Fusty...
I'm feeling it...very, very fusty.
And by fusty, I mean Webster's definition #3: "rigidly old-fashioned and reactionary". And big on the reactionary...
This is all very appropriate as Webster's definition #1 is: "impaired by age or dampness".
And that's it! This endless damp winter is making me fusty, very fusty.
Well, that, and a lack of character...
But anyway, I am trying to control my fustiness, and was sorely tested yesterday when I spent a few hours on the phone trying to straighten out a billing error. SEVEN phone calls, 3 of which were disconnected as I was transferred to another department...apparently there is a department especially for disconnecting particularly pesky calls. That's okay...I was just hoping I could tell my story from the beginning again because I just love going over it, especially with people for whom English is a second language. (Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of you for learning English -- good on ya! -- but PLEASE slow down...)
The best part was that, after all that, the problem was not solved. After many hours of being on the phone, I had figured out exactly what had happened to cause the problem, but since I was not schooled on their procedures and protocols, my suggested solution was moot, and suspect, it seemed. They needed to investigate and verify...
If the problem didn't involve two hundred dollars, I would gladly have accepted defeat, and gone on my way, happy to pay the price for NOT having to call there again...But TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS??
LOSS OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS = SEVERE FUSTINESS.
I will boastfully say that I never raised my voice, but I will admit that I told each representative that this was my 4th, 5th, 6th call of the day. I made sure that they knew I had been disconnected multiple times...and they were, without exception, very apologetic. Finally, on calls 6 & 7, I found a couple of competent and articulate reps who could understand the problem, and explain why they couldn't fix it without further investigation. And I am thankful for them...And I don't hate any of the others...
But I HATE THE SYSTEM! Whatever happened to the days when you had a billing system that was plain and simple, and you didn't have to make multiple transactions to do one thing...and when the customer called you made it YOUR problem to fix, not theirs...and you didn't put them on hold while you researched...you actually called them back...GRRRRRRRRR!
The only reasonable thing to do was take it out on The Farmer...After all, it was he who caused the problem by returning a defective phone, and actually expecting that they would efficiently process the refund so we could get our 200 DOLLARS back. Foolish, trusting man...What was he thinking when he did this?
Despite enduring an assault of fustiness, and huffiness, The Farmer graciously suggested that we go out for dinner since I had spent so much time on the phone that afternoon.
Perhaps he is not so foolish after all...and likely, he is more merciful than I deserve -- though it was easy for him to do so as today he flew to Washington DC for a few more days of meetings. Four days of freedom from the Fusty Farmer's Wife...Hmmm, maybe that's why he actually left on time this morning...
Maybe I better work on that character stuff...
It's a cinch that the weather isn't changing.
And by fusty, I mean Webster's definition #3: "rigidly old-fashioned and reactionary". And big on the reactionary...
This is all very appropriate as Webster's definition #1 is: "impaired by age or dampness".
And that's it! This endless damp winter is making me fusty, very fusty.
Well, that, and a lack of character...
But anyway, I am trying to control my fustiness, and was sorely tested yesterday when I spent a few hours on the phone trying to straighten out a billing error. SEVEN phone calls, 3 of which were disconnected as I was transferred to another department...apparently there is a department especially for disconnecting particularly pesky calls. That's okay...I was just hoping I could tell my story from the beginning again because I just love going over it, especially with people for whom English is a second language. (Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of you for learning English -- good on ya! -- but PLEASE slow down...)
The best part was that, after all that, the problem was not solved. After many hours of being on the phone, I had figured out exactly what had happened to cause the problem, but since I was not schooled on their procedures and protocols, my suggested solution was moot, and suspect, it seemed. They needed to investigate and verify...
If the problem didn't involve two hundred dollars, I would gladly have accepted defeat, and gone on my way, happy to pay the price for NOT having to call there again...But TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS??
LOSS OF TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS = SEVERE FUSTINESS.
I will boastfully say that I never raised my voice, but I will admit that I told each representative that this was my 4th, 5th, 6th call of the day. I made sure that they knew I had been disconnected multiple times...and they were, without exception, very apologetic. Finally, on calls 6 & 7, I found a couple of competent and articulate reps who could understand the problem, and explain why they couldn't fix it without further investigation. And I am thankful for them...And I don't hate any of the others...
But I HATE THE SYSTEM! Whatever happened to the days when you had a billing system that was plain and simple, and you didn't have to make multiple transactions to do one thing...and when the customer called you made it YOUR problem to fix, not theirs...and you didn't put them on hold while you researched...you actually called them back...GRRRRRRRRR!
The only reasonable thing to do was take it out on The Farmer...After all, it was he who caused the problem by returning a defective phone, and actually expecting that they would efficiently process the refund so we could get our 200 DOLLARS back. Foolish, trusting man...What was he thinking when he did this?
Despite enduring an assault of fustiness, and huffiness, The Farmer graciously suggested that we go out for dinner since I had spent so much time on the phone that afternoon.
Perhaps he is not so foolish after all...and likely, he is more merciful than I deserve -- though it was easy for him to do so as today he flew to Washington DC for a few more days of meetings. Four days of freedom from the Fusty Farmer's Wife...Hmmm, maybe that's why he actually left on time this morning...
Maybe I better work on that character stuff...
It's a cinch that the weather isn't changing.
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