The grumpy thread

[alcyonecorporation]

Yo, is there a way to stop [name of recovery service] spamming one's email service with surveys? 

 

Lads, you lost my Subaru temporarily and although you got it back, it seems pointless me feeding back because the people on the ground will get the blame, not the control centre spouting gibberish who caused the confusion in the first place. 

 

'No comment' is the best you're going to get from me; can we just call it quits?

 

Today, September 12th, marks six years since we moved out of our Cyprus house to come back here.  It was a Wednesday too.

I swear the suspension of my C4 cursed you during the DUGONG SHIPPING SERVICE years.

[AMC Rebel]

Agree with that about 99% of surveys - they are useless in terms of anything improving and in the worst cases will be used to punish the wrong people for the wrong things.

IMHO the majority of big businesses don't actually give a fuck about individual customers.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Agree with that about 99% of surveys - they are useless in terms of anything improving....

 

The only thing I've found them useful for is for earning Nectar points.

[Timewaster]

Agree with that about 99% of surveys -

IMHO the majority of big businesses don't actually give a fuck about individual customers.

They do care about an aggregate score though. "We are rated 9/10" is a typical advertising blurb.

 

But the more people they survey the less each individual survey means in the overall outcome.

 

I absolutely hate surveys and internal company ones are the worst where every department surveys every other department and don't take no for an answer, sending daily reminders about the surveys I have no intention of completing.

And if you do complete it with anything less than 9/10 then the manager of that department will ring you up and ask why the low score and what could they do better? Then they explain why they are do things the way they do and how changing anything is beyond their remit.

[AMC Rebel]

They do care about an aggregate score though. "We are rated 9/10" is a typical advertising blurb.

 

But the more people they survey the less each individual survey means in the overall outcome.

 

I absolutely hate surveys and internal company ones are the worst where every department surveys every other department and don't take no for an answer, sending daily reminders about the surveys I have no intention of completing.

And if you do complete it with anything less than 9/10 then the manager of that department will ring you up and ask why the low score and what could they do better? Then they explain why they are do things the way they do and how changing anything is beyond their remit.

 

Exactly.  I worked at a really wanky software company once and all the customers hated us.  We had a meeting to try and dream up ways to improve customer satisfaction.  Someone suggested a customer survey - but I pointed out that since the top brass didn't give a fuck about existing customers and wouldn't let us spend any money on improvements, all the survey would do would be to anger the customers even more by creating the false impression we might do something.

[Lord Sterling]

Exactly.  I worked at a really wanky software company once and all the customers hated us.  We had a meeting to try and dream up ways to improve customer satisfaction.  Someone suggested a customer survey - but I pointed out that since the top brass didn't give a fuck about existing customers and wouldn't let us spend any money on improvements, all the survey would do would be to anger the customers even more by creating the false impression we might do something.

Sounds like where I work (except we don't do software). Really, it does.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

I've just unsubscribed from the Argos survey email.  They kept sending them.

 

Fuck off.  Unless you're going to pay me for doing the survey, I'm not doing it and the onus is on you to spend some of your own fucking money rather than assuming that my time is worthless.  I refuse to do all surveys on this basis...

[SierraMikeHotel]

I've just unsubscribed from the Argos survey email. They kept sending them.

 

Fuck off. Unless you're going to pay me for doing the survey, I'm not doing it and the onus is on you to spend some of your own fucking money rather than assuming that my time is worthless. I refuse to do all surveys on this basis...

Likewise. I do them if there's a reward, I *occasionally* do them if it gets me a raffle entry, but I never ever do them for free. Why on earth would I?

[Timewaster]

If a company the size of Argos doesn't know how it is performing, don't expect me to waste my time telling you.

[adw1977]

 

Fuck off, it's September.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I'm beginning to hate where I live.

Three emergency stops in as many minutes is not right.

 

First was a Civic which charged out of a driveway and went straight across the road; I was under the speed limit and just about stopped without locking up. I hit the horn and he stands on his and screams abuse.

 

Next, a mini cab pulled away from the kerb without signalling. I was almost past them and locked up. Driver mouthed off and gesticulated because I stood on the horn (you know, because the useless prick nearly caused an accident).

 

As I was heading out of town there was a bloke on crutches stood at the side of the road; the light was on green and he was at the crossing. The traffic light was on green (my right of way) and he decided to walk across the road, very slowly.

I came a halt and he decided to scream abuse at me. Thanks, dude. Can't think why your legs might be broken with an attitude like that.

 

By this stage the brakes on the Pug were starting to smoke, as was my brain.

 

I carried on out of town and a kid on a pushbike blatted across a gap in the road. No lights, no hi vis, just blinkered and flat out across the road, straight into traffic. By this point the smoke and smell from the pug's brakes were very noticeable.

 

Oblivious and selfish, or psychotic. No half measures where I live. Don't even get me started on the race canned, plateless supercars that roar up and down the local roads at three figure speeds all hours of the day or night, or the unfair parking restrictions, or the INCREDIBLY SELFISH way people park in restricted bays, or........

