I have learned not to trust big companies. When promised something, I have learned to hound them until the day it is actually done.
If you recall from my previous post on the subject, Bell knew for over a month that a new customer (namely my parents) required hookup to the Sympatico access but did not care enough to do it. Finally we canceled the service.
On January 18th, one week after canceling, I decided to make sure the account was canceled. Seeing as how I was in class, I decided to try out their “online chat” feature. Surely enough, the account was terminated. Great! I then decided to have a gander at the comments Bell’s representatives had placed on the account so I asked the rep I was chatting to if he had access to them (mind you it may have been a she, I don’t know for sure). Here is what followed (Note: REP#1 is a redacted name, as is REP#2 and anything else appearing in [ ]. Anything appearing in parenthesis are comments added by me now.):
9:26:37 AM [REP#1] I checked with your account, I find that your account status is terminated, so I could see that No bill generated in your account.
9:27:18 AM [ME] Ok that’s great. Do you have access to the comments made on the account?
9:28:17 AM [REP#1] yes we do have the access .
9:28:48 AM [ME] Would I be able to get a copy of all of them?
9:30:27 AM [REP#1] Please let me know what do you want exactly , [NAME]? (was I not clear enough?)
9:31:45 AM [ME] I would like you to send me all the comments made on my account with any appends and edits made up until the end of this session.
9:33:28 AM [REP#1] Kindly let me know whether you need to know about the comments of the current session or the previous informations. (Gee I wonder which I’m looking for when I said “ALL THE COMMENTS”)
9:33:53 AM [ME] The previous comments, please.
9:35:28 AM [REP#1] I apologize for the inconvenience, As per the company rule and policy I am unable to process your request.
9:36:24 AM [ME] So Bell Canada does not allow its Customers to access comments left on their own accounts?
9:38:28 AM [REP#1] I am really sorry we would not be able to disclose the comments to the customers.
9:39:01 AM [ME] Because of Bell Canada’s policy?
9:40:59 AM [REP#1] I am really sorry we would not be able to disclose the comments to the customers. (you already said this)
9:41:23 AM [ME] And that is because of Bell Canada’s policy?
9:41:50 AM [REP#1] No
9:42:49 AM [ME] Then why are you not able to disclose the comments about my former account to me, the owner of the former account?
9:45:00 AM [REP#1] I Can understand you concern, however I don’t have the authorization for it, [NAME].
9:45:46 AM [ME] Can you put me into contact with someone that does have the authorization?
9:48:21 AM [REP#1] I apologize for the inconvenience, [NAME].
9:48:51 AM [REP#1] We don’t have the authorization for it.
9:49:07 AM [ME] You do not have to apologize. Who does have authorization?
9:49:41 AM [REP#1] Please give me a moment.
9:49:59 AM [ME] Sure.
9:54:31 AM [REP#1] Thank you for your patience.
9:54:31 AM [REP#1] Since you account has closed , it is not active right now so no one will be able to retrieve any comments from the inactive account. please kindly understand us. (You said yourself that you could see them. Or is my English that bad?)
9:54:59 AM [ME] But you told me you have access to the comments on my account.
9:56:11 AM [REP#1] It is only for the active account, [NAME].
9:56:45 AM [ME] Do I have an active account with Bell Sympatico?
9:57:31 AM [REP#1] Do you have any other account with bell sympatico?
9:58:15 AM [ME] That is what I’m asking you. As far as I know I do not have any account open with Bell Sympatico.
9:59:32 AM System Your agent has been disconnected from the system, you are now being transferred to your original queue. Please stand by…
9:59:32 AM System [REP#1] has left this session.
After half an hour on chat with me, REP#1 was disconnected. I like to believe that his head exploded due to an overload of apologies and “kindly” ‘s. I was transfered to a queue with a wait time of 4 seconds (according to the display in the chat window). In reality it was more like 5 minutes. More on the second half of this chat from Hell with Bell in my next post.Comments are always welcomed on my posts.
