Not Reading In Between, On Top Of, Or Under The Lines

(After over a week of issues with the part of our cable service that allows us to rent movies and TV shows through the system, I decide to call the company and see if they are having a problem.)

Me: “Hi, I am calling because for the past 7-10 days we have been having intermittent issues with ordering. We have rebooted our boxes and the cable line running into and through the house has been fully updated. There is no pattern to the problem and it is all the boxes. Could you please check to see if there is a problem on your end?”

Agent #1: “I need to send out a tech to check your lines.”

Me: “We have had everything upgraded, and techs were in a couple months ago and the house is fine.”

Agent #1: “Your cable cannot support a signal. I need to send out a tech.”

Me:  “Our cable CAN support a signal. It is the newest cable designed for the signal and I have been seeing work crews in the region.”

Agent #1: “Let me schedule you for that tech to replace your lines.”

(We go on like this for a few more minutes. All he had to do was check the records and he would have seen that we had all new lines in the house and running to the house. I finally hang up and called back.)

Agent #2: “How may I help you?”

(I explain what is happening to the second agent.)

Agent #2: “Okay, I have your location and yes, there is a service interruption for that part of the service. We have a large banner scrolling on top of each of our screens telling us NOT to dispatch technicians for these calls as it is not a house line issue. It is an issue on our end. We are trying to find where the disruption is which is why you are seeing mobile crews all over your area.”

Me: “So, I guess the first agent was not even looking at his computer?”

Agent #2: “Absolutely not!”