Is it just me??

[ukracer]

I just sent an email off to about 5 people. All involved and CCed into a historic failure to provide details to pay HMRC.

I get this back from one of them. "Thank you for your email. I will respond within 5 working days."

I then find working days means the days she works.

She does NOT work Tuesdays Thursdays or Fridays.

So by my reckoning I might get a reply by 27th July (if i am lucky)

Add this to the, constant, without fail now "We are experiencing extraordinarily high volumes of calls, we will answer your call as soon as possible"

If that is true (I dont believe it is BTW) why dont they employ more people to answer the phones??

 

[Parm]

very common in the civil service

 

[4String.]

If that is true (I dont believe it is BTW) why dont they employ more people to answer the phones??

For the simple reason that "proper" customer service is a thing of the past.

I abhor this modern trend of employing the bare minimum of staff in retail outlets which inevitably leads to queues of customers, so much so that I now tell them very politely that if they can't be bothered with my custom I'll take it elsewhere. And I also make a point of telling whoever's on the till that it's not their fault...

The so-called "good old days" when the customer was king are long gone to the stage where I quite often feel like I'm causing a nuisance just by my wanting to do business with some companies! A recent example of this was the purchase of a 5 gallon home brew pressure barrel that I wanted to use as a water container on the back of my wagon. The first 2 phones elicited lots of sighs and a barely concealed "ffs" which resulted in a polite if not sarcastic "If it's that much trouble, please accept my apologies for wanting to do business with you, I'll try someone else in the vain hope that they can help me..." before I hung up. Phone call number 3 was a world away from the others. " No problem Sir, the computer is showing them as being in stock but if I can put you on hold I'll check the warehouse." Less than 1 minute later he was back apologising for keeping me waiting and yes they have what I wanted.

Now if he could do it, why couldn't the others?? My guess is that he's a "one man band" who has to provide a good service or he'll go under, whereas the others are employees who are the epitome of "Dilligaff..." And that's not to say that all employed workers have that ethos, but sadly a lot of them do. And it seems to me as I get older that we're so used to service that's mediocre at best that when we experience good service we think it outstanding.

 

[James1979]

very common in the civil service

100%

 

[Parm]

100%

I have team mates that work compressed hours on alternate days. No idea how they get anything done. Just a couple more days to go for me ….

 

[rtcosic]

....
She does NOT work Tuesdays Thursdays or Fridays.
....

The wife's sister has fallen foul of this undeclared part-time 'professional' scam.

Cash buyer of a chain-free house. The vendor is 90+ and moving into care. Both parties are keen on a quick sale. Bog standard house, registered on the Land Registry, no survey or search issues. etc. As straightforward a sale as possible.

The vendor's son is tearing his hair out as deadline after deadline is missed due to his father's 'solicitor'.

Turns out the part-time female conveyancing clerk only works 2 days per week - AT HOME. No one else in the firm checks her emails, takes messages, picks up the file or helps in any way!

'But everyone knows to wait until I'm 'back in the office'', she wailed when the vendor's son threatened to engage a new firm after an 'assertive' conversation with a partner.

So, to answer your question - No. It isn't just you. It is threatening to become The New Normal.

As with @4String I try to deal with owner-managers and preferably local too.

<Grumpy Old Grey Beard Mode Off>

Edit: They still haven't exchanged.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

very common in the civil service

When was employed by H M Inspector of Taxes (pre HMRC) we had to turn around any letter or phone call within 14 days so 5 days today is a massive improvement

 

[optima21]

and don't forget that working day's dont include bank holidays either.

 

[addjunkie]

I just sent an email off to about 5 people. All involved and CCed into a historic failure to provide details to pay HMRC.

I get this back from one of them. "Thank you for your email. I will respond within 5 working days."

I then find working days means the days she works.

She does NOT work Tuesdays Thursdays or Fridays.

So by my reckoning I might get a reply by 27th July (if i am lucky)

Add this to the, constant, without fail now "We are experiencing extraordinarily high volumes of calls, we will answer your call as soon as possible"

If that is true (I dont believe it is BTW) why dont they employ more people to answer the phones??

Ive had similar dealing with them recently…I ring about my rebate, get through only 40 minutes. Get told I need to speak toa technician, but non available. They arrange a call back, but dont give you a day, let alone am or pm. Went through this 3 times, each time technician leave answer machine message. 4th attempt I happen to be in. He tells me as he looks at my info that forms not correct and needs resubmitting. I need to ring and kick it all off again, now forms resubmitted. So inefficient. I bet if I owed them 15 grand they be far more efficient in chasing me!

