How was your day?

[PeteB]

Caz woke me at 01:00, had fallen asleep on the bean bag watching some old tripe! Up again at 07:30 and got some housework done before she came home. We had a meal together, breakfast type stuff, rare thing in this house as I don't usually bother weekdays.

Had a call from this garage in Oldham that sold me the Lemon Q7. Asian yoofs with attitude and bolsh! "Been thinking Gaffer, yeh? We'll settle this with a grand, no questions, yeh?, I spoke with my lawyer who says you'll get nowt if you don't take it, yeh?" I just let him know that the CAB tell me that nothing short of a full refund will heal the job! He then goes on to offer to get it fixed at his mates with parts off a newer car. Admittedly, they can offer to carry out a 'satisfactory' repair and in my book that means genuine parts, done by someone who knows what they are doing. Hopefully, the bank will do a Section 75, charge back and that will do nicely. S Line in Loughborough just said, if they do a repair, get it in writing exactly what they are doing, who is doing it and where they are getting the parts from and insist that a cast iron, 12 month warranty on the car is given!

Missed the rugby this aft, which is a shame, now back in the bag again!

[PeteB]

Caz wasn't due back until mid afternoon, her son and mine wanted a roast beef dinner, so off to the shop for stuff!

Also got the ironing done as well as other housework. I also fitted another reversing lamp to the back of the Ranger. A lot of vehicles only have one on one side and it gets a bit of a game in the dark. I quite often have my foot resting in the brake for extra light! I wired this LED work light into the bulb, if I picked up at the trailer light socket wiring, the ECU would have sensed the load and disabled the parking sensors!

The roast dinner was delicious but having it early so Joe gets home reasonably early has had a knock on effect, we all think that it is now mid evening!

Managed to get to watch the highlights of the England v South Africa and we did well. The 'Boks made a lot of errors and Farrol was lucky not to get done for a high tackle in my book!

[PeteB]

I took the trailer and tracked chipper down to Alcester but the traffic on the M42 delayed me by a few hours. Did some chatting and updating folk on a few issues then hitched up a loan machine and headed North. Pretty easy trip with it rarely dropping below 50mph (M6 roadworks and Glasgow city) but otherwise had it at 60 all the way. The AdBlue registered 1280 miles to go when when I left and is now at 450! I got 20ltrs of the stuff from an Ag dealer for £14 but it is £19 for 10 ltrs on a forecourt! I ought to question Ford on whether I'm using too much.

The Dispute section from the bank rang, but couldn't talk to me as my 'phone banking is blocked - password issues. I got passed to another department to reset it but after 4 attempts, we gave up! The technology going forward is voice recognition - I got a number to ring and when prompted, have to say, 'my voice is my password', and that is that! Magic! They are sending the paperwork for me to fill in to get a Section 75 done over the lemon Q7, I hope that I'm successful as I don't trust them to carry out a satisfactory repair. They haven't bothered to respond to my request for a detailed written and signed document to show what they intend to do, what arrangements are in place for warranty on the repairs etc, timeframe etc so I home the the 75 goes through! Slightly nervous......If the refund happens, I will look for another but am also intrigued by the S6 or S4 Avant, have I got deep enough pockets for the fuel I wonder!

Sat in a Premier Inn at Lomondgate in Dumbarton - slightly bemused that during the summer, this room is £96 per night plus food etc, and now it is £56!

[PeteB]

Dumbarton customer for soon after 8, my dealer was there to assist and deal done! Back to his office at Bishopton for sorting out the deal details then strike out for Selkirk. That A708 is a hell of a road! Shame that there isn't much business for along it but the drive, the view is spectacular!

Quick meeting at Selkirk then head south, through Jedburgh and over the Carter Bar! Again spectacular, but it is a means to an end, getting A2B.

Home for 19:30 and it feels like a long week already! Sales figures come through and it looks like I'll hit target again! Bonus!

[PeteB]

Stayed at home today - Caz wasn't at work so it was good to spend some time together today. Even though I'm trying to deal on the phone and she is doing keep fit/dumbbell video on YouTube and you concentration wanes!

