I hate Bell.

Sonal

We run a property management business out of my parents' home office. Last night, someone from Bell Canada called the office line. I was the only one there, so I answered. They wanted to speak to my dad. Told they they were speaking to his daughter and could I could help them, but no. Asked if they could tell me what it was about, what phone number they were calling about, what service address the phone was at, what the issue was, but no, they couldn't tell me a thing. They asked me to have my dad call back.

He called back, tried to confirm what they were asking for, but no. Then he gave it to our bookkeeper, she tried, but no. Then me.

First of all, they refused to tell us what number they were calling us about. Um, you called me, you should be able to tell me what it was about. They wanted us to list off every number we had. We have over 40 Bell telephone lines; each building has a phone line, a fax line, an intercom line, an elevator line, a fire security line, etc... sometimes these are merged, but not always. I couldn't even tell you what the actual number is for half of them, because the elevator line (for example) is only used to call out, not in.

He claimed he needed the account holder to confirm the number. Um, you called me. I have 40 phone lines here--I can't help you unless you can tell me which one you are calling about. Or even what the issue is so that I can guess. My Bell bills are not all filed together, they are separated by building, so digging through every file is a non-trivial task.

Much arguing, much explaining how HE called ME to ask for information so if he wants us to help him we need something to go on (he replied by saying he didn't need any help--um, then why are you calling?), and finally some shouting about how Bell is the worst company we deal with later, I was put on hold and then he finally gave me the number he was calling about. It was the office number for a building that we had sold a few months ago... we had transferred the line to the new owners some time ago--name, billing address, everything.

Tried to explain that it wasn't our line any more and if my dad's name is still on the account, then there is an error. No go. Apparently, Bell doesn't make errors, only account holders make errors. Asked him what time frame the issue was from, because if I knew when it happened, I could figure out if it was before or after the line was transferred, and tell him if it had to do with us or the new owners. He can't tell me that.

Then he asked me to confirm the mailing address for the line. It's no longer our line. Well then he wanted the address from when it was our line. Gave him our mailing address--nope. Odd, because everything gets that address. Gave him the building's address--nope. Gave him our physical address (mailing address is a PO Box)--nope.

Told him that these were all the addresses we had, so he must have an error, but if he can tell me what this is about, or when the issue he's calling about occurred, I can try to help him. He told me that I had to confirm the address before he could say anything. I asked him how I could confirm something if he had an error? He told me he didn't have an error, and he needed me to confirm the address.

Additional arguing later, he finally asked me if "Bolton, Ontario" meant anything to me. No, it doesn't... we don't do any business in Bolton, we have no properties anywhere near Bolton, and if it's Bolton, it's not us. Asked a quick question in the office, and sure enough, the new owners' are located in Bolton. I don't have the exact address, so I can't confirm anything. Told him that he must be looking for the new owners, not us. He said no, because our name is on the account. Told him that then he has a mistake, because our name shouldn't be on the account, we transferred everything, and whoever he is looking for, it isn't us.

He got exasperated and hung up on me.

About 40 minutes of my time, and I still have no idea what that's all about.

Dr.G.

Amazing, Sonal. What a waste of your time.

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SINC

Yep, ridiculous indeed.

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Macfury

Sonal, how miserable! Typical Bell SNAFU.

When I moved, Bell prematurely shut down my phone line three times before the requested disconnection date, eliminating all of my saved calls, etc. Each time it took hours to restore service.

Unknown to me, the Fax line number had been requested by someone who was waiting for it. They took it, so I received a new number when the service was restored--without being told. I received no faxes for the remainder of the time in that house because the number had been changed. It took me 6 hours of phone time with various operators and managers to reverse the charges on the fax line and to restore phone service after each shutdown.

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MazterCBlazter

Lots of stories like this about Bell and other companies. Alexander Graham Bell must be rolling in his grave at the great disservice done to his good name.

With BS calls like that, tell them to get to the point quickly or send a detailed letter explaining clearly what they want. Ask them their name, contact information and supervisors name and contact information. Throw in a comment or two about legal action, harassment, and having a lawyer on retainer. Tell them to make it clear soon or you will hang up on them in a few minutes. If they don't, then hang up on them and tell them to never contact you by phone about this issue again, contact by letter only.

I feel sorry for all that have to deal with these headaches from these poorly run sloppy companies.

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Sonal

Oh, I have many miserable stories about Bell... once, during the course of renovation, we damaged some phone lines. We asked them to come in an rerun the line--we'd pay for it, of course. They couldn't do it. We'd confirm multiple times, they'd send someone and the technician would come to the site and say "Oh, sorry, I can't do that." Then why are you here?

KC4

It's amazing that we have to pay for such crappy service. Somedays I really feel WE should be paid for enduring it.

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MazterCBlazter

+1

I had a friend that lives downtown Vancouver. He canceled all his phone and media services across the board. No telephone, no internet, no TV. He has an unlisted cellphone that does not ring, in case of emergencies. If you want to reach him, you have to send him a written letter or hope to bump into him in person on an outing.

He had a laptop that he used to for a while after he mapped out all the free wireless spots of use to him. He eventually gave up on that too.

He is probably the least stressed person in the world.

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Sonal

It's unbelievable sometimes.

I am well aware of privacy laws in Canada, and I understand that they have to operate under these laws. But you are calling me about something and you can't even tell me what you are calling about, because I can't confirm all the information on the account because you have our name in error? And then it takes you 40 minutes of arguing with me about it before YOU get fed up and hang up the phone?

Seriously, if they could have given me just a little bit of information, just the date on which whatever issue they were calling about occurred, I could have told them they were talking to the wrong people far sooner.

MazterCBlazter

Privacy laws in this country are totally screwed and seem to just cause more problems than they solve.

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