HELLSTRA Strikes Again

Dinosaur Trees ~ can you see the T-Rex and the Stegosaurus??

Oh crap...

Feeling way too ripped off and so over having a telephone company which makes it almost impossible to have a good service to post!!  Hellstra (because the word Telstra makes me sick) has done it again. $409.84 ~ I don't think so. And I've worked out exactly what this represents ~ the installation of a 'new' ADSL2 line because Hellstra incorrectly disconnected the one we had and our internet and voip provider's system 'interpreted' this as a breach of contract!

Not going into it all again - you can read about the schmozzle and stuff up here. Tomorrow is going to be very interesting.

So to the tune of Cold Chisels' Cheap Wine...
(sing along with the music here)

Had a post, then my good mood died

It's thanks to ol' Hellstra 

They stuffed us up last year, you know

I thought they'd fixed the line

Instead Hellstra, they charged a bomb

But not to us, no they passed it on

And charged it to our Internet

Which sent it on with fines

No way

Hellstra's done, too bloody oath

Hellstra's done, they have got my goat

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Thirteen calls and almost 20 days

You'd think they'd get it right 

Hellstra never called me back

I rang 'em every time

I never shouted, I never cried

Even though I boiled inside

Each time I had to speak to them

Or rated poor feed back

And now

Hellstra's done, too bloody oath

Hellstra's done, finally got my goat

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Hang on

Going through the bills, drinking UDLs, alls fine

Saw another cost, 400 bucks, oh my

I thought we'd got this fixed from the time before

Got a little credit but they charged much more

Never got it right and they made it worse with every call

With every call, yeah...

So if they think they're gonna mess with me

You know that I'm gonna call

Hellstra I don't feel the love

But with the Ombudsman you'll jump

You'll see

Hellstra's done, too bloody oath

Hellstra's done, who's the scape goat

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

Ombudsman

You make them fix this up

(repeat)

Oh that was SO satisfying!!
Mind you ~ Internode was able to explain perfectly what the charges were, why we were charged a fee for cancelling our contract (which we didn't but with Hellstra disconnecting our line, the computers read it as a cancellation, then a reconnection fee at a rather high rate as it then needed a new 'port' or link or whatever the technical bizzo to be installed and activated as the one we had was taken by another customer/supplier) and Internode did that in 10mins over ONE call. Why can't Hellstra do that?

Why can't the staff at Hellstra have the same story? Do they not learn the same rules ~ or is it a plot to confuse and frustrate?  If so - they've been taught well!!  Why does no one from Hellstra ever call you back ~ even when they promise?? And if supervisor permission is required ~ why is there no supervisor on the shift?? If I get an answer to any or all of those questions (ha!!) I'll let you know ~ but please do not hold your breath! You'll probably pass out before anyone finds out...

Come on Hellstra ~ get with it!!  I want my money back, and the letter that says it was not through a fault made by us ~ you don't have to say all your staff made and compounded the problem, but you must say we didn't!! Stoopid people, but we need to have the landline. Grrrr

Rant over ~ having dinner and going to watch the House of Food Obsessives on SBS at 830pm!

Catch up tomorrow when in a much more communicable mood *laughs*

If you are able to please contribute to our Spare Change Jar or the Treasure Chest at the top of each side bar ~ please please do ~ not only will we be extremely grateful, it might turn my frown upside down and get a smile back on my dial *grins*

Non-Comms ~ the frustrating monopoly called Hell(stra)...

Within something so small hides the ability of hugeness ~ the joy of Bonsai 

So where were we...?

Honestly, when last we spoke the car was playing up, getting a new(old) engine and to be back on the road before the weekend of my birthday.  That didn't happen...

Then the telecommunication monopoly referred with disgust in this house as Hellstra to which we pay line rental to on a monthly basis ~ purely for the surety of phone contact should/if InterNode, our Internet and voip provider, have signal difficulties ~ decided its credit management team 'special circumstances' advice and action was up the garden path, then provided eight other consultants to stuff it up even further and more complexly over a period of eight or so days, probably taking about 8 hours of calling and hold time - not one single (promised) return contact was made - all it online, operational, communicational and Internode took under 12hrs to reinstate Internet and voip once its 'wholesaler' (aforementioned Hellstra) accepted the order blah blah techo babble request.

Sure we had to pay for a reconnection with our Internet provider, sure Hellstra issued a credit against its bill for said amount to our Hellstra account, but it is still not the end of the issue.  Still chortle with a handful of disbelief at the discussion with one particular customer team member called Peter who is hopefully receiving some additional training, assistance and supervision with service protocols, anger management and ear-wax removal to enable him the abilities and right to be able to take calls from customers in the future. 

Saving the BS behind the car - motor - communication saga . . .  Um, is that a theme? 

Is it no longer considered good business practice to call the customer, you know that person who pays to use a particular service and has the ability to source most elsewhere? Might not be the best of news, but telling me at 8.35am you're on the way to take our child to school as our car is, yet again, not available or going and having had no responses for 24-48 hours, one makes alternative arrangements...

Let's save that comedy of errors - its a good one too.  And Hellstra can be left here too ~ in some ways contributing to the reduction of one of our regular, ongoing budgeted expenses. At minimum, it brings the phone down with a credit which will cover line rental costs for about 5-6 months. If we are lucky, the reinstatement of Internet might be flagged to just do the techie bitties and not a reconnect, or if a reconnect it can be the lower charge. At least, in the long run its covered - somewhere...

We are in discussions with the bank for a wee repayment break, reduction, hardship application to enable us to stay on track with payments, but get these into the Line Of Credit so if Husband does have a longer period without finding employment after 3-6 months of being the brute strength and partial motivator, house husband, carer, hunter, gardener, gatherer - we have built ourselves a buffer in case part time work offers are on the lower earning end.

eBay has had its hits and misses ~ largely impacted by being off-line (scored another mark Hellstra), but aided in some ways as we were able to de-clutter and scavange about in a more hands on fashion.  Writing this, I have realised now why I am so darn achy and sore of late.  Bit over doing it methinks in hindsight!  Oh well.  Be aware by the start of the weekend there will be a few items going up every day to get the flow going. We've got a little system going - and we've got to work in with Avon items - which earned us $14 this campaign period!  Not bad!!

Biggest 'save' was the tax return which brought $3k into the picture. We'd had this 'assigned' to VISA, Line of Credit and Mortgage - the left over, if any, for birthdays (7th, 12th, 13th is family) and Christmas, including petrol to get to the 'party'. So everything got a bump and the new amounts will be up on the Weekly Update for this week. There's a fair bit to catch up on since the last report. 

It's so good to be back on-line.
Until tomorrow...