Today's frustrations

[Gerry557]

Simple little things combining to my your day just that bit harder.

One of my Nationwide accounts is coming up to its anniversary. Great a bit of interest but then they are going to move the cash into a new account with a lower rate. I have a number of accounts with nowt in so decided to actually close a few of them.

No obvious way to do this, looking for assistance, I ended up with a bot on chat. It gave the info over several chats, great. Unfortunately when you start to follow the instructions the bot dissappears. Eventually got this sorted but what not have the chat follow you in a different window.

Then I decided to get a TV Licence. Unfortunately they have back dated it instead of starting anew. I've not been using it. So had to contact them to try and resolve. Maybe the bot can cancel the payment.

So some things sorted but now I have extra things on tomorrows list.

[88V8]

... looking for assistance, I ended up with a bot on chat. It gave the info over several chats, great. Unfortunately when you start to follow the instructions the bot dissappears. Eventually got this sorted but what not have the chat follow you in a different window.

Yes, stuff that should be simple but isn't.

Can you run two sessions, one with the bot and the other with you doing stuff? Perhaps they don't allow you to be logged in twice.

A taste of things to come, I guess. With AI, it will become harder and harder to speak with a real person. I wonder how long before the person behind the Nationwide counter is replaced by an AI robot.

V8

[MrFoolish]

Coming soon, the Comfort Cafe AI Sympathy Bot. Type in your frustrations and it will reply that it feels your pain.

[didds]

A taste of things to come, I guess. With AI, it will become harder and harder to speak with a real person. I wonder how long before the person behind the Nationwide counter is replaced by an AI robot.

V8

i had a similar frustration earlier this week.

our BT b/band worked fine. But the (digitalised) landline had no dialling tone.
various options followed on the BT website all led me to online advice (which didnt work), or calling the number was just audible advice (also useless). Of course I could call the BT help line number on the landline (no dial tone, co connection) so had to do it on my mobile - and i was being sent a text to which i had to respond "PHONE". I did so - but nobody/nothjing ever followed that response up. Presumably because my mobhile number isnt registered with BT for anything/it has no obvious connection to my landline number of BT contract number etc.

Eventually I whinged on twitter to @BT_UK (or whatever the twitter account is).

Within minutes Id had a response form a human being, and after a brief bit of DM-ing we then had a phoone conversation.

Bottom line - what if you dont use twitter?!!!!

[Lootman]

A taste of things to come, I guess. With AI, it will become harder and harder to speak with a real person. I wonder how long before the person behind the Nationwide counter is replaced by an AI robot.

i had a similar frustration earlier this week.

our BT b/band worked fine. But the (digitalised) landline had no dialling tone.
various options followed on the BT website all led me to online advice (which didnt work), or calling the number was just audible advice (also useless). Of course I could call the BT help line number on the landline (no dial tone, co connection) so had to do it on my mobile - and i was being sent a text to which i had to respond "PHONE". I did so - but nobody/nothjing ever followed that response up. Presumably because my mobhile number isnt registered with BT for anything/it has no obvious connection to my landline number of BT contract number etc.

Eventually I whinged on twitter to @BT_UK (or whatever the twitter account is).

Within minutes Id had a response form a human being, and after a brief bit of DM-ing we then had a phoone conversation.

Bottom line - what if you dont use twitter?!!!!

This is why I have a (very old school) rule that I try and only deal with entities that have a High Street physical presence with actual human beings in it. So I can go there in person and demand satisfaction.

Of course these entities are all making it harder for me. A few months ago I told of my irritation about being told that I could not open a savings account at my own bank in person, but rather had to "use the app", "go online" or "call the 0800 number". And my main sharedealing account closed its only high street presence. Further it looks like NS&I is now only online - I guess you can't go to post office to open or operate an account now.

Things will only get worse.

[88V8]

...it looks like NS&I is now only online - I guess you can't go to post office to open or operate an account now.
Things will only get worse.

I think I posted somewhere about trying to reactivate my old Premium Bond holder numbers, the online and telephone jungle, and that was when I could speak with real people. I gave up any idea of buying more Premium bonds. I also read in The Times that they are a pain when the holder dies and the bonds have to be redeemed.
As you say, it will only get worse.

V8

[didds]

Things will only get worse.

Ah... but... you have forghotten that all these changes are

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE!!!!



didds

[Gerry557]

Today's frustrations.

I tried to make a payment using the phone app. At the end of the process it wanted me to use a card reader. Not really convenient when you are out and about. This was sorted once home

My media player did an update but it partly failed. This resulted in my movies stuttering when played. Attempts to reload didn't work. Fortunately the online community, who are real people not bots came up trumps. I enjoyed tonight's movie.

Nothing from tv licence, so moved on till tomorrow. I'm expecting a little bit more frustration tomorrow as I'm fitting some new lights in a couple of bedrooms. Surely it won't go without incident.

[Gerry557]

The lamps are up, screw holes didn't match but I drilled a hole in the bracket so fairly frustration free.

The TV people replied wanting more info which I supplied. They will respond in 5 working days or 8 if it's a complaint. That's frustrating!

Tomorrow is the football, highly likely to cause frustration at the best of times. I'm sure the words VAR will be mentioned.

