Platapus
11-18-12, 11:05 AM
I recently had a wonderful experience dealing with a bureaucracy. Just one additional data point that supports the theory that we are doomed as a species. :yep:
I had recently purchased a new cell phone and, unfortunately, I had to change my phone number. Inconvenient but survivable.
The problem is that phone companies no longer wait before re-assigning phone numbers. Unfortunately, the previous owner of my new cell phone number (let’s call him John Smith) had given his cell phone number to the school where his kids went and the school added him to some broadcast automated call system.
This meant that I was getting between 2-3 phone calls per day, during the week, announcing some event or canceling of some event at the school. The problem is that this cell phone lives in my car and I don’t check it every day. Hence, when I did, I had about a dozen school messages to wade through to check if there was a legitimate message for me. :-?
Something had to be done, and this started me on my bureaucratic trip to the twilight zone.:doh:
1. I called the school and told them that I was the new owner of this cell phone number. I asked them if this cell phone number could be removed from their automated system.
2. I was told, “no”. That only “John Smith” could remove the number as the records are under his name. Their advice was for me to contact John Smith and ask him to change the cell phone number.
3. I told the school that I had no idea who John Smith was nor did I have any way to contact John Smith, but if they gave me John Smith’s contact information, I would be willing to contact him.
4. The school said that they could not release the contact information on John Smith without John Smith’s permission.
5. I asked the school, if they could contact John Smith so that the school’s records could be either updated or deleted if John Smith moved out of the area.
6. The lady I was talking to said that the only contact information they had for John Smith was a cell phone number…………:shifty:
(facepalm)
The ultimate solution to my problem was to cancel the voice mail capability on my cell phone. I am not that important of a person where people leave me voice messages anyway.
Sometimes you just have to shake your head ruefully and press on.
I had recently purchased a new cell phone and, unfortunately, I had to change my phone number. Inconvenient but survivable.
The problem is that phone companies no longer wait before re-assigning phone numbers. Unfortunately, the previous owner of my new cell phone number (let’s call him John Smith) had given his cell phone number to the school where his kids went and the school added him to some broadcast automated call system.
This meant that I was getting between 2-3 phone calls per day, during the week, announcing some event or canceling of some event at the school. The problem is that this cell phone lives in my car and I don’t check it every day. Hence, when I did, I had about a dozen school messages to wade through to check if there was a legitimate message for me. :-?
Something had to be done, and this started me on my bureaucratic trip to the twilight zone.:doh:
1. I called the school and told them that I was the new owner of this cell phone number. I asked them if this cell phone number could be removed from their automated system.
2. I was told, “no”. That only “John Smith” could remove the number as the records are under his name. Their advice was for me to contact John Smith and ask him to change the cell phone number.
3. I told the school that I had no idea who John Smith was nor did I have any way to contact John Smith, but if they gave me John Smith’s contact information, I would be willing to contact him.
4. The school said that they could not release the contact information on John Smith without John Smith’s permission.
5. I asked the school, if they could contact John Smith so that the school’s records could be either updated or deleted if John Smith moved out of the area.
6. The lady I was talking to said that the only contact information they had for John Smith was a cell phone number…………:shifty:
(facepalm)
The ultimate solution to my problem was to cancel the voice mail capability on my cell phone. I am not that important of a person where people leave me voice messages anyway.
Sometimes you just have to shake your head ruefully and press on.