 

[Parm]

When was employed by H M Inspector of Taxes (pre HMRC) we had to turn around any letter or phone call within 14 days so 5 days today is a massive improvement

We have something similar, but no one is allowed to “enforce” the rules

A while back I asked a colleague to do some work, something he knew how to do. He filed a complaint about my bullying. Nothing was found. Shortly after wards he got promoted

 

[addjunkie]

We have something similar, but no one is allowed to “enforce” the rules

A while back I asked a colleague to do some work, something he knew how to do. He filed a complaint about my bullying. Nothing was found. Shortly after wards he got promoted

And there in lies the problem, why have rules, process and procedures if no one follows them, or can be made to follow them.

 

[Parm]

And there in lies the problem, why have rules, process and procedures if no one follows them, or can be made to follow them.

Civil service management are a bunch of **Language** that don’t have a handle on the real world. It is why I’m leaving

I’ve had a few brilliant years, but at management level my hands are tied

Just look at our government.....

 

[Mick Annick]

The wife's sister has fallen foul of this undeclared part-time 'professional' scam.

Cash buyer of a chain-free house. The vendor is 90+ and moving into care. Both parties are keen on a quick sale. Bog standard house, registered on the Land Registry, no survey or search issues. etc. As straightforward a sale as possible.

The vendor's son is tearing his hair out as deadline after deadline is missed due to his father's 'solicitor'.

Turns out the part-time female conveyancing clerk only works 2 days per week - AT HOME. No one else in the firm checks her emails, takes messages, picks up the file or helps in any way!

'But everyone knows to wait until I'm 'back in the office'', she wailed when the vendor's son threatened to engage a new firm after an 'assertive' conversation with a partner.

So, to answer your question - No. It isn't just you. It is threatening to become The New Normal.

As with @4String I try to deal with owner-managers and preferably local too.

<Grumpy Old Grey Beard Mode Off>

Edit: They still haven't exchanged.

We’re in similar circumstances with the sale of mum’s house…

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Civil service management are a bunch of **Language** that don’t have a handle on the real world. It is why I’m leaving

I’ve had a few brilliant years, but at management level my hands are tied

Just look at our government.....

Let's not even go there.....

 

[minimutly]

Civil service management are a bunch of **Language** that don’t have a handle on the real world. It is why I’m leaving

I’ve had a few brilliant years, but at management level my hands are tied

Just look at our government.....

Could be worse @Parm - you could have the Welsh Government. All 30 speed limits henceforth will be 20s, there will be bumps, fines gallore, and quite possibly some added peple run over due to motorists trying to adhere to this ridiculous limit. Where I live of course the 60/70 jockeys will still do the same speed....
You of course need to be extra vigilant if you venture this side of the Severn, for reasons made clear in another post.

 

[Parm]

Could be worse @Parm - you could have the Welsh Government. All 30 speed limits henceforth will be 20s, there will be bumps, fines gallore, and quite possibly some added peple run over due to motorists trying to adhere to this ridiculous limit. Where I live of course the 60/70 jockeys will still do the same speed....
You of course need to be extra vigilant if you venture this side of the Severn, for reasons made clear in another post.

Well they need a source of additional income ...

 

[mtt.tr]

Could be worse @Parm - you could have the Welsh Government. All 30 speed limits henceforth will be 20s, there will be bumps, fines gallore, and quite possibly some added peple run over due to motorists trying to adhere to this ridiculous limit. Where I live of course the 60/70 jockeys will still do the same speed....
You of course need to be extra vigilant if you venture this side of the Severn, for reasons made clear in another post.

Wales is now = to London is how I read that

 

[Parm]

Wales is now = to London is how I read that

London is worse, or at least central London is.

What’s the average speed these days, 3 mph?

Same as horse n cart ...

 

[Migmac]

very common in the civil service

I’ll reply tomorrow

 

[minimutly]

London is worse, or at least central London is.

What’s the average speed these days, 3 mph?

Same as horse n cart ...

Well yes, all fine and dandy if its so conjested you can't do more than 10 anyway. But I can't set my limiter less than 30, which means I will constantly be looking at the bloody speedo, not the road...
*****