Our modem died on Monday night (may she R.I.P.). Jorge went to Telmex yesterday morning to get a new one and they told him they had to place a work order and a technician would bring it to install it within 72 hours. (Yeah sure, like I can survive three days without internet!). I said screw that, I will just go buy a new modem. Well, apparently you CAN'T buy a modem in this town! I went to five different stores and all of them told me that you have to call Telmex and wait for the technician. Why oh why can't you buy a DSL modem without going through Telmex? Why wouldn't they just give Jorge a new modem at the office? Why do we need a stupid technician to come with a simple thing like a modem? Seems like an awful waste of time and resources. Every store I talked to had the same disdainful remarks about Telmex and their monopoly, none of them were happy that they are "not allowed" to sell modems. WTF? So, I wait......and wait......and wait.....let's see how long it takes them to bring my stupid modem. (I am posting from work right now, not looking forward to another boring internet-less day).
That's the way this are done here, is why. Forget what you knew in the past. Consider TelMex, the government owned monopoly, your friend. It is one of several reasons taxes are so low here and why the government can continue to function with so many people thumbing their noses at the Hacienda. Maybe your Jorge can wait for the technicians? Or someone else? This is not an insurmountable problem. It is life in Mexico.
Its my understanding that Carlos Slim owns TelMex..... Anyway, just to show how incompetent they are, my next door neighbor, had his phone service cut for lack of payment... the only problem was it IS paid, and he has the receipts and everything. Apparently another neighbor didn't pay but they cut his instead of theirs. When he went to the Telmex office his was blown off and told he had to talk the the finance office on Lopez Portillo, which closes at 3. So meanwhile he sits without phone service that he has paid for and has to run all around town at his expense to beg for them to fix their mistake.
My understanding is the Carlos Slim owns pieces parts of wireless, the cable company and various miscellaneous telecom holdings. And now you know the TelMex playing field is level for all! Doesn't matter if you're an expat or not! Although had he used your phone and their 800 number, it may have been resolved over the phone. They ARE getting better at that!
Well thank you. That somehow escaped my knowledge base! And I for one have not found their service to be lacking. It's just culturally different. But if you scroll down and read my account and another with recent TelMex experiences, you may too wake up pleasantly surprised. You just have to let go. I have an expression for expats here on Isla. Sit and yee shall find. If you let it be known you are looking for something or someone, sit tight. And when you look up, it may be there! REALLY!
Zen and the Art of letting a huge corporate monopoly provide lousy service more expensively than most other places on the planet! Love that one!
I don't think we are going to change it! I am but a guest who chose to be here and thereby have no right to protest or seek that they change for me. Goes against the gringo grain, but it is survival.
As a consumer of a company's products and services you always have the right to complain. And they won't improve until enough people do so.
Yes. Mexican's need to be taught to complain, rather than accepting whatever answer they receive from staff of service providers.
