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From: dave@westmark.westmark.com (Dave Levenson)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: NJBell Hates Centrex (or Makes Me Hate It)
Message-ID: <14087@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 27 Oct 90 12:41:37 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 769, Message 2 of 2


NJ Bell, like many entrenched beaurocracies, seems to employ a number
of people whose initial reaction to any trouble report is a quick
search of the 'standard responses' database for a reply that avoids
responsibility for the problem.  I have been a computer and
communications consultant in NJ for more than ten years.  I am always
hearing about some trouble, probably caused by CO mis-administration
or outside plant mis-arrangements.  NJ Bell repair service is very
good at trying to convince the customer that their equipment, or their
use of their service, is at fault.

If I have explain the situation to the repair service call-taker more
than once and they still do not agree that NJ Bell needs to take some
action to relieve the trouble, I usually find it's best to agree with
them, and politely excuse myself from the conversation, and hang up.
Wait ten minutes, and call again.  There are also enough good,
well-intentioned, and even technically competent people there that you
stand a reasonable chance of reaching one of them on the next call.
(I sometimes luck out and reach one of these helpful types on the
first call!)

It often takes more than one call to get telco trouble fixed in NJ,
but it seldom seems to take more than two.

Their customer-contact people operate under the assumption that
anybody not employed by NJ Bell cannot possibly know anything about
their network.  A technical explanation of the problem, and of why you
believe it's 'their problem' is sometimes required to convince them
that you know what you're talking about.  


Dave Levenson			Internet: dave@westmark.com 
Westmark, Inc.			UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave
Warren, NJ, USA			AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave 
[The Man in the Mooney]		Voice: 908 647 0900 Fax: 908 647 6857