Yak & Globallive - From Great Start & Concept to Bad Finish & Implementation

I used to be a big fan of Yak Communications  (and their parent Globalive), for being a low (reasonable) cost provider in Canada.

However - Yak's issue (my issue today) is not unique to Yak, I've had the same problem with Bell up here as well. So - it may be a telco thing, or maybe in other industries as well - but today - I'm calling out Yak for their bull$%^& billing practice.

You know the one, where you cancel your account, for whatever reason and move on to another telco, or internet provider or TV provider, but somehow, you keep getting billed. Why? I actually don't know why it take 30 minutes to set up an account, but beyond that why is canceling an account not a 1 minute conversation and 'check' in the billing system....

The doubter in me thinks this is tacitly known and accepted by Yak (and probably Bell and Rogers), where you keep getting billed and then the onus is on you to a) discover the mistake and b) call up and get it fixed.

Today is my 3rd call to @#$%'ing Yak to get this fixed. Yak used to provider reasonably priced DSL Internet service. With no warning, one day when you called in you realized the service is now with another company. Great communication plan there Yak.

But the billing thing, I mean, f'n really. 3 phone calls to say, uh, I don't get internet anymore, please cancel my service and stop billing me. No, perhaps someone from the tech team or billing or senior management would like to respond and explain why it take 90+ days to stop billing someone who doesn't get your service anymore.

To make matters worse, i.e., my customer service experience I have been on hold now for 16 minutes with the same stupid looped message every 20 or so seconds. At least put on some effen music.

I went through this with Bell for a year. I can only wonder how many other people do as well and just don't notice. If any lawyers read this there might be a lucrative class action opportunity against Canada's major telcos for this issue.

We've just heard recently about the "System Access Fee" debacle in Canada where the telco's made people believe 6.95/month was a government levy when indeed they charged. And yet, what was with that fee? I mean, if I'm getting mobile service then I presume getting access is part of getting service, like who would just pay the fee and not get access. So this was really just another bullcookie charge from Canada's illustrious telco oligopolies.

I have to wonder who the a-holes in senior management are that approve this. You know, like if you're a Sr. VP you're probably bringing home over $200K a year and that's not good enough, you have to screw the customer for made up fees.

>>>>side note, 27 minutes in to the phone call now, and still no resolution<<<<<<

Am I the only one on this? Does it not seem odd of all the things a telco can do technologically, canceling an account or providing a refund seems to beyond them. I would have to say "no" it's not. It's a known issue, and they (Canada's oligopoly of telco companies) should be held to account for it.

Here is a link to Canada's ombudsman site for Telecommunications:

http://www.ccts-cprst.ca/

Here is a link to their complaints page: https://www.ccts-cprst.ca/en/complaints/complaint-form

People of Canada, stop getting gouged, stop getting screwed, stop allowing the telco oligopoly to screw you. Write the ombudsman at the above site and make your voice, your legitimate complain heard.

Thanks,
M.Brown
consumer advocate
resident writer in Canada
disgruntled telco customer

Canadian Telcos - 007; a license to @#$% the Canadian Consumer

Up here, in the great white north where I'm on a sojourn from the USA, Canadian TV, internet and phone companies all get their licenses from the government body, the CRTC, the equivalent of the FCC in the USA. Given that Canadian telcos are essentially, and oligopoly, it's a license to screw the average Canadian.

I have another blog dedicate to railing on cell phone and cable companies, affectionately called - The Telco Blues, but I felt compelled to write in this blog given the magnitude and apathy that seems to be inflicted on your average Canuck by their cell provider. It's know that Canadians pay more for broadband internet and their cell phone rates than most other industrialized countries. The government tries to mollify their grumblings by saying it's part of that wishy washy Canadian social contract, that the people in the south and urban areas pay more to subsidize the prohibitive cost of service in bum @#$% northern Ontario or Saskatchewan. Some consolation.

 But I again, digress. I'm writing today to call our Rogers Wireless, who's been screwing my friend for the better part of 10 years. She's a sweet one, an honest one, and really doesn't have the tenacity or vigor to take on the sharks that work the call center. Today you can get pretty much a new phone and a plan with about 500 minutes (anytime) and unlimited week nights and weekends, for at least $75. Taxes in, she's been paying over $80, no 'free' phone, free calling after 9pm and only 200 minutes. This was the deal they told her to sign up for when her contract last ended. I guess the lamb was lead to the slaughter. Of course they'd say that. I mentioned that she could get out of her contract and get a better deal elsewhere and still be ahead. Apparently Rogers ( and tacitly, the Canadian government since they license Rogers) allow them to charge up to $20 to break a 'contract'.

Now, really, since no subsidized phone was involved, was a contract needed? Where rates going up? (her plan was terrible). The only entity benefiting was Rogers. They @#$'ed her royally. So, she calls up to see what they 'can do' to improve her plan/monthly rate. Apparently the system access fee (WTF was that for anyway - you're paying for cell phone service, presumably, the ability to make and receive calls is part of the plan, so what's with the fee?) was no longer 'mandatory' was the word they used, a year ago. So, they did her a favor by taking it off her bill now. They wouldn't refund it though.