 

I couldn't be a bus driver here. I'd rage quit after a week.

 

If anyone thinks I'm exaggerating, come and live and commute to work with me for a week. I guarantee you'll want to knock someone out by day three.

 

 

 

You need a sound, running Ford D Series or a Bedford TK. On one hand it's stylish and interesting, on the other you can just rip the side out of cars with impunity.Both cars you mention would have been left smashed by the side of the road, damaged beyond repair. I doubt you would have laughed, much.

[alcyonecorporation]

I would have preferred the Bedford CUBE which appeared to appear near Conrad D Conelrad's house.

 

(CDC shall supply images).

[rainagain]

I agree with what a trade union should be; however after being a member of one for many years I was very disappointed when my local branch agreed to a hugely detrimental change to my job, without even informing, let alone discussing it with me. The change contravened the employer's stated policy. I ended up using both the employer's grievance procedure (with no support from the local or district branch) and complaining to the national branch, using their stated complaints procedure, which they ignored, to the point that when challenged, put in writing that they would not communicate further with me. Unfortunately this made me quite ill, knowing what I know now I should have gone to an employment solicitor, instead I sucked it up and lived with the substantial salary cut and a deep distrust of certain people. I do admit to a certain schadenfreude when the local branch treasurer did some jail time for embezzlement of branch funds (about £100k )

I joined one a good few years back when the office where I worked was subject to a tupe transfer to a crap company. As I suspected about a year into working with the new company they tried to engineer me out of the business, as I loudly voiced my opinion that being forced to work 14 hour days for 8 hours pay 5 days a week was wrong. The most use the rep was, was making my boss shit himself when he asked me who I was taking into the ‘improvment’ meeting and I said my union rep.

 

During the actual meeting he was pretty useless, but I do like to think I got some of my money’s worth out of the dues seeing my boss’s face turn from arrogance to fear a look I will never forget.

[AMC Rebel]

During the actual meeting he was pretty useless, but I do like to think I got some of my money’s worth out of the dues seeing my boss’s face turn from arrogance to fear a look I will never forget.

 

My recent experience of being managed out of a job was like this.  I didn't take my lawyer, but his advice led me to say a few things in the meeting that caused a very similar effect on the face of my boss.  Those few seconds were worth every penny I paid my lawyer and will live with me until I die.

[Angrydicky]

That version of Gimme Gimme Gimme is absolutely appalling. Cher should have stopped singing ages ago.

 

I had to listen to the normal radio today because I'd run out of internet data. All I could get was Radio 2.

 

Kylie Minogue and Rick Astley doing a badly recorded, echoey piss poor "I should be so lucky/Never gonna give you up" mashup that seemed to never end. Horrible. and not long after that, it seems someone has pumped enough electricity up Cher's arse for her to do a Robot themed cover of Gimme Gimme Gimme.

Then - Jeremy Vine came on.

How the fuck do people listen to this day in day out? Fuck me. I refuse to believe that a broad section of the population are satisfied by this.

+1 on that. Radio 2 plays in the workshop at work and that Abba cover is truly dreadful. I liked the original but this Cher version is just shit. PLUS for the last week Radio 2 seem to have been playing it at least four times a day.

[omegod]

In my 20's I worked in a detox unit an the new manager tried to stitch me up to try and make a good impression with the firm, Negligence, gross misconduct, bringing the firms name into disrepute etc etc , I was shitting myself as we'd just had our kid and wasn't in a union but did go round to the local unison branch. Old chap who'd been a rep on Liverpool docks for 40 yrs took pity on me and agreed to come along to my disciplinary hearing , he absolutely fucking destroyed the panel piece by piece and gave a a closing speech which near had me in tears, end result all allegations dropped and a personal apology from the chief executive of the firm for the steaming pile of shit and lies that the case was .....I bought him a pint of Guinness to say thanks.

 

Had fuck all help from the last 25 yrs subs paid though 

[Fumbler]

I tuned into Radio 4 this morning or yesterday morning. I forget. I heard the news. It was nice. Then I heard the Today Programme. I switched off the radio at once, especially as they were hyping us up for a Full Length Interview with the one and only John MacDonell!!!!!!!!!111111111

[dozeydustman]

+1 on that. Radio 2 plays in the workshop at work and that Abba cover is truly dreadful. I liked the original but this Cher version is just shit. PLUS for the last week Radio 2 seem to have been playing it at least four times a day.

Radio 2 in the mornings is normally a good listen. I like popmaster & Canned Prunes (well that’s what the Ken Bruce jingle sounds like) has quite a dry humour. Thankfully by the time Jeremy Whine and Steve “All the listeners think I’m wonderful” Wright are up in full swing I’m at home so I can listen to Absolute, local independent SamFM, the Amazon Music or Spotify playlists, or see what antics Dollywobbler is up to on the YouTubes.

[iainrcz]

I want a Toyota GT 86, but given the fact I'm a tight bastard I can't find one for the money i want to spend.

 

I'll just have to keep an eye out.

Guaranteed I won't find one around here.

Cars are stupid expensive in Grimsby for some stupid reason.