I screwed up big time this week having had too many things on the go and trying to remember stuff instead of diarising everything that goes off! I cancelled a bank meeting on Friday for a demo in Cumbria. Only to find that unsettling feeling when I contact the dealer rep by txt to say 'okay for Friday? Got site details? Is he okay for finance?' and the response was 'Wednesday you mean?' Holy Moly!!! Quick consult with the customer - many apologies etc. 'No probs, lets do Friday but I cannot start with you until late morning?'. I agree to this and regaling the story to Caz, she reminds me that we are off to the rugby at Welford Road on Friday night as a group of 7! So I got to be on my toes on Friday back from Cumbria towing a lump!

Spent most of the day doing office stuff, writing up notes for a sales meeting, organising meetings and demos, (ahem) writing stuff in diary etc...I got passed an enquiry from the office 'Please contact this fellow, he is after a 'used' unit.' I love having this conversation - 'What kind of budget do you have in mind?' a silence.....'I got close to £5k.'....'Oh, our cheapest machine has a list price of over £12k + vat!'.....'I got £5k including VAT'.....'Okay, have you looked at eBay?'.......'Yes, but they are all junk'.....'Have you considered using your money as deposit and VAT on a new one?'.......'yes, but I got a couple of CCJ's, will I have to tell them?'

I got in the Ranger to go to town and the AdBlue warning tells me that I got another 300 miles to go before the engine won't work, later, it decided that that figure was incorrect and I could double that!

The folk that I got the Q7 from still haven't responded to me emails and txt messages about the Lemon, so I sent them another request. I fear that by the time time the bank dos a Section 75, they will have emptied their account and changed their name. I wonder where I stand then? Will the bank refund my loot anyway?

[PeteB]

Caz came home at 5 and crawled into bed, I slept a while longer after drinking the tea she had brought up, bliss! Good start to the day which went downhill pretty well from that point!

I had to deliver a flagship unit to a customer that has risen from the ashes of another firm that I had several machines with in the past. This is a variant of an existing machine and the first to be supplied in the UK. It is going on a rail blockade tomorrow night and if it performs then several other could follow. I got delayed on the way to the factory, then I noticed several niggling little issues to do with fit and finish which had to be rectified before I left. Very annoying when it has been signed off as fit to go! I found a missing sticker and omissions in the manual which the tech people just gave me that bovine look again. Anyhows, I set off, slightly disgruntled, to their spot. I showed the contracts manager over the machine and he is highly delighted, we spent time talking about people in the trade, things that went on in the past and who was running the job now! All well and good....

I stop at the shop on the way back to get Jayde a leaving card and after chatting in the office, head home towing a trailer with another tracked unit on it for the demo in Cumbria tomorrow. I hadn't got far and noticed that while talking to someone else, the contract manager was speed dialling. 8 times in two minutes! The damn thing won't start! It gave all the signs of fuel issues but had a full tank. I was on the Coventry Bypass so a quick decision was to forget going home and head East for another hour! The directors and the contract manager were in a right tizz! A huge contract that they need to shine on and their newest asset won't go! I felt a twit but it wasn't our bit of the machinery but a fuel cut off solenoid had decided to die! While they accepted this and were pleased I had gone back and that I got two people there at 08:30 tomorrow, they are now rattled. I got to try and find a back stop for their job which is a big ask at this late stage! I could weep with frustration at times!

Got home at 21:00, Caz had sorted my tea and has gone of the work again. I sometimes feel like I'm a hamster on a wheel!

Slightly cross that the bank papers haven't arrived to sort the Section 75, I wonder what the process is if the garage has changed accounts, gone insolvent etc....I will be very cross if they have! Apoplectic more like!

 

[PeteB]

Sorry, late doing this!

Early start, leaving some 20 minutes after Caz got in, 06:20. Headed up to Ulleswater for a demo of a small tracked unit! Lovely weather and lovely spot by Aria Force waterfall. A long drag up and the drive home just seemed to go on and on! Got home for soon before 18:00, and a quick change and kid of tea and off to Welfird Road to watch Tigers v Sale, Caz, myself and our four kids and one other. Evil weather, cold a wet! It pished done! Got that done and came back to a takeaway and a glass of wine.

