The state of everything seems broken...

[bdcardinal]

As to why the Platinum badge is on backorder for so long, that’s a head scratcher.

I don't even question backorders any longer. They don't follow any pattern or make any sense.

 

[cheetah50]

Sounds about right....I got a letter from insurance denying my MRI because I hadn't stuck to the Physical therapy required....The physical therapy that required me to drive to the office which is fine...but my Dr ordered me not to drive because of my vertigo and my left leg randomly giving out...Called insurance....They said it was part of their procedure and if my pain and issue was so bad that I should go to the ER....Went to the ER, Got an MRI at several multiple the price of what it would have been outpatient. Insurance is now wanting to argue that the ER visit wasn't an emergency and I should have went back to the Dr again. Going to see a neurosurgeon now in 3 weeks... If the supreme insurance overlords allow it. The world is so compartmentalized that its incompetent.

 

[02SE]

My opinion is that there are simply more people, so you get more of everything. Excellence, incompetence, diligence, apathy, etc.

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

Brought my 2020 Tundra into the dealer for warranty work on the front differential and they drop the truck causing $4500 in damage.

Any chance you can use this as leverage for a sweetheart trade? Just a thought.

 

[Vil_Riker]

The thing is out of all the things you could be lazy about, why would you do it with something that is literally in the face of the customer?

These people aren't even good at being lazy!

Maybe end of shift and the boss doesn't pay overtime?

 

[bdcardinal]

If a business is so busy that they have to develop a "system" to handle me, and that "system" is broken, I'm always happy to alleviate a small part of the business volume that they find so problematic. I can find a new provider.

It's always bad policy as a business to blame your systems in front of your customer. Your customer didn't design your process. You did. Never confuse a you problem with a customer problem. Unless you can take ownership, apologize, and tell me what you've done about it I'll go elsewhere.

A few months ago we went from a normal phone system at work to one from Ring Central. To say it has been a massive downgrade would be like saying the Saturn V was a church candle. Part of it is Ring Central sucking, part is the people implementing the system not listening to our needs, and part was the guy in charge being incompetent. So yeah, I am still apologizing for a system put in place by my overlords that does not let me effectively do my job.

 

[Pew]

A few months ago we went from a normal phone system at work to one from Ring Central. To say it has been a massive downgrade would be like saying the Saturn V was a church candle. Part of it is Ring Central sucking, part is the people implementing the system not listening to our needs, and part was the guy in charge being incompetent. So yeah, I am still apologizing for a system put in place by my overlords that does not let me effectively do my job.

PBX is so expensive now, you guys would have gotten priced out eventually, unfortunately, and ring central was probably the cheapest bet. Our phones are still voip , but as basic as possible. Anything with soft phones or needs to connect to Teams sucks.

Plus the c-suite overlords probably love the telemetrics available.

 

[Owen Lucas]

OTOH, there was a time when you could call an airline, actually get a courteous and helpful English speaker on the phone, book a seat and then pay for it at the airport when you checked in for departure. Nice seat pitch and no charge for checked bags, of course. Today, best have your phone and download the app, since ain't nobody to talk to.

If you can pull off this level off service to the right crowd, i.e. middle to higher income, you'll print money IMHO.

The steering wheel off center is a lazy tech. They grab the left wheel and steer it left until the right tire is where the machine says it needs to be. Then they adjust the left wheel in to where it needs to be, you now have a off center steering wheel because the tech only wanted to adjust one side.

Years ago my 2005 Scion tC had a recall on the steering rack, something to do with contamination from the PS pump IIRC.

Tech had to drop the cradle to change the rack.

They didn't center the rack before installing it so the car turned more to one side than the other. I also noticed they didn't install like half the bolts for the engine cradle. Imagine finishing a repair and have 5+ large bolts sitting around. Did the tech just shrug his shoulders and hands keys to service advisor?

I bring it back, and they pop the clock spring, likely thinking they could take the steering wheel off, center the rack and put it back on.

Well the clockspring didn't agree.

I asked for a A level tach to fix it all.

 

[fdcg27]

If you can pull off this level off service to the right crowd, i.e. middle to higher income, you'll print money IMHO.

That level of service today only exists at commercial airlines at price points high enough that you wonder why the traveler would fly commercial.
Air travel is otherwise a commodity and paying more buys you only more room and for a bit more still a lie-flat seat.
Also, the dirty little secret is that short flights are no cheaper now in real terms than they were prior to deregulation.

 

[RaymondP]

Following up on your header, was skeptical my tickets app would work at the concert I planned to attend. They issue a scan code only hours before to avoid reselling said tickets. No phone = no entry. Well, all was good and was able to enter without any drama. BUT about as hour into the concert, they had to end the performance due to severe air quality issues caused by the smoke from forest fires. Oh well at least I got about an hour's-worth of play time although it was getting challenging breathing. Those that know we have accused me of being pessimistic in assuming the worst may happen, but it's getting harder to remain positive. Working on it!

Usually, I try to anticipate and be proactive, but these days so much is out of my realm of possibility that I've had limited success, even when I try. Today....check the charge state on all fire extinguishers along with the date on the tire pressure refill of the tire puncture repair foam in my trunk.

 

[MaximumMini]

It's nothing more than proof of Mike Judge's prescience from 2006 -- we are living in Idiocracy. It seems most people are now so dumb that basic societal functions are suffering under the weight of their stupidity. And trying to explain this to a world of dummies is met with complete befuddlement on their part.

View attachment 347921

They are out on the roads big time. The crazy stuff I see people doing behind the wheel these days is actually frightening.

 

[alarmguy]

Too much to type but Im pissed off. This thread, how timely.
My Medicare Advantage Plan gives me $50 every 3 months to buy over the counter items. For years I have ordered stuff online.

My new plan with Humana, I have successfully done the same for the last 2 quarters (6 months)
(previous companies was Aetna, UHC, never an issue either)
However today, when clicking to "Shop OTC Products" I end up in an ENDLESS loop taking me back to a sign in screen (even though I am signed in) forces me to sign in again, click "Shop OTC Products" again and then takes me back top the sign in screen, even though I am signed in.

The proof I am signed in is, all my prescriptions are there, as well as my account and name. I tried doing a support "chat" and it was useless. I closed everything out. Cleared all cookies and history, tried again, same result.

So ok, I figure once in a VERY great rare while maybe the fact I am using my Apple Mac Desktop that the site is configured wrong. SO I try my wife's Windows Lenovo Yoga laptop. Same endless loop. So annoying! This is HUMANA, nationwide one of the largest in the USA for goodness sakes, good god!
Almost like it is designed to fail, discourage lessor able seniors to get their "free" benefits? Who knows but why does the prescription part work perfect and all part of the same page, the link to shop products doesnt work correctly.