This morning I have been on the receiving end of the Great British service industry
The first was excellent
I went into a doctor's surgery at the neighbouring village
Big smiles of welcome
And a bright "hello" was the order of the day
Can I change my doctor and register here?" I asked
"certainly" came the reply "Just fill in this form for me and I will do the rest"
"Lovely " said I...."could I also make an appointment to see the doctor?"
The receptionist smiled broadly again flashing me a genuine smile
"when would you like to come?" she asked
Me, rather hesitantly "Tomorrow?"
"wonderful" she said " pick a time"
After my experience with the great unwashed "bunfight for an appointment" at the nearby town's health centre
I could have kissed her....
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Recently I took several slides into a nearby town's chemist for printing.
After several weeks I went into the shop to collect them (I did this twice)
Finally I received a phone message stating that they had finally been located in Lancashire
The next day another message stated that they had indeed been found
So today I went in to collect them
Me " I have come to collect my photos I recieved an answer phone message saying you had found them , they had been delivered to the wrong branch, my name is Gray"
Customer service operator: (very loudly) "Oh I know, I spoke to your wife"
Me: "No you didn't, I am not married"
CSO: "was it your partner?" (even louder this time)
Me: No, my partner is 6 foot 1 and called Christopher"
CSO: " OH! i've been on holiday, I haven't been here! .... who did you speak to?"
Me: " there was two different messages from two different women I dont remember who they were...they said they had located the prints and I presumed that they were here"
CSO: rummaging through drawers" They are not here....I think the message meant that we had found them in Oldham not that they were here"
Me signing..... "ring me when they arrive"
CSO: " ok"
Is it me?
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| Iwill leave you with a photo of Jo and Russell enjoying the warm sunshine this morning..hi lameness has inproved ( thank you for asking Mrs Fickle) but Constance has now taken over his limp! |
What? You just let it go at that? I don't believe it!
ReplyDelete:-)
So, you have an appointment with a Dr. tomorrow? I'm glad.
(I really wish I had the wherewithal to write what I want to say and delicately mark it out and say what I should)
Well good to see customer service is a mess over there too... tee hee... well at your film place that is.
ReplyDeleteSounds like your new Dr. place is a good one.
Personally, I would run a mile from that Doctor. They'll have you on the table and harvested for organs before you can say "Thanks for not shouting my medical history across the waiting room filled with malingerers".
ReplyDeleteAs for your slides, c'mon, who uses slides nowadays? Maybe they're just humouring you and think you're a nutter.
"Oh look, here comes Mister History, ask him if his wife is riding the penny farthing today."
Good luck at the vital organ farm!
I've been saying this since we opened the first six hour photo lab in Ohio, and followed through when we started doing one hour all over the place; Don't ever send your presious memories out to be printed.
ReplyDeleteWhat many people that still insist on film photography don't know is that EVERYTHING is digitized before printing now. Even if it's printed on real photo paper. Slides and negative can be scanned and printed anywhere. Except maybe small British villages.
Hopefully someday soon they will return to you. Good luck.
My first thought was customer service really is 'bad' everywhere! Ugh! Thank goodness the good ones make up for the bad.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what you would say about the Royal Wedding. Personally I did not watch it. But seeing your pics, yes she was beautiful.
Happy Belated Birthday to Chris.
And if I remember correctly, you have a birthday coming up! June 1 right?
Haven't reached the napping stage yet, although the thought has crossed my mind.
xoxo
Wow, you actually got to see a GP? To see my Doc I have to spend 30 minutes on hold whilst the other 'competing' sick for that day race to book an appointment from the starting gate at 8.15am. Then, when and IF I do get through there's a thorough savaging by the Cerberus behind the reception desk to see if I am worthy of actually getting to see a doctor.
ReplyDeleteI used to work in a pro photo lab where we regularly had one chap bring in weekly rolls of film containing shots of his wife 'pee-ing' down the stairs, over furniture etc. Some people.
As Mr Cameron would say: "Calm down dear."
ReplyDeleteMy H.I. went to her doctor the other day (been with them for about 35 years) tried to make an appointment. The time? End of June. All she wanted was a referral to the hospital about an old issue which they know all about.
ReplyDeleteA company here lost a roll of (extinct) exposed film of mine, and I asked what they were going to do about it. 'Nothing'.
tom...
ReplyDeletethats cheered me up!
No John - it is not you. I have just spent an hour on the phone to BT - pressing buttons, listening to Greig's Peer Gynt suite, explaining to a few different assistants what I want - s simpe cancellation of part of my account - not a whole diatribe of suggestions for what I might want to buy.
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky here to have a friendly Health Centre - it makes all the difference.
Nice when 'things' run smoothly but NOT when they don't! This happens everywhere but thank god for the few 'good ones' that are left! There's hope!
ReplyDeleteOh no, what's up with Constance?
ReplyDeleteBravo on getting the doctor appointment so quickly...concerning the slide situation...welcome to what we go through here in the USA all the time! What is up with Constance? Is she gimpy now? Happy Belated Birthday to Chris!
ReplyDeleteA doctor's appointment on the first try? Did you run out and buy a lottery ticket???
ReplyDeleteAs far as the prints. Um...
Some day your prints will come!
(laughing, running away!)
Cat
The angle of that photo is interesting. You must have been lying on your belly in bird shit. I have heard of "getting down and dirty" but that is ridiculous.... Also you must have dreamt the visit to the local surgery. Stuff like that doesn't happen in real life!
ReplyDeleteSadly, that sounds just like many experiences here, John.
ReplyDeleteHope your pictures turn up soon!