[PeteB]

We got to bed at midnight, absolutely shattered. Decent lie in this morning and a easy breakfast, no rushing about. We drove up to hers and after axeit about and chat, did  a bit of shopping etc. Caz's daughter had me sit in the passenger seat of her car for the first time as she is learning. To be fair, I got too many bad habits to be a teacher but she drove with confidence and commitment and I hope she passes in a couple of weeks. I missed doing it with my kids, I have always had a company truck which isn't available for learners so missed out on teaching or even road time.

Watching the International rugby now, the England match was good although the disallowed try was disappointing. Ireland aren't getting it easy against the Panthers. I'll look online for the other results.

Caz and I are mulling over what to get if we get a refund on our lemon. We still want a Q7 but, the seed has been sowed over a MB GL420 and she would like to sit in an X5. Not my thing though!

[PeteB]

Caz was up at 02:30 and came back at 10:30 and that is the pattern for the next week! I got up at eight and after a few jobs and breakfast, set about the paperwork on this Section 75. I hope it comes off as I cannot be bothered to discuss it anymore! I tried to be civil, reasonable and fair but they just gave me the bird, do battle it is then!

I made soup for when she woke, then we went to town on an errand. We had intended to go to The Beacon for a walk, but we both felt a tad down hearted and gave it a swerve! Roast Pork for tea and she's in bed soon after eight! I'll watch some tripe and go up at 22:30 isn't. If I go at the same time as her, I cannot sleep well when she is gone and end up having a tough day!

eBay and Autotrader dreaming of the next dog bus to be done too!

 

[PeteB]

I had to meet a group of workers on site in Swindon today, they're boss has supplied them with two new machines and they are unhappy. He has had our chippers for 20 years or more and had this model before. They are complaining that in comparison to the older units, these don't pull brash into the machine as well, they had video'ed a slim branch not being chipped when you'd think it would have wolfed it down! Fundamentally, we haven't changed anything with the machine and they have the hump. So I go to see them on site. Good bunch of lads, who want things to be better, but cannot understand that we haven't changed anything! I took my demo unit and that did exactly the same as theirs and I was happy with what it did, to be honest. I had to say 'sorry chaps, if you think that that bundle should have gone through, then you need to get a bigger machine. I will try and look at getting a few changes done, as a trial, but, I couldn't say that I could see what they are on about! Trouble is, I got another customer ,with the same model, and they are complaining of the same issues. He too has had the older version and thinks that the new version isn't as productive. I got to try and catch him on site in Shropshire tomorrow too. I shouldn't really have to get involved but everyone else seems to be in a shrugging mode.....

I called in at the factory for something on the way back and drove home through a tremendous thunderstorm that absolutely hammered down the rain from the Stratford on Avon, Warwick, Coventry area! Hard work driving in conditions like that at times.

Home to an empty house, Caz is on nights and has gone to the gym. She has a fixation on being the right shape/size etc. There isn't much fat on the girl at all and but still thinks that she has to tone up and get fit. Bless the girl, she puts a lot of effort into life! The night shift at the airport can be tedious at times - the other night, she had to sit in a Zafira, watching an imaginary fence to stop contractors wandering through it while a new facility is put up for JCB. When it came to moving and going back to the main building, the hand brake was stuck on and they had to leave the car and cadge a lift of another team!

[Southampton Graham]

Thanks for the updates Peter

I enjoy reading what has happened on your working day, keep up the good work. 

 

[PeteB]

Thanks Graham, I do live quite an oddball work life and non standard home life too! I say oddball and non standard but in reality, divorces, wayward kids, shift work and life as a rep can be depressingly normal to some!

Caz was away at three and I was sat behind the desk at 7:30, I sent a message to the chap who wanted to see me in Shropshire, the address should have come through last night. He got back to me at 9:30 having just seen the message. Mission aborted. He forgot I was coming and the site wasn't right! So I stayed at home to write up notes for next week's sales meeting, do some used business and generally catch up with office stuff. Amongst the detritus is an email from that colleague. He is upset because one of his dealers has given him a shoeing because it was noted that one of mine is advertising a two year old new machine on machinery4golf.net for £21,500 - some £1,500 cheaper than where would expect to be. In reality, the dealer is free to sell at what price he dreams up, but we ask them to maintain value and margin in our offerings. He seems to ignore the fact that one of his is advertising the same, but brand new, for £21,750! But then, that is okay as it is in deprived S Wales, and his dealer commands my respect! I haven't voiced my thoughts, but it is on the lines of 'Man up, get a life, which tree surgeon is going to be viewing a golf machinery portal for a chipper!' and 'I'm more concerned that you are making demands when you told us to go forth when we questioned your uplift of our parts prices!.

