Friday, December 19, 2008

Globelines Broadband Hell

It was a wrong move to subscribe to Globelines Broadband Internet! Eversince I applied for their service a year ago (December 7,2007), the service just sucks big time.

A door to door sales team agent rang the doorbell and handed out their promotion material in our neighborhood in Better Living Subdivision and offered bundles when subscribing to them. I was (and still am) a Smart Wireless Broadband subscriber and being hooked to online multiplayer games through Xbox Live and wanted a faster internet access for shorter download time of updates and other needs and took Globe Broadband's bait into subscribing a 2MB bundle plan where I will get a telephone line and some freebies (a printer, webcam and headset) which I have chosen on my application form and signed. It was their promo for the month. They specified that they will offer a one month free subscription if the freebies ran out of stocks. Take note that I applied during their first week...

The sales agent told me that the service will commence upon approval of my application form which takes another full week. So the following week, they confirmed that my application was approved ang their service team, a contractual party from "Innocommtech" installed the cables, modem and the telephone unit. The internet access worked because they cheated me by putting someone else's subscription login for the internet to work! Then the service stopped after a few days and I got so sick of calling up their USELESS CONTRACTUAL CALL CENTER for so called technical service. They sent me their first billing for a service I HAVE NEVER USED for the first time. It was already in January that another technician came into our home to fix the connection and told me that the installation was poorly done and that I was using a different login for the account. I was also surprised to see a typo on the username--a typo that was entered by the sales agent who also took my pink form (customer copy of my application form) to speed up the action taken for my account BUT NEVER RETURNED EVER! I also HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE FREEBIES! They insisted on giving me the free 1 MSF which I DIDN'T CHOOSE AT ALL! I called the USELESS CONTRACTUAL CALL CENTER people and was even told that I SHOULD PAY FOR CHANGING THE USERNAME BECAUSE OF THE STUPID AGENT WHO ENTERED IT WRONG! WTF!?!
Because I wanted to keep a nice credit standing I kept paying PHP 1,999.00 a month and they promised to refund me for the period of non-service. The PHP 1,999.00 already included the tax. What they do is that they WILL ONLY REFUND THE SERVICE AND THE TAX YOU PAID WILL NOT BE RETURNED. I ONLY GOT HALF OF THE ONE MONTH OF NON SERVICE! What a crappy scam! SO BEWARE!
MORE:
OK so I didn't mind it as long as I am not bothered by NO DIALTONE PROBLEMS which I CONSISTEDLY HAD WITH MY LINES (making internet access useless). Guess what? Just a few weeks after, I was bugged again by the same friggin problem. OVER AND OVER! IT'S PAINFUL TO HEAR THE DUMB DUMB CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES WITH POOR TRAINING TO HANDLE CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS... Imagine, for the sake of their quality evaluation, they will keep REPEATING VERBATIM REPLIES EVEN IF IT'S NOT RELATED NOR THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION! I wonder why big companies feel like they save on labor costs by hiring contractual business to drive off their customers! I don't think it's cost effective.
Well anyways, the problem went reoccuring almost every month, and I am paying their monthly service fee and kept my account in CREDITS until I stopped paying when I received no technical service for almost 2 months. Why would I pay for non service? It's TOO MUCH right? I can still access my the internet through my SMARTBRO and I'M SO SICK AND TIRED OF PUTTING ALOT OF INITIATIVE TO HAVE MY ACCOUNT FIXED! I Kept receiving billings and it pisses me off! SO I CALLED THEM UP AGAIN LAST OCTOBER... GUESS WHAT?
They told me MY ACCOUNT IS FINE AND WORKING! F**K THAT LIE! TELL ME IF THEY CAN USE IT HERE! I found out that the TECHNICIAN they sent here REPORTED THAT THE CONNECTION WAS FINE! A LIER! I do remember that a technician went here to check my connection but left a message that THE PHONE BOX IN OUR AREA (annex8 BLS) WAS DOWN AND IMPOSSIBLE TO DO SERVICE ON THAT DAY!

