After four years of travelling you would have thought it would be easy to get up and go - not so.
A stone thrown up by a lorry chipped our car windscreen a few weeks ago the chip was on the drivers side and although almost coverable with a 5p piece, could not be repaired. I phoned a (well known) windscreen repair company, the first question they asked was “who are you insured with?“ when we said Saga we were told they were not able to carry out work for Saga customers who are served by Saga’s own windscreen division.
We were initially impressed by the response we received from said Saga glass division, the office appeared efficient and knowledgable, a time slot (8.00am to 1.00pm Saturday 14th November) and location for replacing the screen quickly agreed. At 2.00pm Saturday 14th November I rang Saga Glass to be told that yes we did have an appointment but a technician had not been assigned to the job so no they would not be coming, we should make another appointment but as we had been mucked about they would give us a one hour slot between 9.00am and 10.00am on Thursday 19th November. At 8.00am I rang Saga Glass to confirm the appointment - “No" said the lady who answered the phone "the appointment is for between 9.00am and 11.00am not 10.00am, if there is any other problem we will ring you". When I rang at 11.05am I was told that yes we did have an appointment but a technician had not been assigned to the job so no they would not be coming, etc., etc.
Wondering if I would be better ringing BBC Watchdog I rang Saga claims department and complained, Tom, the chap I spoke to contacted Saga Glass and returned saying he had been given some “cock and bull” story about the computer having a glitch and not assigning a technician to carry out the work but that they would ring me within a short time to arrange another appointment and that we would not be let down again. At 4.30pm I rang Tom again he contacted Saga Glass who said they would attend between 8.00am and 1.00pm on Tuesday, no can do said I, I am available Friday afternoon and Saturday morning then all day Wednesday but on Thursday morning I would be hitching up the caravan and setting off to Spain not intending to return before April. Tom relayed this to Saga Glass. They would shuffle the technicians and ring me back first thing in the morning.
Hells bells, I’m getting bored with this story so you, dear reader, must be catatonic.
12.01pm next day I rang Tom’s office he was unavailable but I spoke to his colleague Ray who contacted Saga Glass but came back to me saying why are you ringing when you have already agreed an appointment, “when have I agreed an appointment" I asked "I have not been contacted” back he went to Saga Glass “Tuesday morning” DOH!!!!!!!!
Ray went off to explain to Saga Glass that I had at the start of this process explained that Tuesday I was NOT available and that on Thursday we were leaving etc., etc. Ray came back on the phone and informed me that SG were not very happy but in view of everything that had happened they would shuffle the workforce and attend Wednesday morning.
Early Wednesday afternoon I telephoned Saga Claims - to give them credit they were amazed at what had happened and got on to SG (Saga Glass) to be told that yes we did have an appointment but a technician . . . .
“Ok” said Claire (neither Ray nor Tom were available) “I have escalated this to a formal complaint you should get a call from SG within the hour and if not ring me back” While she was saying this another call came through - Saga Glass, a manager based at Preston name Steve. I repeated my tale of woe (again). “Right” said Steve “Can we come first thing tomorrow before you leave?” I told him that we would be going to Portsmouth and needed to be away before noon. Steve said he would re-shuffle the work force for the following day and ring back in a short while “Having said I will ring back” he said “I will ring”
Within ten minutes Steve was back on, “A fitter called Keith will be with you in the morning” I was told “He will go to the Newmarket yard around 8.00am load his screens for the day and will come straight to you as the first job”.
Sure enough a few minutes after eight next morning the phone rang, it was Keith confirming he was on his way, less than an hour later he arrived and set to work. By 10.00am Keith was on his way to his next job all we had to do was spend the hour or so it took for the glue to dry to finish packing and by 11.30am we were ready.
Why is getting a simple job done so hard????