As Caz came back in the afternoon, we decided to go to hers to say hello to her folks, dog and kids. Fish and chip dinner!

Had some bad news from the depot who lost their lorry driver in a tragic accident in the yard. One of their Ag reps had an Anyuerism(?) and died at his recently. Nice chap too.

Early start tomorrow, 1st appointment in Preston at 08:00!

[PeteB]

Early get away and for once, an uninterrupted drive up the M6 to Bamber Bridge. I met the council chaps in the yard and we spent a couple of hours talking about woodchippers and how best to look after them and how to get the best out them. Sound set of lads, but LA things are hard work at times. For the Counties tree work, the have a Unimog with front mounted chipper, and a specialist trailer with crane to tow behind it for picking up lumps of wood or rough terrain access, the whole package is in the order of £150k. But the registered it as a truck rather than a tractor and as such, they need HGV1 to tow the trailer, no one has a licence! Their little truck which they use to tow this trailer and tracked chipper is a well built, good looking thing but, the garage ordered it without asking and it can only carry 350kgs legally! Pretty useless in most ways then....I discovered this when I ran a tree surgery company, the last two trucks that I ordered new, had a standard height tipper body so that the blokes couldn't get too much woochip on there and be running around with a huge overload!

After that, I went to call on a couple of local people with ours but they were at work. I then went to Dunnockshaw to meet my dealer there which was fruitful. I arrived as he was opening an order from Rossendale Council for another machine! The off to Tarvin to see another dealer to show support and willing there and then home in time to have done another 12 hour day!

Wednesday is the 'divorced dad's day' and my two still come for supper. Caz has swapped her days for a couple of night shifts to be with a better crew. So she is having a lie in tomorrow and I won't see her until friday morning for an hour!

[PeteB]

I have to confess that I was awake at 05:30 as per usual, but decided to cuddle up and sleep for while longer! Left the house at 08:00 feeling good about life and set off for the factory - 54 miles in an hour and three quarters! I had to take a loan machine to a customer who has two units (new) and they both have an obscure issue which is leaving us scratching heads! We got to come up with a fix and quick as others may have the same but are suffering in silence! Got to Leominster for midday, swapped for one of his and chased back to the factory. Dropped that off and then headed to Wellingborough. The flagship machine that I took to them last week has performed well so the 'backstop' unit I lent them wasn't needed and they gave me the 'headsup' that the Directors wanted to see me.

They think that ours is blindingly good and want another for their southern ops. Spanking! But we got a 10 week delivery period while a competitors machine of a similar spec can be had within four - Bugger! The only thing left in my bag is the offer of a loan unit of a lower spec until we can satisfy their order. It means that I am a demo unit down and later on, said demo will be well used! It would be good to get the order but, occasionally, we cannot do miracles! The impossible is one thing I will have ago at though!

Caz is at work until the wee small hours, steak and chips for tea and I can watch what I want or do some eBay dreaming! I still have to clear the HotRod out of the garage so I can dream of the next toy and hopefully, the issues of the lemon Q7 will get resolved in my favour and the search will be on for the replacement Q7 S Line, or maybe a VW Caravelle or maybe.......decisions, decisions....

Any people on here who know about tyres? My 6 month old Ranger with 30k on the clock has good depth of tread left on the fronts, but look like I have been driving on broken glass!

[PeteB]

Caz has gone to work again, so will be back at 05:00. Odd thing with shifts like that is that you seem to spend more time asleep than when you do days! I can do long days but I doubt that I would get on doing nights!

I had meant to spend the morning at home and then go to the factory so that I don't have a trailer and chipper outside the house. We plan to go to hers to do some decorating and see kids, dog, old folk etc...But that didn't happen. Hope it is safe while we are gone.

