Is there no end to my pain

ok..it's taken several weeks and I've probably ignored it up till now, but I have finally found something I dislike about Holland.

The lack of customer service.

This of course could be entirely down to the intensive Apple staff training which causes Apple staff to feel they are above such things as basic customer service and the ability to fill out a form or make a phone call..But I think it might in fact be a Dutch thing.

I've cancelled the Iphone...
I've had enough. 4 times I went to that shop, made to stand around like a lemon, despite them knowing why I was there, and 3 times told that the only person who could deal with it, was ;

a) away on a training course
b) back in a couple of hours
c) was there a few minutes ago...

So I would leave my number and ask someone to call and update me, even if it was with no news I think a simple, update would have been nice.

Of course I was told yes that would be no problem. I never once received a call.
Yesterday, eventually I get to the relevant assistant manger (after being made to wait for 2 lots of 30 mins while he uselessly dealt with customer complaints and filled out forms (often twice as he was Cleary incompetent)) (programmers will notice the balanced brackets there...I was going to make a programmers joke and not close this bracket but only programmers would get it...and ermm I've explained it now so...)

Anyway, Rinus, for that was his name, cheerfully tells me how he's kept missing me as he was
a) on a training course
b) back in a couple of hours
and
c) had just nipped out.

"Yeah right ok, so why has no one called me to give me an update?"
blank looks
"ok ok, so what’s the deal with my Iphone now?"
"Still nothing from T-mobile, it might be another week or so."

now bear in mind dear reader (hi mum)..I was originally told 48 hours, then a week then 2...so no we're talking possibly a month...a month...to get a contract for a mobile phone.

ARRGGHH At this point I remember seeing red...something about heads flying around, mouths with mac minis forcibly stuffed in them and people with Dutch accents begging for their miserable lives.

But after a few deep breaths, (its not considered polite to get angry in Holland) I said,
"Ok...that’s enough then, please cancel my order I'll work something else out. I can't keep wasting my time like this"
"yes it’s not good your time is very valuable" comes the reply in typical polite Dutch stating the obvious way and I walk out.

I stopped crying a few hours ago...the whiskey helped.


Ahthankyew