Sukkah photo contest, and a value-added story about Bezeq

October 8, 2006 - 5:11 PM by Sarah

I am half-officially announcing a photo submission thing-a-ma-jig called Show Me Your Sukkah. Right now, we’re in the middle of the holiday of Sukkot here in Israel. If you have or if you see a cool sukkah, take a picture of it and share it with the lovely readers here at Shalom Israel! You’ll be glad you did. I took some pics when I was out and about today. I’ll post them are I am re-connected to the internets at home.

And, in the same post, he writes of an anticipated bureacracy-related (and bitter?) blog post:

So at some point on erev Shabbat, our modem died. Bezek promises a replacement tomorrow morning at 8:30 (we have to go and pick it up). However, like all things Israeli, I am sure that there will be a blogable story out of this before it’s over. I am writing this on motze Shabbat from a cafe on Azza Street in Jerusalem.

This reminds me of a customer-service-in-Israel story I’ve neglected to blog about (until now). A few weeks ago, my modem died, just like John’s. I called Bezeq, and their very nice tech-support guy walked me through all sorts of steps, but nothing helped. Finally he admitted defeat and said that he’s putting into the computer that I’m entitled to a new modem, and I should go pick it up at a Bezeq store.

Now, I have to tell you, I hate the Bezeq store. Shortly after I made aliyah three years ago, Bezeq called me and offered a free telephone with built-in caller ID box, if I order a certain service. The service and its price sounded good, and I really wanted a caller-ID box, so I agreed. A week later, I went to the Bezeq store to pick up my new phone, and was told “we don’t have anymore.” I said “but I ordered one. How can you not have any left?” They said “that special offer ended 2 days ago. Why didn’t you come before?” To which I could only say “your salesperson didn’t mention that I had less than a week to pick up my phone. Don’t you think people have better things to do than rush over to Bezeq?” In the end, I did not get my phone. I was new in the country, spoke much less Hebrew than I do now, and was completely overwhelmed. This was sort of the last straw in a bad bureacratic week. On the way home, I cried from frustration.

So, dreading another visit, I asked the modem-non-fixing guy if I could have my new modem simply mailed to me; after all, it was their faulty modem that had broken before its time. He said it could be mailed, but only for a fee. I don’t remember what the fee was, but I remember thinking that, though it was not as much as the cost of a new modem, it was more than I was willing to spend rather than just go to the store and wait on line for a little while. So I said I’ll go to the store.

The very next day I went. I should add that it was extremely hot outside and I walked partway in the sweltering sun and was feeling pretty miserable when I walked in. But I put on a happy face, approached someone who looked like he was in charge, and said “Hello. My modem broke. Your tech support people said that they had put me down in the system for a new one. I’ve come to pick it up.” The guy said “Where is your old modem?” My heart sank. “I didn’t bring it,” I said. “Why would I bring in a broken modem that you are replacing anyway? I wasn’t told to bring it.” The guy said “We don’t give people two modems. If you bring in the old one, then I’ll help you.”

I could feel the tears coming back, but this time I argued, in Hebrew. Perhaps I still have something to learn about dealing with this sort of situation — perhaps I would have been better served with sweet talk and batting my eyelashes or something — but the upshot is that I walked out without my new modem.

As soon as I got home, I called Bezeq and asked for a manager (another sign that I’d evolved somewhat in 3 years). I told him what had happened. He said “of course you had to bring in the old one. The tech support guy was supposed to tell you that.” I said “Well, he didn’t, and I’m mad as hell, especially since this is the second time this has happened.” The manager responded that he’d find the tape of my conversation with tech support, and see whether I’d been told that I have to bring in the old modem.

Thirty minutes later, my phone rang. It was the manager. “You are correct,” he said. “Our staff person did not give you full instructions. Will you be home for the next three hours? If so we will hand-deliver a new modem to your home and install it for you.”

And they did.

Wow.

Looks like Bezeq has evolved a little, too.

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