Saturday, March 6. 2010
Amazed over my internet service provider!
For the past six weeks or so, I have tried to work with my internet service provider to get access to their newsserver. I wanted to start to use the news server again after a few years of absence.
Now… setting up a news server in any mail or newsreader is easier than setting up an e-mail account. Yet, the newsserver of my ISP decided to tell me that my credentials are not right. It was very frustrating. The past few weeks they asked me to try a different computer, they asked me to try different software and what not. Earlier this week I called my ISP to tell them that I was fed up with them. As a last resort they asked me to address my situation to a specific e-mail address. Guess what? No response!
Today I decided to try and force a solution out of them. I talked to a few departments and finally my situation sunk in at the invoicing department after seriously threatening to reverse earlier payments. An engineer returned the call later in the evening and heard me out (he was very customer oriented, which was very refreshing for a change). He concluded that I was a long time customer and that I had been a customer at them from the very beginning (bright guy!). He asked me to try a different newsserver address, which was the address that matches the old set of e-mail addresses. BRILLIANT! I could have figured that out, if it weren’t for my ISP converting most of their other systems to their new name.
In five minutes this whole thing was solved after weeks of frustration. After the whole ordeal the guy asked me if he could do anything for me, so I explained him the frustration I experienced over the past few weeks and I asked him what he could do for me. We’re not paying for any service next month. In return I offered him the suggestion to put his solution on the website, so other could benefit from this.
On a final note he asked me whether I would appreciate it if he could contact me again next week to see if everything is working fine. Excuse me?? Did an employee of my arrogant ISP just asked that question?? I am very frustrated over the arrogance that I experienced in my ISP. My ISP better make sure to pay this guy well and keep him in the company. Customer oriented IT engineers like the guy I talked to tonight are very scarce. I am happy that my problem is solved.
