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

YANBU. I wonder what their excuse will be come 21 June!

@LockedFarAway

YANBU. I wonder what their excuse will be come 21 June!

Catching up on backlogs, no doubt.

That should be a good excuse for the next couple of years, 5 - 10 years in the case of the NHS, obvs.

I absolutely agree. It's been over a year now and that excuse wore thin about 4 months after the first lockdown

@5foot5 Well, at least they gave you a choice of music to listen to while you waited!

Well, at least they gave you a choice of music to listen to while you waited!

There is that I suppose. I wonder if someone complained because they had to listen to something they detested for 40 minutes. At least that would show they were trying to do something to ease the pain.

IIRC the choices were:
Select 1 for motown/funk
2 for classical
3 for jazz
4 for pop

I selected 2 and went round the play list at least 3 times.

@5foot5

Well, at least they gave you a choice of music to listen to while you waited!

There is that I suppose. I wonder if someone complained because they had to listen to something they detested for 40 minutes. At least that would show they were trying to do something to ease the pain.

IIRC the choices were:
Select 1 for motown/funk
2 for classical
3 for jazz
4 for pop

I selected 2 and went round the play list at least 3 times.

I once had an idea to keep people interested whilst waiting on the phone. Instead of just playing music, I thought why not have some sort of interactive quiz? They could ask questions, and offer, say, 3 multiple choice answers. Much more interesting than listening to elevator music!

YANBU - it takes quite a long time just to find a number in the first place and then to have to listen to 3 minutes of spiel about being patient because of current circumstances followed by lengthy waits is frankly pathetic.

@user68901 I'm glad some people are finally taking a stand against all this ridiculous nonsense!

@littlepattilou As more and more ppl experience these things the lockdowns will become like Brexit. No one will admit to being for it

My current and ever expanding List includes:

Concluding DS's Annual Review of his EHCP (all online)

The GHG fiasco - tbc....

Renewing DS's Student Bus Pass - he'll finish before this gets sorted - usually Stagecoach are good in this sphere.

And due to a reliance on Digital Programmes that do not work properly:

The Census 2021 Recruitment Processs - contracted to Adecco and LogicX - again, tbc.....

Local Councils that can't even work out a Rota to sort their fucking Post out ....

And, most recently, being unable to 'Manage' my new BT Account since I moved to them, although the BB and Phone Service is much improved.

I'm sure there's more and I do prefer to remember the things that work well because there are a few of them too.

Just be a little bit more patient. If you came out of it alive, is just a good reason to celebrate and be patient, and kind

Give over. These are big companies who’ve had over a year to get their acts together. And yet customer service is getting worse because they’ve worked out that they can cut, and cut, and cut and use Covid as an oh-so convenient excuse. “Be grateful you’re alive” and “be kind” are just ways of saying “Put up with being treated like crap even though you’re a paying customer”.

So now, I have no clue if we are covered. If we will need to start again because they cocked up.

Don’t worry @Tiktokersmiracle you will be fine. The second dose appointment is fairly fluid - some have had it a bit early, some a bit late. Your immunity doesn’t vanish into thin air on a set date.

@ChelleMum85

There are only so many staff for so many nuisance callers paying customers whose calls are not urgent.

Fixed that for you.

@Mum2b43

I got a blood test back which showed Ovarian Cancer Markers... got referred to gynae in December. Called last week waited 1.5 hours to find out when my appointment is... they said .... “Another 42 weeks wait on the current waiting list”. !!!???!!!! Every time I see an ad on tv talking about how you need to see your GP ASAP if you have cancer symptoms I laugh. NHS have turned into the worst organisation around. I used to think they were heroes... now? A bunch of job shy uncaring dicks! (Obviously not the hard working nurses and healthcare assistants) Just the GPS and Specialists.

I hope you're not letting that slide? Not wanting to scare you but ovarian cancer is a silent killer because by the time you get symptoms it's too late. I'd seriously be going to my MP, writing to the chief exec and going to a newspaper rather than taking this lying down. This is literally your life we're talking about here.

That was for @Mum2b43

A family member was diagnosed with breast cancer in January and is still waiting for surgery to remove the breast as theatre can't operate as normal due to...yep the pandemic. Has had little support to speed things up.

@LockedFarAway

I am currently saving to see a private gynae. I should have enough at the end of the month. I have made numerous phone calls, begged, pleaded, etc. The GPs response was “it’s probably not cancer, these blood tests are usually wrong”. I am petrified that the test is not wrong this time.

[quote MercyBooth]@littlepattilou As more and more ppl experience these things the lockdowns will become like Brexit. No one will admit to being for it[/quote]
Just like no-one supported the Nazi party!

@BrightYellowDaffodil

Just be a little bit more patient. If you came out of it alive, is just a good reason to celebrate and be patient, and kind

Give over. These are big companies who’ve had over a year to get their acts together. And yet customer service is getting worse because they’ve worked out that they can cut, and cut, and cut and use Covid as an oh-so convenient excuse. “Be grateful you’re alive” and “be kind” are just ways of saying “Put up with being treated like crap even though you’re a paying customer”.

I don't think most of us are fighting for our lives anymore, since so many people have been vaccinated! As for being kind, I don't think it's very kind to deny people vital medical & dental treatment, just because they might happen to catch Covid- which as I said isn't so dangerous anymore!

[quote Mum2b43]@LockedFarAway

I am currently saving to see a private gynae. I should have enough at the end of the month. I have made numerous phone calls, begged, pleaded, etc. The GPs response was “it’s probably not cancer, these blood tests are usually wrong”. I am petrified that the test is not wrong this time.[/quote]
Ha ha, a lot of confidence they have in their own tests!

Cases in the local area have been 0 for ages, there is 98% vaccine take-up too round here, yet the council is acting as if we are in Italy in February 2020. Dire warnings this week on the website about car-sharing, excuses that staff cannot work due to self-isolating and shielding (if they are wfh anyway how come they can’t work? ), and advice on loneliness and getting help. As far as the council is concerned we are in the thick of it .

@IrmaFayLear

Cases in the local area have been 0 for ages, there is 98% vaccine take-up too round here, yet the council is acting as if we are in Italy in February 2020. Dire warnings this week on the website about car-sharing, excuses that staff cannot work due to self-isolating and shielding (if they are wfh anyway how come they can’t work? ), and advice on loneliness and getting help. As far as the council is concerned we are in the thick of it .

This.

It's time to get back to normal for most of the country.

@IrmaFayLear

Cases in the local area have been 0 for ages, there is 98% vaccine take-up too round here, yet the council is acting as if we are in Italy in February 2020. Dire warnings this week on the website about car-sharing, excuses that staff cannot work due to self-isolating and shielding (if they are wfh anyway how come they can’t work? ), and advice on loneliness and getting help. As far as the council is concerned we are in the thick of it .

I agree, I can't make any sense of it at all! Are they deliberately trying to confuse us? Confuse & conquer?

The NHS has been allowed to carry on in a shocking way though.

I've got friends in another European country that I lived in until recently, who had non essential surgery in the midst of this. Completely unaffected by the pandemic, and also able to access normal dental traatment.

@Mum2b43 that is fucking disgusting.