Thursday, November 18, 2010

On hold -- and not on hold.

Well, we're getting ready to move. Finally!  The wood floors are done, the carpets are clean, the paint is dry, and the beds are in the bedrooms.
  .
The schedule?

Just keep moving until we're done.

No, we actually have something more specific in mind.  This weekend we move everything we can in boxes. Next Friday -- Black Friday -- we move the big items (hopefully with a little help from our friends). By the end of Thanksgiving weekend we will be done.

We will.

Or heads will roll.

The satellite TV guys are coming on Monday to switch our service to the new house.

As I write this, I have been trying to negotiate a moving date with the cable company (internet and phone) for the last 45 minutes. I am on hold. For the umpteenth time.

The first time I called, I discovered that there was an option to "hold without hearing further messages."

"How refreshing!" I thought.

Then I found out that "holding without hearing further messages" means that they hang up on you.

So when I called back, I didn't pick that option. And I ended up hearing some kind of 1960s-style happy music for the next 20 minutes. Then when I finally did get someone, they had to transfer me. Another hold and happy music.  Then when I got someone else, he took down my information and then put me back on hold for another 15 minutes while he set up the appointment.  More happy music.

I think he must have been doing something else during that 15 minutes.

And now, voila! I have a date for the cable change -- nine (!) days from now. The earliest they can come is Saturday, the 27th.

Maybe it's time to switch service providers . . .

- Catherine

2 comments:

Karen said...

They took turns going on break and passed your holding call around the office. It's a game they play to see how long you will actually hold.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

What is it about cable companies? Although, having said that, I must confess that we had to switch to the cable company for internet and chose them for phone as well. We've been *very* satisfied with the service ... and customer service. Maybe we've been lucky ... or maybe our cable company is truly trying to overcome their previous reputations.

Blessings!