The Computer Age

Yesterday morning I phoned HSL about the second replacement chair they are supposed to be sending us, like the original we purchased in February it developed a (different) fault, It was beyond the time they promised it would take to replace it. The girl apologised, said the computer was "down" but she'd take my details and get back to me. (she did about an hour later and said it'd be here on Friday).

I relayed the first conversation to my wife.
It's like a red rag to a bull as she has a deep-set dislike of computers, e-mails, mobile phones and texting. "How many times do we hear that excuse when we want something done?" She said.

She went off about the fact that it was impossible for her to find a "proper" writing pad in Sainsbury's the other day, because she suspects so few people use them, but there was a huge selection of envelopes.
She regularly corresponds with her youngest sister by letter, though both have access to email. They enjoy writing letters by hand.

So I wasn't surprised what happened later this morning.

She has a Marks and Spencer's account, the balance of which she clears each month. She's had a long-running battle with them over a missing payment. She obtained a copy of the cleared cheque from her bank, she's been a customer so long they didn't charge her for it and sent it to M&S.
M&S recently wrote to her enclosing a copy of her letter and a copy of the cheque, asking when it was cleared. She sent it back saying; "Try reading what's in front of you and not relying on what's on your computer screen." She won't entertain discussing such things on the phone, she insists on written communications. Though she suspects they sometimes throw letters away as it's too time consuming to deal with them.

I then witnessed a belter.

The phone rang.

"This is Marks and Spencer, I'd like to talk to your about your account......."

"Let me stop you there. Are you sitting comfortably at your desk, with all the details in front of you on your computer screen?"

"Err... Yes."

Well I"m sitting comfortably here in an armchair with my feet up, the paper on my lap, a cup of coffee in my hand and I'm trying to watch the sodding television. (strong words for her)
Do you think I'm going to traipse upstairs to find my M&S records just because you called? I've told you before, write to me and then I can deal with it when I want to."

"We are by law allowed to phone you."

"This is true..... but by law..... I'm not obliged to speak to you, goodbye."

Nice one!

 

Its sad that we've developed such a dependence on computers, but there's not much we can do about it unfortunately. Like a fellow student said to me once many years ago when I asked him why he was studying computers when he hates them: "Computers are taking over the world and I want to be on the winning side".

Computers have their place. Businesses now are so large that they can't possibly keep all the records on card files. We're not talking a few hundred customers, we're talking tens, maybe hundreds of thousands.

On the letters point, yes they throw them away. But first most will actually do something with them. Either they will place notes on your record in the computer system, or they will scan the letter and store it in an electronic document management system (a big database in effect) so your letter can be viewed and read on screen.

I think computers are a very useful tool, but sadly those at the top in business who look at the net profit figures and the cost figures and one to grow the former while shrinking the latter, will commission a system that is so simple to use that untrained temps can follow the on screen instructions, with no flexibility to deal with real humans.

It also annoys us in the IT industry when a user blames the computer. I would reply, blame your boss, he/she specified and commissioned the system, the IT folks simply built it to the specified requirements.

 

Both myself and my kids are very computer orientated. I use Excel to manage my finances. Some might say to excess. I mirror my bank accounts and investment statements. In my occupation, apart from "swanning around all day in a sharp suit" I had to present and manage budgets. I paid great attention to these as my bonus depended on how well I did against the budgets I set. It was always a battle to get agreed by "the number crunchers," it was in their interests to get the expenditure forecasts reduced and mine to make them realistically achievable.

I use a rolling spread sheet linked to a control sheet for all my income and expenditure. These are projected forward to the end of the year. It's all columns with pretty coloured headings. I do the same with my credit card account and check it three times a week online, the occasional nasty surprise can be nipped in the bud before the statement comes in. I always clear the balance by on-line transfer two days before the due date to take advantage of the maximum "free" period which has been much reduced over time.
I wonder how many people on here have been the victim of computer fraud? On one of my regular savings accounts earlier this year, I found a rogue transfer out of £1,500 to another bank. Fortunately the bank re-credited me with it. They will never explain how it happened as they don't need the bad publicity. But I never save passwords or account numbers on my computer and I don't use Google to search for my online account sites. I always type in the correct web address on the top line.


I've even worked out a budget for 2010 applying what I expect to be the increase in utility charges etc., and reduced interest rates on investment income. If nothing changed beyond what I anticipate, I know what the state of my finances will be on 31st Dec 2010. I always err on the cautious side. Of course I have to alter things from month to month as there's always "contingencies" but Excel alters all the following periods' opening and closing totals.

Of course working to "personal budgets" one has the facility if you "overspend" to go back into the control sheet and change the budget! (Not permitted in business!)
I have a "contingency fund" to cater for any reasonable "overspend" as a result of my wife beginning a sentence with; "What I thought was...."

Our eldest grandchildren started to become computer literate from the age of three. Their dad who has his own IT contracting and facilities business encouraging them. They both started with educational games and like kids at that age it's like a duck to water. I remember our grandson at the age of three trying to show my wife. "Look Nanny, it's easy, you just click on it, drag it and put it in the right box and you get a star!" Nanny wasn't impressed.

 

Three cheers for Mrs Doghouse.
She gets my vote:gnthb:

 

I must agree with your wife Doghouse, my phone is for my convenience not anyone elses I'm afraid.


Identity theft occurs over the telephone aswell, are you sure the person you are giving your security details and passwords to are genuine?

 

I'm always suspicious if they can't speak English!

The proliferation of Indian call centres which seem unavoidable even for my bank, came about not just because the wage costs are much lower there, but also because with their "building regs" they can cram in four operators where in this country they'd only be allowed one.
Eldest son used to design them for an American Bank.

 

The insurance computer that I once had my motor policy with phoned me once. They told me who they were and then the conversation went like this:

Insurer: "For security reasons can you please tell me your full name including any middle initials, date of birth, postcode and house number please?".

Me: "but as you phoned me, how do I know you are who you claim to be?"

Insurer: "Oh, err, well, how would we know you had a policy with us?"

Me: "For all I know somebody could have seen me buying the policy. The internet is not entirely secure after all".

Insurer: "Oh, err, well, yes. That's true. I can assure you I am calling from <can't remember the name> insurance company"

Me: "Oh, that's ok then, I have your assurance. Look, I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll hang up and call you back on the number on my insurance documents".

Insurer: "Ok, but I can give you a direct number that will get you straight through to me".

At that I just laughed, casually said "I'll call you back", and hung up.

They were genuine, and to be honest I was pretty sure they were genuine from the start. I'd spoke to the same lady only a couple of days before and I recognised her voice, but I thought I'd wind them up a bit for my own bit of fun.

 

I had one of these myself last week Clueless .... although they wouldnt even tell me what company it was until i confirmed my name, full address and date of birth !!

Needlesst to say they were told NO and they then hung up on me .... was very strange but not heard anything since and was no one i know anyway!

 

Although we're on t"elephone preference" a few calls get through.
The ones I like best are those where after the "preamble" they say; "I'm not trying to sell you anything."
We aways reply; "Well, thanks for letting me know, goodbye" and we put the phone down.