Doncha Just Love It!

BrianH

BrianH

At the Start
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I meant to put up this story, which concerns one of the companies we all love to hate, before I went away. I think it's great.

No offence, but we're putting you on hold

Gerard Seenan
Thursday June 9, 2005
The Guardian

When taxi driver Ashley Gibbins called the helpline of NTL hoping to have broadband installed, he was told that all its operators were busy right now, but if he cared to hold the line his call would be dealt with as soon as possible.
So Mr Gibbins held. And held. Then held some more. Eventually, after an hour, Mr Gibbins decided he had had enough. He put the phone down and decided to wreak his revenge.

By chance, Mr Gibbins discovered he could alter NTL's recorded message, and after he'd tinkered with it people seeking help were met with something altogether more blunt.

"Hello, you are through to NTL customer services," they were told. "We don't give a fuck about you, basically, and we are not going to handle any of your complaints. Just fuck off and leave us alone. Get a life."

NTL did not see the funny side and called in the police.

Magistrates in Teesside, however, may have had similar experience on corporate helplines themselves. Mr Gibbins, 26, from Redcar, Cleveland, was acquitted at Teesside magistrates' court on Tuesday of an offence under the Communications Act 2003 of making a grossly offensive message.

The magistrates decided Mr Cleveland's rant was merely offensive, and did not make the "grossly offensive" standard required for prosecution.

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Crown Prosecution Service said Mr Gibbins admitted he had left the message but denied that it was grossly offensive. "He did accept that he was responsible. The main question was whether the message was deemed to be offensive or grossly offensive.

"The judiciary heard all the issues before them and they decided in this particular instance that it was not grossly offensive," said the spokeswoman.

NTL's media centre put the Guardian on hold, suggested we try another number and then declined to comment.

guardian.co.uk/online
 
:lol: :lol: Now THAT'S what I call a 'heart-warming story'! Will Mr Gibbins now please put up a website telling us all how to change companies' bloody annoying messages? If my call's important to you, why the feck don't you answer it with a real, live, human being?

Can you imagine going into a car showroom, being told that your visit's important to them, but would you kindly sit down and read a year-old magazine for an hour, while they twit about elsewhere?
 
Class, very good!!!!! :lol:

I saw a good one the other day about a 65 year old emphysema sufferer being bitten by a venomous tropical spider when he picked up some bananas in Sainsbury's. He was taken to hospital where he remained to be monitored for 17 hours before being sent home with no apparent after-effects. Here is the statement that Sainbury's issued, with the bit that had me laughing in bold -

In a statement, Sainsbury's said they take "all possible precautions to prevent events such as this from happening".

"It is extremely unfortunate that this spider got through all the rigid controls and we apologise to the customer concerned.

"We sell millions of bananas every week and it is an extremely rare occurrence.

"The customer has not been harmed from the bite, and we believe he is now fine.

"We arranged for his shopping to be dropped at home after the incident, and are extremely sorry that this may have caused him distress."
Click to expand...

I would bloody well hope they did take his shopping home for him afterwards!! I'd like to think he didn't have to pay for it either, at the very least!
 
I see Sainsbury's apologise about the spider but the distress for which they apologise was caused by them dropping his shopping home. Bizarre.
 
"The spider got through all the rigid controls..."

I think the tiny trenchcoat and sunglasses did the trick... B)
 
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