Customer service! Ha!

I don't know why it's called customer service. It's certainly not about service! Last week I needed to call a 900 number, but when I tried, I was told that there was a block on my phone number and I should call this 800 number to check it out.

So I did, and I reached MCI, who said that since I didn't pay my bill, they had put a financial block on my number. "That's funny," I said, "because I don't even have MCI! I have SBC!" I thought, "O, it'll be something simple, like a change in their system, and I"ll be on my way.

But naturally it wasn't that simple. She talked to me for a few minutes and then said I needed to talk to the collection agency. I called that number and explained again my situation. He said, "Well, what's the name on the account?" Of course I didn't know--MCI holds that info confidential. He tried lots of different things, to no avail. Then he said, "Call MCI back and try to get a name."

So I did. By now I've been on the phone for an hour. I explained my situation for a 3rd time, and the woman said, "Well of course we can't give you that information. It's confidential." I said, " don't care to know who it belongs to. I just want you to fix it!" She said, "Well, I can't do that here. Let me transfer you to the right person." Great.

So I wait, and someone picks up and says, "Collection agency, may I help you?" AARGGGH! I already know that these people can't help me. So I call MCI a third time. I said, "I want to talk to a supervisor." She said, "Sorry, can I help you?" I said, "I really don't think so. I've explained my situation to 5 people now, and NO ONE seems to have a clue. I don't want to explain to anyone but a supervisor. Put him or her on now." (My patience was wearing quite thin by this time.)

So now I'm on with a super. Finally! I explained myself AGAIN, and she fiddled around for a minute and said, "Let me transfer you . . ." I said, "NO! I don't want to be transfered, and I don't want to explain myself anymore!" But she transfered anyway.

So I explained myself a 6th time, and by now I'm shouting. "I don't know what the stinkin' problem is. Why does the non-paying idiot's account affect me? I don't have MCI, I never did, and I don't understand why NOBODY can help me! (etc , etc.)

She said, "I hate to tell you this, but I'm not the right person either. But I will call the right person and straighten it out. Stay on hold til I confirm it's fixed, okay?" Fine.

So 10 minutes later, she comes back on and says it's done. I got her name, just in case she was lying. All in all, I was on the phone almost 2 hours. And heaven help the next customer service rep I have to talk to!