At 77 years of age, I am old enough to know what customer service used to mean, which is not true today.
We were experiencing a problem with one of our four televisions, so we called the cable company. The first message almost always says that they are very busy so please hold on. When you get through, there is a list of options that in most cases do not address your issue.
If you are lucky, you eventually get a real person. And if you are really lucky, the person might actually speak clearly.
After an hour, trouble shooting the problem was unsuccessful. We asked to have a “technician” come to our house. Then I asked for a supervisor. After waiting another half-hour for a supervisor, I was disconnected.
I called back and after an hour was able to arrange for a technician to come to our house.
This problem also happened with a supplemental Medicare provider. After 29 minutes with an individual who was hard to understand, I finally got some information.
My simple solution to the “customer service” problem is for an executive from the company to call customer service and experience the event first hand.
The problem will be solved.
Art Koval, Baldwin
Unsolicited calls still an annoying problem
I am sure I am not alone in being upset about unsolicited phone calls. They are so harmful and hurtful. Do the callers realize this. If so, do they care?
As a senior, I can tell you how the calls affect us. When my husband was in hospice and the phone rang, my heart jumped, only to find out it was one of those annoying calls. Also, when you are alone and hoping to hear a familiar voice, ti can be heartbreaking. I know many of us seniors who run to answer have fallen and broken bones.
Please tell us how to stop this invasion of privacy.
Alice McTighe, Rockville Centre
Proudly helping veterans for decades
I’m writing to respond to the letter “Happy with regular care at VA hospital” [Just Sayin’, Dec. 14].
I was very happy to read it because it reflected my years proudly serving our veterans as a health care technician for 40-plus years. I worked many disciplines since 1978, including acute medical care, palliative care, acute and long-term psychiatry, dementia, emergency room care, and nursing home care.
The care given was thorough. We worked as an extended family focusing on the veteran. I can expound on this because I am a veteran, serving two years during the Vietnam era.
The only disappointment I can relate to is when I graduated SUNY Old Westbury in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in social work, I was asked, “Where is your master’s?” I couldn’t afford to move on.
I remained in the nursing field being so proud to help our veterans.
People asked me, “How did you work so long?” My answer was that time flies when you’re having fun. I salute all of you.
Bernadette Anderson,
Holbrook