 

Maybe I'm weird but I love haggling on shit.

I got an extra £500 off my first 407 by walking out of the showroom

 

Sent from my VFD 710 using Tapatalk

[vulgalour]

For the first time in MONTHS I've driven a car with a radio.  I have not missed anything of value.

 

The big grump at the moment is the continued house fiasco.  We've got the field narrowed down to one house, there's nothing on the market in the areas we need to be that fit our budget and needs other than this one house at the moment.  The one house isn't fantastic, it's not been decorated for a good 30+ years and the central heating doesn't extend as far as the bedrooms for some reason (cost?).  We're trying to negotiate a fair price for it which is proving difficult because the seller (it's probate, previous owner died in the house) wants more than the property is really worth, having priced it as though it's recently renovated rather than having been neglected for several decades.  It's... stressful.  We've already had two failed house purchases because one really nice one went out of budget (which is fair, it was really nice, even had solar panels on the roof), and the last one that we were all set to move on turned out to be a literal shambles.

 

House buying has merely served to reinforce every stereotype I know about Southerners.  The number of "I know what it's worth" sorts we've met on this endeavour, the number of "oh no, it's fine, they're all like that." descriptions of house problems... well, I should have been keeping notes so I could write a book.  Of course, bf and his family have served to undo all of the stereotypes by being thoroughly decent and supportive throughout the process, they're the only real reason I'm even considering the move let alone actively pursuing it but goodness me, I can see me getting right proper Northern on some of the native numpties.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Best of luck to you mate.  It's a real fucking bear.  If my part of Kent were within reach, you'd probably find it a bit easier but that's not much help, I know...

[Lacquer Peel]

 

 

I switched off the radio at once, especially as they were hyping us up for a Full Length Interview with the one and only John MacDonell!!!!!!!!!111111111

Why tho

[Fumbler]

Because don't like the Today Programme, or the BBC for that matter. I only listen to the BBC news because it actually feels like the news compared to the other broadcasters.

[Lacquer Peel]

BBC is far from unbiased.

[Fumbler]

BBC is far from unbiased.

Sure is, that wasn't my point. I can't explain it but I prefer looking at BIG Biased C(insert your name of any choice here) because it's something I grew up with. I just find shouty man on ITV too jarring and Channel 4 is a comedy show for us. Content is shite, I know, it's just the feel and everything.

[DodgeRover]

House buying has merely served to reinforce every stereotype I know about Southerners. The number of "I know what it's worth" sorts we've met on this endeavour, the number of "oh no, it's fine, they're all like that." descriptions of house problems... well, I should have been keeping notes so I could write a book. Of course, bf and his family have served to undo all of the stereotypes by being thoroughly decent and supportive throughout the process, they're the only real reason I'm even considering the move let alone actively pursuing it but goodness me, I can see me getting right proper Northern on some of the native numpties.

I quite like parts of Kent, it seems a lot less Southern than London in terms of people/ behaviour/ manners.

 

The answer to the I know what it's worth brigade is always only what someone will pay for it and you are the one doing the paying.

[DodgeRover]

BBC is far from unbiased.

Sadly this is very true and they continually push their own agenda down the audiences throat. Just the same as the Daily Mail really.

[dollywobbler]

Was motoring up a particularly steep hill in that there Aberystwyth, at 30mph in the Rover, which was pretty much flat out at this point (it is a f*cker of a hill). So, some dimwit pulls out in front of me just before the top. I employed the 'well, I'm not braking' approach, which got him gesticulating nicely, and holding three fingers up. Yes, I know it's a 30 limit. I was doing exactly 30, but you saw me and decided to pull out because you're a shit judge of speed. Get over yourself.

 

Then I had a lovely drive back home with the sun setting and the engine singing and it didn't feel much like a grump anymore.

 

Oh, apart from the fact that we've still got no shower or inside toilet. The 'government grant' internal insulation project continues to BARELY MOVE. A chap randomly turned up yesterday to clear away all the shit blocking the Invacar in the garage, because the insulation fit and plaster stage is complete (nice chaps did that to be fair). No idea when they're going to turn up to finish the project, which involves new skirting boards and window sills and refitting the sodding bog. Tempted to just tell them to piss off and we'll get the rest finished now the hard work is done. 

[Datsuncog]

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Fuck off, it's September.

 

Agreed. Someone needs to tell Sainsburys and all.

 

 

First week of September. I ask you.

 

 

Mince pies that will already be three weeks stale by the time Hallowe'en arrives?

 

 

Get in the fucking sea.

[Snipes]

I quite like parts of Kent, it seems a lot less Southern than London in terms of people/ behaviour/ manners.

 

The answer to the I know what it's worth brigade is always only what someone will pay for it and you are the one doing the paying.

I never encountered any Northern jokes until I moved to Kent. Then there were many. I can't imagine how shit it is trying to buy - it's a fucking disaster just renting.

 

Going back to moans about feedback, I hate it when a website starts pestering you for feedback almost as soon as you've arrived there. You get the cookies thing to click, then the data thing, then feedback, then you sack it off.