The newly painted bedrooms feature wall is not the right shade apparently. The boss wants it a different colour. This hasn't frustrated me as I didn't like it much before it went up. I offered to change it but the boss didn't want to ask.

Much better to repaint now before the carpet goes in.

[Charlottesquare]

...it looks like NS&I is now only online - I guess you can't go to post office to open or operate an account now.
Things will only get worse.

I think I posted somewhere about trying to reactivate my old Premium Bond holder numbers, the online and telephone jungle, and that was when I could speak with real people. I gave up any idea of buying more Premium bonds. I also read in The Times that they are a pain when the holder dies and the bonds have to be redeemed.
As you say, it will only get worse.

V8

Actually Premium Bonds were one of the easier encashments when my Dad died in 2012, I seem to recall they paid up on a Death Cert rather than insisting upon Confirmation (Probate for most of you), this was useful as the funds settled the undertaker's cost far faster than awaiting Confirmation.

Still, that was back in 2012/2013 and our solicitor was obviously used to their ways, maybe in 2023 things are more difficult.

[Gerry557]

The TV licence issue has been respond too. Now even more frustration.

They explained a lot about their system and why they backdated my licence. They didn't correct the date or cancel as I requested.

I have replied suggesting their system seems too difficult to correct therefore just to return my money and cancel the whole thing.

I suspect this is going to become a thing. Do I need to write to my MP and or the bank to help. I suppose raising a formal complaint might have to be the next stage assuming my request gets ignored again.

Why do they make it so difficult?

[Pendrainllwyn]

It's shocking. I bought an apartment last year and received several very rude letters that may as well have said "we don't believe anyone can live without a TV license - therefore we think you are lying when you say you don't need a license. Pay up now or we will prosecute you later, criminal". I wouldn't be surprised if some organisation is getting paid a commission on each license issued and if it's backdated then that commission is higher. Either that or have targets to meet on licenses issued in order to retain a contract or receive incentive bonuses. No doubt there are cheats who don't pay their license fee but don't treat everyone that way until you have some evidence to support malpractice. I won't be helping them meet their targets.

Pendrainllwyn

[terminal7]

It's shocking. I bought an apartment last year and received several very rude letters that may as well have said "we don't believe anyone can live without a TV license - therefore we think you are lying when you say you don't need a license. Pay up now or we will prosecute you later, criminal". I wouldn't be surprised if some organisation is getting paid a commission on each license issued and if it's backdated then that commission is higher. Either that or have targets to meet on licenses issued in order to retain a contract or receive incentive bonuses. No doubt there are cheats who don't pay their license fee but don't treat everyone that way until you have some evidence to support malpractice. I won't be helping them meet their targets.

Pendrainllwyn

You talk about 'evidence' and yet your 'evidence' is based upon 'I wouldn't be surprised if . . '

T7

[88V8]

It's shocking. I bought an apartment last year and received several very rude letters that may as well have said "we don't believe anyone can live without a TV license - therefore we think you are lying when you say you don't need a license.

We haven't had a licence or a telly for eleven years. Now and then I get a polite email asking me to confirm the situation.
Perhaps the bot gets more excited by people whose name looks as if it were created by a random number generator

V8

[didds]

Do I need to write to my MP and or the bank to help

WADR to you, I doubt your MP with do anything at all. After about 6 weeks you may get a reply waffling on about independent systems yadda yadda blah blah and how they have moved your query to the minister in charge of that area (digital, sport and media maybe) and then your letter/email will just drop into a blackhole.

Why do they make it so difficult?

[Gerry557]

Computer definitely says no. The BBC are not endering me to their cause.

The defund the BBC crowd might get another supporter at this rate. I've skipped having a license quite a few times now and this might be the straw.

Still I think a person has to do something first in the decision process. So fingers crossed.

[didds]

You talk about 'evidence' and yet your 'evidence' is based upon 'I wouldn't be surprised if . . '

T7

I obviously cant speak for the OP, but I have to say the experience posted is exactly that I/we used to get when we didn't bother with a TV license (cos we didnt was as broadcast TV - not because we were illegally watching it!) - for several years, several times a year. I dont acceptr TVL was waging a campaign aginst me alone.

So wrt to "evidence" maybe I'd say "my perception based on direct experience is...." ... though Id fully accept "my own empirical evidence leads me to believe"

[Gerry557]

A promising update on the license front. I received a letter in the post, well it was a second in the post one that I have had this week.

The first said my property was under investigation but the second talked about thanking me for "updating my circumstances" Unfortunately it didn't give any details but had a phone number.

I spoke on the phone about "my licence" I said I didn't know if I had one due to some issues previously and their responses to the issue raised and was awaiting confirmation of a cancellation or amendment to the license, the latter they said they couldn't do.

Anyway they have agreed to amend the end date after all

So it's OK to watch the football

[CliffEdge]

Sometimes that's all you can do.

[didds]

Hypothetical:

IF the alleged TV detector vans work on reading oscitations emanating form a TV...

Couldn't you wrap the whole TV in tin foil except the screen and face that away from the external wall?

Cos you have every right to have a gurt 72" plasma screen to watch Netflix, DVDs or other non broadcast as live material anyway.
And of course dont use an external aerial (obvious!) but instead Chromecast/amazon stick etc ?

<this is very rhetorical and not serious as a solution to fraudulently using a TV for as broadcasted programs>