plead to continue on with an unseen foe whose job it is to block you from the gates of the GP.

DP found out that at 50, he is meant to be called in for some well men checks. He is now 52 and had never been called in.
He's also got some other issues that are outstanding of over a year now.
So he called.
Desk Dragon acts like how dare he interrupt her life of biscuit chomping, gossiping and getting paid to do a job she's not doing unless entirely necessary.
"Well, what do you want us to do then? Have you not heard of the pandemic. The GP is busy!!!"
He points out, politely, that he turned 50 in March 2019, so that was quite a significant window of opportunity to call him in prior to covid.
Desk Dragon does not appreciate this.
So he asks for a non-urgent appointment.
"There are none".
So he says well what do I need to do to get an appointment? At all?
Apparently, he will need a phone call. The nearest non-urgent one is June 14th. Not May. June.
Apparently he is to phone back Monday at 8am and continue to do so until he might get a call back, if one of these Desk Dragons sees fit to assess it necessary, on the first of bloody never.

Our vaccine second dose is another farce. Had it end of February. Due it before 15th May. Wasn't aware they were meant to book the second on the day of the first.

Realising we are closing in on having to presumably start all over again (no thanks) I call.

Desk Dragon is affronted- did I not listen to the phone line saying do not call about the vaccine, when it's your turn to have the first we will call?
So I point out she clearly didn't listen to my concern regards the second one being due and no call about it.
She puts me on hold.
Someone else admits they haven't called because they had an admin error- so they forgot us then. Like they did the first one. She then books us and admits it will be slightly late.
So now, I have no clue if we are covered. If we will need to start again because they cocked up.
I know of hospital staff who have had enough of GP surgeries, saying people are clogging up OOH and A+E minors because they've begged a desk Dragon to let them see or at least speak to a GP and have been denied.

Someone needs to intervene.

@Ohnomoreno

My favourite example is the British Gas Homecare plan. Apparently they want to keep me safe by not doing the gas safety inspections...

That's disgusting. I would contact the Energy Ombudsman about this.

www.ombudsman-services.org/sectors/energy

@choppysea

It is the new, 'the dog ate my homework' excuse. No one believes you and your credibility has just died as soon as 'because of Covid' leaves your lips. I am leaving Vodafone as soon as my contract ends as that is all I heard of why after 4 months I haven't had a returns box sent for my faulty phone. RM have been set back 4 months according to them!

100% this ^ In spades!!!

@Tiktokersmiracle

'Desk dragon'

@Tiktokersmiracle

'Desk dragon.'

@Tiktokersmiracle 'desk dragon.'

I agree with all the sentiments on this thread. SICK of people/companies making excuses to not see people/not deal with things.

Not read the full thread, so I am sorry if this has been mentioned, but one of the 'companies' that ARE very annoying is the DVLA. They have a five month backlog! I know 3 people who bought a car between mid December, and mid February, and they still don't have their V5C form. (Log book.)

I am sick of covid being used as an excuse for poor service now. Not only the DVLA, but also the GPs (as many have said,) are SHOCKING. These people are being paid public money, and are not delivering the HEALTH service they signed up for.

I think everyone I KNOW is fucked off with their GP practice. The 'service' they are NOT giving is shockingly bad. Covid is giving them an excuse to not see anyone, and they have the easiest life.

All others similar services have opened; dentists, opticians, chiropractors, social services, schools, libraries, solicitors etc etc etc... Yet GP practices (and certain hospital/health departments,) still have the shutters closed. With NO date to even BEGIN to return to normal! Why the fuck is this even being allowed?!

Also, and I am happy to be corrected here, but I heard a few weeks ago, that many people will be waiting THREE YEARS now, for 'routine' surgery in hospital, as they are THAT far behind now. And let's not even get STARTED on the amount of people who are much more ill than they would have been, because they have had multiple hospital appointments cancelled.

Also, I have a friend who has a chronic illness, who has not seen her specialist since Feb 2020. She just gets a phone call every 4 months, and apparently they can assess her physical chronic illness over the phone. Amazing really. And even though we are coming out of lockdown now, they are STILL only offering her a 'telephone assessment' for mid June!