So, to get this straight, Rogers, is allowed to charge $8/month, when they are no longer authorized to do so. And they don't have to pay or refund back? WTF??? Legalized robbery. What else is it? They @#$% you for a year, you pay something you don't have to, (how would you know unless you called?) and then happily continue to collect vs. just canceling the fee. Honest to christ what is it with this country and the hold the major telcos have in government to continue this bullshit.

The sooner the government opens up more competition and develops an even playing field, the sooner Canadians can find companies that are focused on providing a good service for a fair price vs. an oligopoly that seemingly bilks at will. Shame on you Rogers Wireless. Shame on the CRTC. Shame on Canadians regulated oligopoly.

For Canucks, write your MPs and tell them you want fairer dealings and more accountability on behalf of the major telcos, and to have a level playing field for new entrants in to the phone, cell, long distance, cable and internet industry.

I'm having a bad tech day. I'm pissed off with technology. Yes, the irony isn't lost on me that I'm writing a blog post about it, but I feel I wanna throw in the towel and just live off grid. On my death bed I'm going to want all the time in my life spent on hold with effen customer service support lines, back. From my wireless modem to my internet to my cell phone to the satellite tv to wrong billings for my utilities, to god knows what else. And do you notice you always have the same effen IVR message. They're so busy it's a larger than normal call volume. Oh, ok, I guess I'll go to a company that knows what they're doing then and who's underlying service isn't so effen bad that there's a larger than normal effen call volume of people wanting effen service!! And here's another favorite. Why is the first thing those effen CSR a'holes ask you after you put in your phone number, is, WHAT'S YOUR PHONE NUMBER. For cell phones, if I wanted to pull out the battery of my cell phone every day or 2x a day to fix a problem I WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT THE EFFEN CELL PHONE. If I have to reboot the fucking modem every other day, or as a matter of use, I WOULDN'T GET IT!. What is it with tech and making shit that doesn't work?????? Holy Christ, can you image what Caterpillar or Boeing or any major industrial company would be like if you have to reboot the freakin thing every day. And another thing - if anyone in the CSR blogosphere reads this - if someone is calling in for tech support - they're already pissed off. They're pissed at the company, the same company where some MBA asswhipe in marketing spends a whollop of cash to build the brand that is destroyed through shit product and bad IVR or CSR systems - SO, when I'm calling in, and yes, pissed off, DON'T make things worse by having an overly long, taxing IVR system, or marketing messages for some stupid effen service, where all I really want is my effen modem, cellphone internet or TV service to be back up and effen running!!! Really, ever notice, when all you want is tech support it's never an option? Even worse, when you spend 5 minutes in IVR land and then you get a message the office is closed. Why not effen tell me that at the effen beginning???? Just help people up front. And don't sell me more shit from the same fucking company I'm calling because the first shit I bought doesn't work. And you get these effen Barbie like IVR messages touting something stupid like the new web site like it's the best fucking thing going on with your day. You know what a good fuckin for me is - NOT HAVING TO CALL FOR FUCKING TECH support.! A good day is when I don't have to dial 9 for more fucking options cuz you have you haven't addressed my fucking problem in the first fucking 8 options. Why god, why!! Help me. I'm at a loss with this 1's and 0's universe, I just want simple!

Beware - Domain Registry of Canada

I got a note in the mail the other day from this Canadian company Domain Registry of Canada. Although they do say in bold and caps, it's not a bill, but a solicitation, the way it's positioned, "Domain Name Expiration Notice", you might think it's from your host provider. They're requesting that you renew, to the tune of $40 a year. We all know most domain name registries, at least ones in the US, are usually less than $10. So, they hope to net in people who forget, don't know, or are otherwise not paying attention to not only shift the domain, but pay 400% more than most other places. Really? Is this the best business you could come up with? Taking advantage of people's lacking attention span and business lives. Really?

Hey, DR of Canada, F-you.

These guys get a nomination for the 2011 Chizzler Awards.

If you have other stories of companies business models built more on taking advantage of people than truly providing a for value service, let me know, we'll include them for this year's nominations.

Thanks,
Morley.

Oy Gevalt!!! Again with the #$%^n Fees - Rental Cars in Toronto

So, trying to be a little more green here, I got rid of my car and thought, now that I'm living in DT Toronto, I'd do as many locals do, which is what I did in Manhattan as well - rent when you need car. Take the subway, ride your bike, take a cab, rent a car.

This prospect seems to be attractive, and one that I used to undertake - rent when you need a car.

I've just finished looking in to reservations with Hertz and Avis in the downtown core, there is a $10 per DAY surcharge on all reservations. Like WTF??? Am I now responsible for a rental car company's expenses? Ok, maybe adjust your rental rates up, as is the practice in different markets, big cities are generally more than smaller ones where real estate is cheaper. But $10 a day, I don't even have the car there. Jeezuz H Christ I swear sometimes we exist just so companies can charge us fees. Our life is fees and taxes. Our environment, which should be host, is parasitic, and every company or government org has some fee to reach in to our pockets.

As an fyi to anyone renting in Toronto, look outside the downtown core for a rental, there may not be a fee. I found an Avis in HighPark that doesn't charge this fee. To those downtown locations, go self procreate yourself.

: )

Sincerely,
Morley.