Had hassels with the garbo today

[Phil Spencer]

We have a three bin system one for household waste, one for recycle waste and one for compostable waste. The recycle and compostable waste alternate weeks for pickup.

This week was for household waste and recycle waste, the garbage collectors missed the recycle waste bin, not to worry I thought I will contact council arrange to have some one come back to pick it up.

This is where I get frustrated dealing with bureaucracy would have to be one of my weaknesses , I was asked if the bin was to heavy? Did it have any contraband in it? this is about where I started to loose my cool. It took four phone calls to have this matter sorted out.

These people operate to a script and it is near impossible to vent ones spleen at them, the overall impression I get with dealing with bureaucrats is that they have had the passion gene removed. These people are all gray, mediocrity seems to be the order of the day.

I am finding that more and more mediocrity is common, customer service has gone out the window, no one cares about anything except themselves now days. Have we become a nation where being gray and mediocrity is the norm? Where has the passion gone?

Does any one care about anything any more?

Phil

[silentC]

These people operate to a script and it is near impossible to vent ones spleen at them

What you have to keep in mind is that more often than not the person you are talking to is a subordinate minion who has no choice but to follow the script and implement the 'rules' as they have been handed down. I doubt that their superiors would even care about, let alone listen to any suggestions they might have on how to improve things, and being at the coal face they get to cop the flak from people every day who think things should be different. It must be a very unrewarding job - but a job is all it is.

I have worked on a help desk and it can be a bit dispiriting to have people ranting down the phone at you all day about situations that are out of your control. You tend to switch off, stick to the script and hang out for smoko or knock off time. My approach these days when I cop that is to say "do you want me to help you or not?" If it continues, I hang up. Not good for business but I don't need to be spoken to like that.

I've had a few dealings with council people, and it is possible to get a better response out of them, but it usually involves making sure they understand that you're not blaming them. This moves them from the position of trying to defend the indefensible to trying to do their best to help you. Sometimes it works, sometimes you still get stuffed around. When all else fails, a good rant often makes you feel better... or does it?

[Sturdee]

, I was asked if the bin was to heavy? Did it have any contraband in it?
Phil

I've had similar on a few occasions. Rang council and was asked the same questions by a very polite lady who, when questioned why, explained that the first thing the contractor will say that it was too heavy for the lifting arms or that it had non recycle stuff in it.

When it is noted on the form that it isn't, the council staff dealing with the contractor has the ready answers to the contractors objections for going back for another pickup.

But getting annoyed and losing it with council staff for doing their job (in asking these questions) is not in your best interests as usually they do care and want to help you. At least that's my experience in dealing with bureaucrats.


Peter.

[Bleedin Thumb]

I've noticed recently with my council that I will ring up and ask for someone specifically like "the tree preservation officer" or "Head of children's services" the person on the line that answered the call says "yes I can help you there"

Like What????? I dont want to go through a sometimes lengthy explanation of my enquiry with the front desk at council...I want to speak to the person that is being paid to look after the issue at hand.

I can't say they are rude or don't fain interest in what your saying...they just wouldn't have a clue about what you're on about.

I don't know if other people are experiencing this from their councils?

I did get a grey person devoid of any passion from the RTA yesterday when I was asking why my rego renewal was sent out to an address that hasn't been used for 8 years and I had been receiving it along with all other notices from that time at the new address.

Every time I asked how could this happen ..her wooden response was "you will have to go into your nearest RTA centre and change your address."

I'm just glad I don't have to go through life everyday hateing what I do for a living.

[Burnsy]

The frustration that we get from councils is brought upon us by the few within all communitiess that have nothing better to do with their lives than annoy the council. This is a sad fact of life, people at reception are required to vet calls so that those behind the scenes can actually get some work done and not spend all day on the phone talking to idiots. My wife works at a council and it is a constant source of amazement the stories I hear. They have some rate payers who have had some kind of vecatious order taken out against them by the council as these people will call the council multiple times every day to complain about trivial issues - there are leaves on my front path, someone has dumped a empty can in my letterbox etc. They have people show up to court hearings between the councils insurers and other rate payers just so they can find out what is going on - keep in mind these are closed proceedings that are the business of the insurer and the other person and have nothing to do with anyone else. Most of these people are retirees who are at a loss with what to do with their time once they no longer have a job to attend and unfortunately they make it hard for those with ligitimate complaints or queries.

[Phil Spencer]

I understand what every one is saying and I agree. BUT they don't even sound interested in what they are doing let alone the problem of the person on the other end of the phone.

About 20 years ago in another life I worked in customer service for a Melbourne council, I had to deal with the crack pots BUT I always remembered that they had a story to tell and after listening to their rantings mostly they had a valid point or issue, and, I never forgot that it was the rate payer that ultimately payed my wage.

The people at my local council manage to convey that they are there to do me a favor and that the rate payer are there to be tolerated at best.

Like I said earlier these are gray people who at best aspire to mediocrity. Where are the people with passion and an interest in their job and the people that they serve?

Is this whats wrong with our country? are we all aspiring to mediocrity?

Phil

[Jedo_03]

Does any one care about anything any more?

Phil

Nah...

Jedo

[Sebastiaan56]

Hi Phil,

At least you didnt get a voice from Bombay......

Sebastiaan

[Honorary Bloke]

I understand what every one is saying and I agree. BUT they don't even sound interested in what they are doing let alone the problem of the person on the other end of the phone.

Is this whats wrong with our country? are we all aspiring to mediocrity? Phil

Well, Phil, two things really:

1. It is a truth of human nature that people respond to that which rewards them and not to that which doesn't. If they get paid or promoted to the same degree regardless of their attitude or helpfulness, where is the motivation to give good service? That can only change by changing the work rules.

2. Where I live, just outside the city, the garbo is picked up by private contract directly with the homeowner, and there are 4 or 5 contractors vying for the business. So if they miss me (and they don't) a quick call gets them right back out because I can opt for another contractor. Free market competition, of course, but ALSO goes to my earlier point--they get rewarded by my business if they do a good job and lose it if they don't.

[silentC]

Where are the people with passion and an interest in their job and the people that they serve?

Certainly not working for the council!!

When I go into council offices here, I'm invariably served by a middle-aged woman. When I ring, the phone is always answered by a female voice. This is because those jobs tend to be taken by women returning to the work force (or joining it for the first time) after having a family.

If they had qualifications of some sort or a profession, it's most likely they would return to that line of work. They're not there because they love the job, they're there because they need an income. It must be a boring, frustrating job at times. I'm sure it has it's moments, but on the whole you generally wouldn't choose to work on the front desk at the local council if you had other options.

The real grey people are out the back - the ones who chose the path to become bureaucrats. Ever had an interesting conversation with a building inspector?

[Iain]

Ever had an interesting conversation with a building inspector?

I did once, but down here they are private contractors who submit a report to the council. Very few councils have inspectors any more from what I can gather.
Mine came out to inspect the shed and was more interested in the timber in the racks and my tools than what he was in the construction of the shed, which he eventually did get around to.
Maybe I just got lucky.

[silentC]

Very few councils have inspectors any more from what I can gather.

We still have them. Actually, our guy isn't too bad, but when he puts on the council hat and starts quoting regulations at you...

Anyway, all those inspectors went somewhere - they now work in the planning department

[munruben]

Does any one care about anything any more?
Phil

Need you even ask Phil ?

[jow104]

WARNING
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You obviously haven't seen that sticky of the 23rd June

[Phil Spencer]

WARNING
This persons post may sometimes contain
Course language
Adult themes
Drug use
Violence
Nudity

You obviously haven't seen that sticky of the 23rd June

???????