That’s a lame excuse. The computer spits out whatever is put in. But seriously, she called to complain about being chastised? Just pay your bill and move on. Maybe that’s why John is looking a little embarrassed in the third panel.
I do auto pay through the internet now, but when this strip came out, the phone company would carry you for a month after yoiu were behind a payment and then the next bill would have the current and past due amounts on it. Maybe it was different in Canada.
Yeah, they had computers when people talked on corded phones. They were called ‘mainframes’, and were kind of specialized equipment, programmed mostly in esoteric languages like FORTRAN and COBOL to do a limited number of things.
“Did customer service even HAVE computers when people still talked on corded phones? (at least it wasn’t rotary)”
In addition to cell phones and FIOS, we still have corded phones. AND, a couple of them are rotary phones.
We had friends who worked for the phone company, and got a huge box of mis-matched old style phones. (the kind you can throw across the room and they still work) We also have 6pair of copper coming into the house.
To confound the local phone company techies, my husband set up a phone system which is half analog and half digital.
Some of the phones are rotary, some are pushbutton. All of them are 2 line phones, so depending on which room you are in, you might have to dial, or push buttons.
Beats shouting downstairs to the shop when its dinner time. I just call him from one line to the other. Since he is hard of hearing, the shop phones are wired to flashing lights.
We’re in a border area between city of Escondido and City of San Diego and San Diego Gas and Electric have to come out periodically and cut back our trees on top when they grow into the phone and power lines. We got a letter “2nd and final notice” that the rep had tried to contact us about replacing our old trees with newer ones for free that would not grow into the lines. I called and said we never got any notice before and he said he just put that down to “get our attention on the matter.”
So we still have our old trees and now they may NEVER be replaced, if I have anything to say about it. Smooth move there, duuuude! NOT!
dugharry almost 14 years ago
been there got the rebuff!!
mcveinot almost 14 years ago
I didn’t see anything so rude about the notice. If you don’t pay, you get cut off, easy as that. You get no sympathy from these guys.
alan.gurka almost 14 years ago
Maybe they should add “Have a nice day!” at the bottom of their threat notices.
lightenup Premium Member almost 14 years ago
That’s a lame excuse. The computer spits out whatever is put in. But seriously, she called to complain about being chastised? Just pay your bill and move on. Maybe that’s why John is looking a little embarrassed in the third panel.
imrobert almost 14 years ago
I do auto pay through the internet now, but when this strip came out, the phone company would carry you for a month after yoiu were behind a payment and then the next bill would have the current and past due amounts on it. Maybe it was different in Canada.
oish almost 14 years ago
Did customer service even HAVE computers when people still talked on corded phones? (at least it wasn’t rotary)
alan.gurka almost 14 years ago
That explains why the computer is rude, it’s just responding to the way it’s treated.
gofinsc almost 14 years ago
Harshage in, harshage out.
Hawthorne almost 14 years ago
Yeah, they had computers when people talked on corded phones. They were called ‘mainframes’, and were kind of specialized equipment, programmed mostly in esoteric languages like FORTRAN and COBOL to do a limited number of things.
JP Steve Premium Member almost 14 years ago
Nope, imroberts, same in Canada. A polite reminder after one and even two months. So far I’ve never forgotten a bill longer than that!
Gretchen's Mom almost 14 years ago
More and more these days, “new customers” are getting much better treatment when it comes to price and services than long-time loyal customers are.
dougwood almost 14 years ago
@ Hawthorne
Mainframe computers were anything but limited
bald almost 14 years ago
i’m surprised she got through to an actual person
ellisaana Premium Member almost 14 years ago
oish said, about 9 hours ago
“Did customer service even HAVE computers when people still talked on corded phones? (at least it wasn’t rotary)”
In addition to cell phones and FIOS, we still have corded phones. AND, a couple of them are rotary phones.
We had friends who worked for the phone company, and got a huge box of mis-matched old style phones. (the kind you can throw across the room and they still work) We also have 6pair of copper coming into the house.
To confound the local phone company techies, my husband set up a phone system which is half analog and half digital. Some of the phones are rotary, some are pushbutton. All of them are 2 line phones, so depending on which room you are in, you might have to dial, or push buttons. Beats shouting downstairs to the shop when its dinner time. I just call him from one line to the other. Since he is hard of hearing, the shop phones are wired to flashing lights.
rugratz2222 almost 14 years ago
We’re in a border area between city of Escondido and City of San Diego and San Diego Gas and Electric have to come out periodically and cut back our trees on top when they grow into the phone and power lines. We got a letter “2nd and final notice” that the rep had tried to contact us about replacing our old trees with newer ones for free that would not grow into the lines. I called and said we never got any notice before and he said he just put that down to “get our attention on the matter.”
So we still have our old trees and now they may NEVER be replaced, if I have anything to say about it. Smooth move there, duuuude! NOT!