How about some real human contact, and no I’m not a robot

EBRAHIM Essa’s letter about spares prices (The Mercury, March 25) refers, and is absolutely spot on, but service levels also leave much to be desired.

I recently purchased a chest freezer and a bar fridge, brand new, both from the same South African manufacturer and from the same dealer.

I will refrain from naming the maker but suffice it to say that, if we were playing a well known children’s game, I might begin my question with the words “I spy with my little eye something beginning with D”.

It was explained to me that the freezer carried a three-year guarantee (extendable to five, upon registration with the maker) whereas the bar fridge was guaranteed for only two years (not extendable).

“Why is that?” I asked, but salesman didn’t know.

I suggested that he phone the factory in Durban, which he did, but it appears they didn’t know either.

Undaunted by this curious lack of product knowledge, I completed the purchase and went online to extend the freezer’s guarantee period, but the system conspired to defeat my best efforts.

It kept demanding my password the and refused to budge without it.

“What password?” I cried in exasperation.

“I haven’t got one! I’ve only just bought the damned thing!”

I tried inventing a password but the system rejected it as being “incorrect”.

I then emailed the factory directly for guidance on how to exit this impenetrable maze but was again thwarted.

And at some point I seem to recall being confronted with one of those irritating puzzles where you have to prove that you are not a robot which always strikes me as most odd.

You are denied any human contact and obliged to deal exclusively with robots while having to prove that you are not a robotic being yourself – not to mention the mystery password blocking the path to righteousness and fulfilment.

Similar dark forces obstructed my path when I emailed the manufacturer of my German-made vacuum cleaner with a simple product-related query (I spy with my little eye something beginning with W).

I received a prompt response (robot generated, no doubt) telling me that my query would be attended to within two working days. It wasn’t.

A week or two later I repeated my question with similar results and yet, several months down the line, my request has been neither addressed nor resolved.

It strikes me as entirely appropriate that manufacturers should abandon the charade which masquerades as customer service as a load of … well … (I spy with my little eye something beginning with cr..).

Time to employ some actual human beings.

And start giving a damn.

JOHN GARDENER | Howick