*DO YOU REMEMBER THE SALES AGENT earlier? Guess what suddenly I am receiving TEXT MESSAGES to apply for HSBC Credit Cards! I don't use plastics ever as I worked for a bank before and know how people drown in DEBTS... I asked where the hell he got the information... FROM GLOBE! Aren't those CONFIDENTIAL? WHERE THE HELL IS MY RIGHT TO KEEP MY PRIVATE INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL? *

BACK TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CALL I MADE... SO I ASKED WHO THE HELL MADE THAT REPORT! THEY TELL ME IT'S CONFIDENTIAL! WHAT THE HELL! I asked the person on the phone... "Globelines is just using a contractual third party to do that right? What's the name of that company?" THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LIED, "It's from Globelines" I REPLIED, "Yeah right! It's a company also from Better Living Subdivision, I think it's comm...something..." THEN FiNALLY, she said, "Yeah it's INNOCOMMTECH" THE POINT IS THEY ARE ALL LIARS! I asked them all the dates under my account I received no service. YOU'LL BE SURPRISED HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE STOLEN in less than a year for their non-service scheme! I am planning a FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST GLOBELINES FOR SUCH DISGUSTING SCAMMING SCHEME!

They told me I HAD TO PAY ALMOST PHP 6,000.00 to reconnect my account. WHY PAY IF I DIDN'T USE THEIR SERVICE DUE TO THEIR LIES AND MANIPULATIVE REPORTS?! They even sent a technical service team again to fix the connection... HOW THE HELL CAN THEY FIX THE TECHNICAL ASPECT IF THE ACCOUNT IS DISCoNNECTED DUE TO UNPAID BALANCE THEY CHARGED WHICH I WILL NEVER PAY?

I TOLD THE PERSON ON THE PHONE, to make a report on my complaints and I will only accept to start paying only when they clear off the balance, reinstalled my connection and I will pay for what I USED. BUT I RECEIVED NO FEEDBACKS.

Last month, I received a letter from their CONTRACTUAL COLLECTION LAWYERS, which I used to scoop dog poop. Today I received another. THEY REALLY DIDN'T LOOK INTO CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS NOR INTO THIS CASE! I will definitely use it to scoop dog poop again.

I will have to resort into solving this through my connections again yet I feel pity for those who doesn't know anybody to help them when the CUSTOMER SERVICE CANNOT DELIVER SERVICE and SUPPORT!

SO IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO GET GLOBELINES and from the same area as I am (PARANAQUE) watch out and beware! You will have to stick to their hell for ONE FULL YEAR!

IF YOU HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE, it's better if we all stick together against SCHEME!

Subscriber Name: Eliza Eleonor Sto. Domingo Navo


Friday, December 5, 2008

Our new blog site

Hi guys, I just created a YT blog on blogger.com! It doesn't have much in it yet but I'm currently working on it to be as informative as my multiply account. If you're an active blogger or likes to read blogs. You can visit us!
our URL is http://strictlyYT.blogspot.com or you may just click the image above or the image on my multiply home page. If you know dog blog communities please let me know.
Thousand thanks.

liz

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Twilight

It's been awhile since I last posted. Many things have happened and I always get to run out of words to write them in such a way it would not come out as a plain narrative when there's alot of emotions involved. Here I am back again trying to fill in my personal blog space in this vast realm of the net.
Today, when I woke up this morning, the very first thing I did was to see a movie. It was Twilight--a teen romance with a touch of fantasy. I really find it cool to be in the girl's character to have a vampire boyfriend. However, if vamps are real, it's going to be a more frightening world out there. I think the world in reality has already its enough dose of violence, terror and fear so I never wished for a possibility that the story can be real after watching it. :)
The movie was more "fairy tale" like as there were very very few conflicts. Most of the characters are nice ones without the usual human greed, envy, etc. The school setting and the characters from school are way different from the usual stereotyping done by majority of other movies--no cheerleaders, no jocks, no outcasts, etc. Since it was created in such a way, the audience won't hate any b*tchs or jerks and can simply focus on the two lovers and their personal conflicts.
After watching it, you'll have this feeling of wanting to find out what's next for the two main characters. I'm not sure if there will be a follow up movie for this. I think it's just best to read the novel. Too bad for me that I am too lazy to read. I can not even say if the film version of the book is greatly done. I am not sure if the main female character (Belle) is really gloomy and vampire-ish even if she's human. She lacks expressions and always in a hypnotised state. LOL
Overall, it's a nice flick. The light feel of the movie is enough for the young audience. For adults, the blissful state of the romance in the movie can be very surreal and rubbish for some who never had such or don't believe in true love. I am twenty-five years old and at present, I gave up the possibility of such experience in reality when the human heart doesn't get any purer with time and age. Yet it reminds me of what I had when I was younger. I think I almost had that bliss. I think it is the reason why I was left with a very saddening feeling after watching it. The bliss I can never have. Yeah, I'm very negative but I just think it's foolish to draw hope from fiction.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Authentic Knock-Offs? WTF?

