Standing Up for Myself

Let me start by saying that this story may or may not be age-related. However, since I am over 60, I am calling it as such. You’ll see what I mean at the end.

I also make no excuse for the grammar issues, including mixed tenses within today’s blog.

I will take responsibility, however, for the fictitious little green man.

But I digress already! Where was I?

Ah, yes.

About a month ago, while staying in a lovely condo in Florida, I found some of the tiniest ants I’ve ever seen crawling around my laptop. I did what any logical, calm-headed individual would do. I took the laptop outside, killed every ant I could see, shook it out upside down, and killed a few more, then set it in a bathtub to watch for more. I also called the main desk and had their maintenance dept “take care” of the issue within the condo.

The little invaders were dealt with quickly and without remorse between the actions of maintenance and me.

I also contacted my tech coverage folks (let’s call them TCF), who assured me via chat that if anything went wrong due to this, it was covered and not to worry.

Then, and only then, did I start getting the itchies and creepy crawlies.

Fast-forward a few weeks (with nary an ant to be seen), and all of a sudden, my computer starts doing odd things. So, I contacted my TCF via chat. I told them what was going on. As a former software tester, I know to be brief and to the point with these things.

To give you an idea of what it was like, imagine the following conversation. Mind you, these are not the actual details, but the back-and-forth did happen.

Me: Hi. While using my computer, a little green man randomly pops up, yells at me, and won’t go away unless I reboot.

TCF: Your little green man is being too loud. I understand.

Me: No, the problem is the little green man existing.

TCF: Let’s get you to the next support level so we can fix the little green man’s loudness.

TCF 2: Hi, I see you have an issue with the volume of your little green man.

Me, noticing the little green man has disappeared: No, there should not be a little green man here. But, he has disappeared, so I will chat with TCF again if he comes back.

TCF 2: No worries. We will fix it right now, and you will never see the little green man again.

TCF 2: After playing around remotely on my computer, All set. You will never see him again, don’t worry.

The next day, the little green man came back, so I jumped back into another chat with TCF. The short version is that they determined it was a hardware issue and that I needed to bring it to a local support crew. I made an appointment and went there a few days ago.

Mind you, in every chat, I mentioned the ants, and they dismissed it as not being a big deal.

Tally of TCF agents in chat so far: 5.

In-person TCF: Oh, that little green man is an issue. Also, those other things going on are a problem. Unfortunately, I cannot help you because there were ants. I cannot take your computer to be sent for repairs. He hems, haws, and mentions that a manager might have a different thought or two.

Me: Okay, I’d like to speak to a manager.

Manager TCF: I think we can do a swap, although we can’t take your computer. He starts a return with the intent of giving me a gift card for the price I paid for my green-man-possessed computer. He then says he needs a second manager to approve it, then comes back a few minutes later and says there is a procedure for this and that I have to come back later in the week. He makes a new TCF appointment for me.

Tally of TCF agents in chat so far: 7

A few days later: In Person TCF 3: I can help you, she snaps. (uh oh)

Me: Well, it’s a long story. May I sit? (she nods) I start to tell my story, and she interrupts abruptly.

In Person TCF 3: Oh, I know this. I need to make a phone call. I didn’t know you were coming back in.

In Person TCF 3, after 5 minutes or so: Starts to hand me a card. You will have to call this number. We can’t help you here.

Here’s that part about standing up for myself. I looked the obviously bored, condescending person in the eye and asked if she understood how long I’ve been dealing with this, how many techs I’ve dealt with so far, and how it was starting to feel like no one really cared about my issue.

Without batting an eyelash, she only reiterated, you need to call this number.

I told her that her tone of voice and the way she was looking at me also made me feel like she didn’t care.

Her response was that if she didn’t care, she wouldn’t have looked into what my options were.

I bit my tongue.

My inner gremlin did not say, “That is what you get paid for.”

Although, the words “this is what I mean” did slip out.

At that point, she said I could make the call or not, and she wished me a very dismissive “good day.”

So, I picked up my things and went to my car. I called the number on the card while sitting in the parking lot. Mind you, she never said who to talk to, so I waded through the automated system until I spoke with…

You guessed it TCF 9! (Current tally of in-person and online TCFs)

TCF 9 was wonderful, understanding, and listened well. Things were going great until the call dropped.

Dropped.

I sat for a few minutes to see if she tried to reconnect the call before I called back in and spoke with TCF 10.

Poor TCF 10 had to deal with a now teary-eyed Llama.

She listened and transferred me to a supervisor. The supervisor (TCF 11) took notes and said she was confident that an appointment with a manager would fix this and offered one at this store. I declined, noting that In Person TCF 3 (TCF number 8?) claimed to be a manager. TCF 11 made me an appointment an hour away.

We’re going there tonight.

My point?

We all deserve respect, but it seems to diminish as we age, and the people who are supposed to help us seem to get younger.

Not all of them are this disrespectful, but you will encounter them.

Stand your ground.

Try not to call them a young whippersnapper or any other word that may cross your mind.

Keep calm (and cry in the parking lot if you must).

Do Not Give Up on things that are important to you.

I’m going to go drink a decaf now and relax before meeting TCF 12.

Llivin’ La Vida Llama (and softly mumbling “young whippersnappers!)