Saturday, June 25, 2011

Dutch thinking... nightmare

Don't get me wrong I love the diversity of Holland, the people, the countryside, the beaches even shock dare I say the weather sometimes but these are also all the things I hate about Holland too. Particularly though the country has yet to grasp the concept of client services. I understand that using the US example is stretching it and may on occasion seem OTT but a complete lack of regard similar to the Parisian model where you have to be a bitch to get any service full stop is in my opinion the wrong approach as well.

So here I am stuck in front of a computer trying to buy a wedding present. I did leave it a little late but I had tried 2 weeks ago with no luck on the website front and thought armed with really mission like percision this time I would get there - in and out pressie bought happy couple in the make. Or so I thought.

I think with the amount of weddings attended in various countries I am an experienced wedding list shopper. But this has to be the most difficult experience so far.

First of all they hide the wedding list section so far under the layers of the website this in itself is saying 'you would be a fool to use this service'. If by miracle efforts you do find the location you need two bits of vital information the bride and/or grooms surname (check I know this) and the wedding date (hang on is this the civil service date or the church service or does it matter or help I feel this going wrong...) Thankfully I have both bits of date so I try a variation of options. Surname spelled together apart, civil service date, church service date NOTHING works. Ok keep clam there is always a customer service number to dial oh wait you have to know the location of the shop the couple registered with. Sorry what do I need? How on earth would I happen to have this info? Really? But I am reasonably committed to getting this sorted (it's a mission remember) so I ring anyway and make an edcuated guess. Oh no no one at the department to be reached - could it be that this is because it's a Saturday and they only attempted to help people on a week day? What do now? Abort mission? Retreat and rethink? Call customer service again? Then I have a bit of tour of the  website - it is great in the way that is does provide information in English but hang on if you are calling from abroad you're stuck - no access to the number (is this a clever way of punishing you for leaving the glorious Dutch soil?) and if you would again by divine intervention reach the wedding list you would have to guess your way around it because that bit of the service is in Dutch. But then a crystal bonbon tray is a crystal bonbon in any language... ok last attempt ring customer service AGAIN and enquire if maybe the department isnt reachable on a Saturday - bless the silly receptionist student who only has the cleverness to say - I do believe the department is closed today. Really sherlock - great help there. You think? All I can say I hope my fury doesn't where off by Monday. As when Monday rolls around - hell hath no fury like a woman wanting to shop!!!!!

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