The deal from yesterday took a bit of sorting out and is still a bit 'odd'. The customer was okay with the price and agreed to buy it off the dealer but had told me that the one rep had got up their nose - I asked my colleague who oversees that mob, who he preferred to handle the deal. I contacted chosen man and explained everything and he rightly told the Rep who upset them. He and I have a 'history' from when I managed that dealer. He was extremely rude, vulgar even, in a totally unnecessary manner - even my boss was shocked and surprised, I just said 'you can look after them, I'll never go there again!' I get a real stroppy, bolshy, combative voicemail from him - I'll not loose any sleep - he isn't worth the steam off my waste to be honest! Anyhow, the chosen man gets another salesman to get the ball rolling - he emails the invoice and they pay £4k deposit and away we go! Nice Friday, shame that isn't on my figures! But more will come as long as the dealer doesn't screw it up again!

The rest of the day is spent trying to organise some video filming on machine hand over procedure, instructional stuff which we can send to folk rather than physically beimg there. We have done some of these promos as well as instructional and they get put on YouTube and the like. I even did one in the rain during the APF Forestry show at Ragley Hall. I seem to get some of these done in a more natural manner than others but there is always a load of outtakes when we get things wrong etc....I remember the first one I did back in 1998, the camera man was a great laugh, the producer had been a newsreader or some such in the 80's for midland TV and was a pompous prat! The Chairman of GreenMech had steam coming out of his ears at one point when a machine wouldn't work - he shouted at me to move a lorry so that a service van could get to the machine and I ripped the wheelarch off this brand new 7.5t Mercedes! I had to hide the damage against a wall, stay late to get it off for someone to glass fibre up, then I was in at 5 to paint it green again and fit it before anyone he out! I get a little impatient at times - this should have been done ages ago - originally, I was told that I'm too busy on sales work to do another one - but the chap who was given the brief is like a wooden man made of smoke and the 'actor' is not good with machines and dresses like a sack of tates tied up badly! I'm no fashion model but Reps togs work, factory overalls don't.....

I also got a two day trip around the North East with a rep who is new to chippers - sound chap but doesn't know the 'patter' - but a plan needs to be done so we aren't just aimlessly driving around etc, quite hard work getting a call list together. Yell.com has hundreds of tree surgeons in each town but most are run from home with no office to call upon - Councils, Hire shops, etc are easy - cold calling is hard work and you often have to have a thick skin! We do have a database to go to but that isn't as good as I would like.

No word on the Section 75 yet, but we are already scouring ads for a decent replacement. She wants black with black alloys - I want one that has no vices! Forsooth, she evening liked a RR Vogue!

Rugby on, Tigers playing at Kingsholm agin Gloucester! - chilli, wine, bean bag!

[Southampton Graham]

Cheers Peter

have a good weekend

[PeteB]

Got to be said, an awful weekend. Possibly a 'defining' weekend which disappoints and saddens and hints of trouble going forward....

One of things that attracted me to Caz was her ability to 'graft'. To put her shoulder against things and go, a real clever girl, a thinker, a doer, someone who has had a hard time in life (we all have had them) but still cracks on! Her devotion to her kid's happiness and balance despite being a single mum for most of their lives is inspired. Her desire to try to prevent them being seen as the 'pov' kids 'wi nowt' has driven her to work incredible hours in crap jobs for low pay. Her need to earn, work and still offer things that I often thought as 'spoiling', is, in a way inspirational. All of this can occasionally hurt too. Not me, but her kids....

Friday night had her receive some very rude txt messages from her daughter which referred to her work taking presidency over her needs. I was surprised at the bile! To set the scene, Caz and I met on Match.com, we met and clicked despite 50 miles between us and it worked having weekends here and there alternatively. Her ex had unfortunately got bad genes and bad bi polar, which is awful for him and those around him. He hasn't really contributed to the household or parenting since the initial act tbh. Not a stable father, ever, in any way! Not a stable partner either - Caz and her parents have had this to deal with.....praise to them for their forebearance.

