Snow??? WHAT??

 November 30, 2010

The first snowfall occurred in London this week. Unlike back in the states, here the country falls apart when there is snow. They do not have snow plows or salt to put down. Everything gets shut down for two inches of snow. Schools were closed. It was so chaotic. Granted it did snow all day/night and the snow did then turn to ice (since it started off more like slush than show). So for the most part of the week, people were wondering whether their school would be open or not. I have found that wearing snow boots in the snow is not such a great idea. It is better to wear willies (or rain boots) since the snow is more slush than snow. People were making snowmen (including mini snowmen on their windowsills like Rachel!- His name was Mark after the wonderful customer service we received from Mark at the internet store). Despite all of this, only 5 days later and most of the snow is melted and gone away. It is really different from being at home. Apparently it is not normal to get snow this time of year, although it is still cold.

Now to explain the wonderful customer service we received. I guess I should first tell you about the terrible customer service we received just moments before. Rachel and I ventured into Romford to try and find internet (actual internet) to put in our rooms. We had done our research online and also talked to other people who had already ordered internet through a company called Sky. Sky also does t.v. We were walking through the mall and found a little kiosk with Sky. We decided to stop and talk to them about internet. I told the guy working there that I just wanted internet and a phone line and I heard you could get it for 21 pounds a month with a 49 pound installation fee. He looked at me like I was nuts. First he told me I could only get a package that included t.v, even though I don’t even have a t.v. in my room. I explained I didn’t want the t.v. He said that was all Sky did. He also said that the cheapest we would find would be 30 pounds a month. I told him we looked online and found it cheaper and we knew people who had ordered it already. He said that we wouldn’t be able to find it cheaper anywhere else. If we went to a different company then it would be more expensive and there was no way to get Sky without t.v. and that he wished our friends good luck because that wasn’t possible. I explained that they had already ordered it so it obviously was. He assured me that it wasn’t and that if I could find it cheaper anywhere else he would pay me. He said that we could even go to the Phones 4 U Store and they would tell us the same thing. So I said ok, fine that is where we will go. We headed there and as soon as we got in I asked if there was any way to get just internet and a phone line without t.v. Mark said, yes. I said is it going to cost me 30 pounds a month. He said nope only 21 pounds a month with a d 49 pound installation fee. We both were so relieved. We told him that is exactly what we were trying to find and that the Sky people told us we couldn’t do it. He said that was ridiculous and helped us set up the whole account. He was wonderful and even gave us a copy of the contract to take back to the Sky people and show them they were wrong. We were so frustrated with the guy we walked back showed him the paperwork and said that he shouldn’t work for them if he didn’t even know what his company sold and that this was exactly what we were looking for no thanks to him. I really don’t understand how people here can have such bad customer service and still work. At home, people would get fired for the things they do here. One person text on his phone for a good 5 minutes before serving me and then messed up my order because I told him what I wanted while he was texting. It is just ridiculous.

However, there are a few who know what they are talking about and truly want to help you. For example, Mark. And that is why Rachel’s snowman made that day was named Mark.

Until next time,

 ¬D¬