Red card, green card
Last week, while I was away, I got a letter from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care telling me that it's time for me to get a photo health card. (These were introduced a few years ago, replacing the old red-and-white non-photo cards, in an effort to combat fraud.) I rather like my red-and-white card, which up until now has never needed to be replaced because it has no photo, but I want continued access to health care, and so I decide to call and set up an appointment to get a new card.
According to the letter I received, the best times to call are between 10:00 and 4:00, Tuesday to Friday. So this morning at 10:30, I dutifully called the toll-free number. And got a busy signal. Called again at 10:45, 11:00, 11:15, 11:30, 11:45, 12:00, and 12:15. All busy signals. Went out to return some library books and run errands. Got home at 2:15 and called again. It rang! But oh wait, there was no one on the other end. Just some clicks, and then a dial tone. Rapidly hit redial--busy! I'm beginning to think they only have one person answering all of the calls.
This is pretty bad customer service. (Yes, yes, it's the government. I've worked for the government. It doesn't have to be this inefficient.) They're telling me to do something I don't really want to do anyway, and then they're making it as hard as possible for me to do. (And you ought to see the list of documentation I have to bring in to get a new health card!) Bah.
According to the letter I received, the best times to call are between 10:00 and 4:00, Tuesday to Friday. So this morning at 10:30, I dutifully called the toll-free number. And got a busy signal. Called again at 10:45, 11:00, 11:15, 11:30, 11:45, 12:00, and 12:15. All busy signals. Went out to return some library books and run errands. Got home at 2:15 and called again. It rang! But oh wait, there was no one on the other end. Just some clicks, and then a dial tone. Rapidly hit redial--busy! I'm beginning to think they only have one person answering all of the calls.
This is pretty bad customer service. (Yes, yes, it's the government. I've worked for the government. It doesn't have to be this inefficient.) They're telling me to do something I don't really want to do anyway, and then they're making it as hard as possible for me to do. (And you ought to see the list of documentation I have to bring in to get a new health card!) Bah.