Anyhow, daughter is 17 and quite mature, usually a delight even, stopped college and not sure what to do, clever and aware that her Dad is a missed drop kick.  Joe is 22, clever but in a dead end job, not at all practical and shows no propensity to learn household chores or responsibility for them either.

Caz worked Friday night, we get there Saturday early afternoon, the house is a disgrace, Ez gone out to look at a 'deadend job' college education with Agricultural Father, Joe in the middle of the sitting room playing a computing game! Caz in tears, me furious! Joe just goes out, maybe pub....We clean, hoover, dust, mop, throw out rubbish, walk dog etc....It seems that there is backlash because Caz works so hard, but they (and Caz's parents), forget the all effort that goes into the iPhones, iPads, cars, holidays, pets ad infinitum but comes with no support from the father or his dysfunctional family!

Neither of the kids have spoken to me but have reduced their mum to tears. Sorry, I did say to daughter , "this place is a fing pigstye!, Why do we have to clean as soon as we get here! I got nothing but a torrent of tearful abuse!...

Caz's parents got a 'headsup' from me too,  'why am I the only one who cuts the grass, mends the roof, refills the holes in the drive, cuts the logs, mends the fence, makes the tea, washes up, Hoover's the dust, walks the dog, buys the groceries, mends cars and other stuff, decorates, fits lights, drags gravel,  but the two teens/20's next door do too little and I don't live here and you keep asking me to do stuff because you don't want to pay another, yet I got a job elsewhere!!! And you want me to make soup for dinner too!?!

Enough!!!  Back in Shepshed, Caz gone to bed as she up at 02:30, I'm tucking into a Shiraz and typing about my PTSD....

We all got issues along the way, but talking helps.

Disclaimer Alery

My version of PTSD, does not reflect on the level of true, life changing stuff that others go through!

 

[PeteB]

Caz was away early to a quiet night at the mad house - she caught a 'Redline' today, a person employed as 'the mystery shopper' or dummy with a false bomb etc - employee of the CAA who is there to test the security staff. This is the second that she has caught just lately which gets brownie points as it shows that the staff are being observant! These Redlines are thrown in to all kinds of scenerarios from being other MAG Aviation Staff, contractors trying to get on the airport to work, delivery drivers etc - in fact, anyone! She is in bed already as the alarm will go off at 02:30 again.

I had a slow start with a appointment to get some glasses and trying to organise the diary for the next few weeks - it is always fluid but a plan does help! Then I headed out to drop off the loan machine in Wellingborough - that deal is still a tad shaky as the dealer hasn't got his paperwork in and, more importantly, has not thanked the customer for his £50k order! I done my bit and can push now more - if they give the order to my people then I would have to say that mine deserve it more than the local bloke!

Then to the factory to get a tow behind to hang off the back of the car while I tour the database in the North East for the next two days. I had some good news today too - I got a tug for doing 58mph while towing on an A road, I can only do 50....Gulp, I already got 6 points! I was invited to do a Speed Awareness course - probably the 6th in total!

Sorted a couple of engineering issues while at the factory and also sorted out a day to do some of that filming too! And got the headsup on a couple of deliveries too!

[PeteB]

Caz was up at 02:30 and I struggled to sleep properly afterwards! Left for the depot in Bishop Auckland soon after six and got here for about 9:30. Some myther on the road lead to the trip up via M18 and M62! Awful weather and a tad of sleet after we left Tow Law. Got to see a few clients and cold calls and stopped in a Premier Inn.

Having some technical issues today mind. Samsung watch lasted half a day, Sony phone lasted the day, tablet didn't want to work and back up Lenovo Phablet won't restore factory settings! Sony doesn't want to recharge and I didn't bring watch charger! At home, we change from Virgin to BT tomorrow, internet at home appeared to go off before dawn, would I be too cynical to think virgin have switched off already?

Lights out in a moment to catch up on this morning. I need my beauty sleep!