I love shopping at the mall and even at home through my notebook. I often buy from highly-reputable and authorized US-based online shops to ensure the value of the money I'm paying for. However, being in Manila, sometimes I get so impatient with waiting for the item to get shipped to me and the cost of shipping is really heavy on the pocket. So at times, I tend to search some items locally.

Instead of the ebay.ph, the most popular online shopping experience for Filipinos is through multiply.com--where galleries become shop windows of different types of goods. It's quite convenient, though. So far, I've had nice experiences. All the items did arrive as expected and it was fast. Moreover, I have made some online friends in the process--though multiply.com has become a network of shops, it's still a social network.

I noticed alot of designer items offered at low prices (like less than $20) and the seller claims them to be "authetic," which is really too-good-to-be-true. There are also some items offered at a higher price (like more than $100 but still hella cheaper). For a brand-conscious shopper, he/she would consider buying the higher priced designer item as he/she feels like it is the real thing as the seller would guarantee. It's saddening, actually, especially when you see the supplier's website of the knock-off items from China!

Alot of these shops have a "bogus buyer" section for people who ordered items and cancelled them. "Bogus," ya? It's really ironic how they hate bogus buyers when they sell "bogus" designer items and claim them as authentic or genuine.

I really suggest that those who wants to buy designer stuff to open their eyes and be aware of what they'll be buying. There are helpful sites and forums out there who helps with authenticizing designer items. I recommend, ThePurseForum-- I was surprised to find out that there are plenty of Pinay members in there. Most Filipinos are,indeed, brand-conscious buyers. LOL.

So it's really not authentic, eh? Will you still push through with the purchase? It's your money and it's your choice. If you're into knock-offs or fine with it and it's really cheap enough and the difference is not that great when you personally go to the "DV" and buy them, then go. Just make sure you won't look like Samantha in one of the episodes of Sex and the City where she used a counterfeit/fake purse at a party. YIKES. Goodluck.

If you don't wish to buy the item then good for you. I suggest you just choose from nice non-branded items that look good. There are stylish Korean clothes you can buy there, just make sure you check the sizing chart as they have smaller sizes. At least, you will have a peace of mind that you won't get a shameful experience using or wearing them and the price is okay.

As for the online stores, please stop using the term "authentic" when it's not. If you're not sure then have your items authenticized. Fooling for other's people's hard earned cash is a shameful act. If you value customer trust, then be honest in your item descriptions and pricing. A shop selling "bogus" items as authentic, is a "bogus" seller.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I seek you...

I had a friend I got to meet through ICQ. It was actually by accident, when another friend of mine was unaware he was sending me one of his contacts. That was 10 years ago.
His name was Jersey. He is an excellent writer. During the time we were still talking, he was going to publish his book. I never had the confidence to write at that time and I felt guilty when I turned him down when he requested me to write something to be included in his book.
He had his own website, at that time we call it a "homepage." It's full of wonderfully written articles, poems, and journals about anything. Too bad it's not up anymore since he went to UCLA-Berkeley for college.
He was one of the greatest people I've met and a great friend. Whenever I feel down or when I was having a problem, he would send me one of his profound writings as his way to advise or console. His writings were very cathartic and actually inspired me to write as well. Up to now, I still write using "notepad" in Windows just as he did.
I wonder what happened to him after he left. Never heard from him as he stopped using his ICQ account. I wished I knew what was the name of his book...

Monday, September 22, 2008

N.e.w.b.i.e.

This is my first entry.
This is very new to me.
I've never kept a blog thing ever. All I did with my former blogs (which were included with social networks) was to post lyrics or whatever I feel like people should read (informative stuff).
Anyway, let's just hope my life becomes interesting enough and be able to keep you interested
to read on.
So how should I start blogging? As for introduction, my profile has something about me.
More will be revealed in such a random fashion in the next entries to come.

Liz