From sunny skies to stormy weather. The best place to begin is the beginning…
On January 5th, I went to the closest France Telecom shop, in the next town. After waiting in line for 45 minutes, I finally was able to speak to someone. I said I wanted to sign up for internet and a phone line. I knew that my line hadn’t been used since 2005, which would necessitate a visit by a technician, resulting in a 110€ fee (55€ for the on-site visit, 55€ “service charge”). However, if I chose to use Orange (FT’s parent company) as my internet provider, then I wouldn’t have to pay the service charge. I had heard nothing but bad things about Orange, but decided to go with them for the economic benefit.
I had brought the phone number that had previously been assigned to my line, but was told that no action could be taken unless I also had the name of the previous occupant. As luck would have it, I had found an old phone bill stuck in a book that had been left behind in my closet. I came back to the apartment, retrieved the bill, and brought it back.
After waiting in line for another 45 minutes, I met with the same assistant who had seen me earlier in the day. She had told me that she needed the name as well as the number of the previous occupant to be sure the company would “turn on” the correct line (as there are many lines coming into the building, because it’s a school), thereby removing the need for a technician to come out (and therefore saving me 55€). However, when I presented her with the information she had requested, she told me that a technician would probably have to come out anyway, due to the fact that it had been so long since the line had been in use. So much for saving money on labour…
All this talk of different offers, technician visits, and the like had me worried about money. It was just after the holidays, of course, when I had been away on vacation, and wouldn’t be paid again for another month. I was worried about having to pay in advance for some services. But the woman assured me that I didn’t have to pay anything that day, and that all charges would be included on my first month’s bill.
She then went to the back room, and returned with two boxes for me: a modem, and a TV decoder.
Me: Oh, I don’t want the TV package.
FT lady: Ah, but the service is free.
Me: Free?
FT lady: Well, it’s included in the price. If you take just the phone and internet you’ll still pay the same price, so you might as well take the TV service too.
Me: But I don’t have a TV set.
FT lady: Oh. Well, you’ll probably get one in the future.
Me: No, I won’t. I don’t need one. So I don’t want the TV service.
FT lady: You should have told me that sooner.
Me: When I came in I said I wanted to sign up for a land line and internet. I didn’t mention TV.
FT lady: Well, the offer is internet + phone + TV.
Me: But you have an offer that’s just internet + phone.
FT lady: Yes, but everyone takes the triple offer.
Me: But I don’t want that offer. I just want internet + phone.
FT lady: Well, it’s too late now. I’ve already started the order.
Me: You can modify the order.
FT lady: Oh, I can’t do that, it will bug up the computer system.
Me: But I don’t want TV.
FT lady: But the system acts up when we try modifying orders. It might kick me out and then I won’t be able to do anything for you at all today.
Me: Fine. Finish the order, and then cancel it.
FT lady: Oh no, I can’t do that. An order can’t be canceled until it’s been processed. And that takes time.
Me: (sigh)
FT lady: It’s okay, we’ll complete the order and you can return the decoder later and the rental deposit will be reimbursed.
Me: Wait, you said I don’t have to pay anything today…
FT lady: You don’t. Except for the rental fee for the decoder box.
Me: But I don’t want the decoder!
FT lady: Well you have to take it when you order the TV package.
Me: But I didn’t even want to order the TV package!
FT lady: As I said, it’s too late to change your mind now.
Me: Since I never said I wanted TV, it’s not a change of heart.
FT lady: Well you can just take it and then return it. It will be much easier that way.
So she continued with the order. And as soon as she completed it, and handed me the box, I handed it back to her and said “Okay, I’d like to return this.”
FT lady: Oh, I can’t accept this now!
Me: You said I could return it after the order had been completed.
FT lady: Yes, but not today. The order has to be processed first. You can come back tomorrow.
Me: Come back here a third time in two days?
FT lady: I’ll attend to you personally, it won’t be any trouble.
Me: Fine.
So I forked over the 50€ deposit for the decoder that I didn’t want in the first place, and left.
On the train I pulled out the printout of my order. I was bothered by the fact that I had signed the documents without seeing the contract itself. (The order form basically states that by signing the order I agree to the contract – but they don’t provide a copy of the contract. They don’t even have the contract in the store: one has to look it up online. Is that even legal? So I’m bound by a contract I didn’t read. It felt wrong signing it, but I was so fed up I just wanted to get out of there.) As I looked over the printout I saw the details of the TV offer for which she had signed me up. I hadn’t read it earlier, because I knew I wouldn’t be taking it. Still, I was surprised to see that she had signed me up for a series of specialty channels and movie packages, totaling 15€/month over and above the regular monthly fee – despite the fact that she had never asked me about any “extras” at all!
The next day I returned with my poor, unwanted decoder. Stood in line for another 40 minutes. Saw a different assistant (so much for “I’ll attend to you personally”), who at first didn’t want to allow me to return the decoder. (“But you just ordered this yesterday! Give it some time, you might want to keep it.”) I started in on my story, when the assistant who had seen me the previous day appeared, and explained the situation to Assistant #2. (Of course, she flat-out lied and said it was my fault for having changed my mind about what services I wanted, and had neglected to tell her until after the order was done!) Assistant #2 finally accepted my return, and gave me the necessary documents releasing me from any financial obligations for TV services, and stating the decoder was no longer in my possession. Then she said “good day.” To which I replied, “Uh, my money?”
FT lady: Ah! We don’t reimburse here.
Me: Excuse me?
FT lady: We accept returns of products and cancellation of services, but we are not allowed to give you your money back.
Me: So, um, how do I go about doing that?
FT lady: Reimbursements are handled by head office, and are paid exclusively by cheque.
Me: And how do I go about receiving mine?
FT lady: Oh, you don’t have to do anything! It will be mailed directly to you.
Me: And when will this happen?
FT lady: Returns take three weeks to process.
Me: It takes one day to process an order, and three weeks to process a return?
FT lady: (shrugs)
Me: So it will be about 4 weeks before I see the money that I didn’t want to spend in the first place?
FT lady: (shrugs)
End of Episode 1. Stay tuned for further adventures…