[PeteB]

Had a decent enough day around Stockton, Darlington etc. Went to have another one of these odd Local Authority visits, well meaning sorts with a boss who admits that they struggle for staff because they don't pay enough to attract staff but that they have a decent bunch and are well equipped although may change one of the two units that they have. They favour American chippers and confessed that they looked at ours back in 2004 and didn't like it and that put them off. But they had got some brash in a truck and would give my little petrol unit a brief go out of interest. The two that they have are American, so big, heavy, over engineered (compared to European made stuff) and a tad agricultural. One is a 1400kg unit which will take 7" and the other is 2900kg and is a 12" unit, so I think that my little 37hp petrol is a tad outclassed! I did my best sales speel and we had a little laugh over the differing sizes but set mine up and powered it up. They all looked at me because mine is so quiet, then they start to feed it stuff that they had cut ready - it ate the lot and blew it to the back of the truck! They all said that it punched well above its class and better than their 7x12" unit! Sweet! When they want to change, we stand a decent chance! They only downside to the visit was that it was viciously cold!

A few other visits, bite to eat and I'm on the way home!

However....the rest of the day had a surreal, banal, infuriating and disappointing end. As previously said, BT were coming today to affect the change over in TV, Broadband and Phone bundle, but due to my own phone issues - I could not check progress etc. Caz stayed at home from 12:30 to be there when the engineer came. He never did....I got back some 30 minutes after the appointed time was over - no internet, no phone and no TV. I checked my email and nothing, check the phone (card anyhow) and no missed contact. We try their chatline which is available from 07:00 until 23:00 - but it had been disconnected, the link to it was on an email they sent on Monday. I phone the engineer but no one answered, I phoned a contact number. Eventually getting through despite the high number of calls etc. Despite the promises of contact 24 hours before hand, and updates during the day and calls to the engineer, it turns out that he was too busy to answer his phone or do an email - and wasn't going to either. After my protestations, they put me on a "priority install" with profound apologise and promised to come in seven days!!!! Poor girl was really sorry but admitted than the engineering staff would not take the call or explain why they had failed to do as they had promised. As a gesture of good faith she would reduce my first months bill by £10. I told her that I felt insulted and ashamed to have put my faith in them when they could treat someone with such a cavalier attitude and she said that she didn't blame me! I cancelled and asked for a full refund. I then phone Virgin to ask if I could be reconnected - their response was 'that deal that we offered after you had signed to BT was not going to happen but if I wanted, I could half my internet speed as it was pointless in me having that and that I shouldn't have been on that tariff! Gob smacked!!! Talk about mis-sold!

I'm writing this tagged in to a mobile hotspot from my mobile and feel violated by the lot of them! I ought to say that a stiffly worded email to each parties is in order but where will it get me? Nowhere, it would be just adding to the grief as they sit in their spot laughing at  how they stiffed another one! I can imagine the scene, a stripy shirted, foppy haired youth rocking back in his leather chair, "and then he said, 'you expect me not to get annoyed when you get a young girl to tell me I got no package for another seven days and think a tenner will do?'!" and him and his £40k pa mates roaring with laughter!

[Magnet]

Hello Pete,

I'm suffering from stress here, simply  reading your tales of woe!  BT and others - all much of a muchness?? 

Been with BT for many a moon, and had some instances of problems, and certainly failed promises. I guess every one has with most of the providers, but frustrating it is, particularly when - if they can't cope with the customer base they have - they still advertise 'new-customer-only' special deals to attract even more poor unsuspecting ! But again they all do that anyway. When they have you on board, and you are in trouble, you get through to Keith! , Alan etc. at call centres well east of the Thames estuary. They invariably get upset when you challenge any of their statements to any degree, yet seem hell bent on keeping feeding you good-for-the-garden stuff. I think I have had to resort to writing Personal attn. CEO letters on three occasions and the problem was quickly actioned via. phone calls from a very helpful and progressive UK person - apologies and actions. However, on the last occasion about 18 months ago, no phone call, but an e-mail which eventually led to a series of different people replying to the e-mail chain! Not so good at all. 

Anyway Pete, it's nothing personal, and is only sent to try you! Good luck in sorting it out. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

 

[PeteB]

I find that these people know that you are trapped and pray on that, all very trying! But done now, but will forget how loyal I am to them but watch how loyal they are to me! Same with the ulitilty people and do on!

Anyhow! Today was filming day! Decided to do it indoors as it was bitter cold and we needed more close up stuff. This is a 'handover instructional' thing and once edited will be available on YouTube and sent out to dealers and owners wherever! Right ball ache getting a 2 tonne tracked machine through the factory and into a back office used as a meeting room, training centre! There are no signs up to stop through traffic, do several times we had to stop as various staff came in thinking they could have some privacy for a private call, have a little meeting, eat lunch away from others etc! Then there is the general factory noise, hammering, grinders, shouting and banter and a radio getting wound up to a particular tune! I hope that he is good at editing out! Anyway, done now. 

Following that, I had to load for tomorrow's demo and catch up on missed calls, emails and general enquiries. One was from an insurance company who has a client whose machine has been stolen. Last time this occured, we have terms for them but they supplied another make as our delivery meant that they had to hire a machine for the chap and they didn't like the idea of this do I got to scrabble about to get a solution!

Caz has done for a few days, a night here then back to hers for a short bit, so she can drink and stay up a bit! Will be strange!

[PeteB]

Demo was good, they got loads of staff who all want a go! Some really interested and some who obviously feel that the menial jobs of being a "brash rat", dragging trees to a machine a little tedious and beneath them! They have seen two others and we should win on prices do okay on performance, but it is never guaranteed! Bitterly cold just stood about for three hours watching proceedings! Then home to catch up with a few things. The carry on with the insurance firm came to a disappointing end. It was on finance and the finance firm want that agreement satisfying, they don't want to do paperwork to show a new machine! Customer could have had the new one within days, now the old policy has to be paid off and new finance applied for! Bugger!!!

Caz at home and Tom and I watching the rugby on the box.

I chased up on the Lemon Q7, card issuer thinks that the bust air suspension should have been spotted on the test drive, so I'm back to CAB and the formatted letter given 14 days for a satisfactory result before legal action is started. Bugger!

[PeteB]

Writing early today as I got house guests coming.

Got the letter sent registered and signed for to the low lifes at the garage. Sent back the kit from BT after all their broken promises - was tempted to get petty and not send it back until they asked, then lie three times, don't communicate, offer a derisory sum in compensation etc.....

Caz coming back later as she has a 16:30 -04:30 shift.

My folks are driving up from Devon so we can go to watch the Tigers v Saracens match tomorrow. I did offer to go and collect them and Dad said fairly indignantly, "I can manage, I'm only 84 you know!" Bless them. Typical old folk, I had to remind them to bring a key in case I was out, and charge their phone and switch it on before getting in the car!

Housework this morning blah blah blah....

I watched one of my Facebook contacts, a tree surgeon form down south, bragging about his latest purchase, a huge chipper from Canada. He is totally ignorant of the fact the they do not comply with our Transport regs or machinery compliancy regs. It does seem to enter his head that his Method Statement and Risk Assessment does not mean that he is okay to pull something too heavy for his truck, which is overloaded before he leaves the yard, isn't bothered about the 'O' licence or that this chipper is unsafe according to the H&SE! Going down in flames methinks! It amazes me that people film stupid acts and then put them on FB and think that all will be okay!

[PeteB]

Leasurely start to Sunday. Old folk went off to see other old folk and Caz slept. I made Kedgeree for dinner, I haven't had it for 30 years so that made a change! Tom decided to have super noodles instead and Pip decided that she had had a late breakfast! Old folk, Caz and myself enjoyed it! 

Rugby was a thriller even if we got beaten but it was hellish cold sitting about. Once the game was done, I had booked a table at the local carvery. Absolutely rammed! Too busy for my liking to be honest, and too many eating the biggest plateful of food too! Shocking how much some bad crammed on their plates. Unfortunately, the service was terrible and after waiting some 30 mins to order a couple of desserts, we upped, paid and left. Shame as that is the first time in years that the three generations had been out together and the first time that the old folk and Caz had been to a carvery!

Today was mundane, up and away at about eight and down to the factory. M42 was bad so got there after ten. Unloaded and headed up to see someone in Chester to collect a loan machine. The M5, M6 and beyond was awful so got there at 3!!! Time to come home then, bugger all done today really.

Home for a quiet night and early to bed as she is doing 04:00 until 10:00 tomorrow.