Specsavers

Having unfortunately broken or lost all my spectacles I had to go to Specsavers to order some new ones. Us oldies are entitled to a free eye test but only once every two years (otherwise when we were bored we'd go into a different opticians every week for a test, just to pass the time.) As you would expect, there are a range of different prices but there are also a range of different offers which is so complex that you need a degree in applied mathematics to work out the best one. In the end I decided to be guided by the assistant, so I hope she's on my side and not Specsavers. I was unaware that the old pair, pictured above, were lost and broken, until a kind gent from Brixham rang my mobile to tell me he'd found them, in the road near the sea front, where I had been taking photographs earlier. He advised they had been run over and were no longer servicable, but at least I got them back to see for myself. I always put my phone number in my Spec. case in the hope that when (not if) I leave them somewhere someone will let me know where they are. I'm still waiting for the call about the ones I lost in Newcastle on Tyne last year.

British Telecom

BT were nearly added to the list of dodgy companies recently, but saved themself at the last minute. I was at my mum’s house when we noticed her telephone was dead.

My mum is 91, is only partially sighted, is a bit unsteady on her feet and normally lives on her own. She has an emergency call device which she wears round her neck that is linked to this phone line, so if she falls she can press the button and get help. She also gets very lonely as she cannot get out much and the phone is her way to call family on a daily basis as she would other wise have no-one to takl to from one day to the next. The phone is her lifeline.

Using my computer I went on line and through the BT web site ( www.bt.com ) was able to carry out a test of her line which confirmed there was a fault near her house. BT reminded me that if the fault was in the house then they would charge for a visit, and asked if I wanted to report the fault on line to their website. I opened the master socket, tested the line from here confirming that the fault was outside the house, so I reported it at 5pm on Sunday night.

BT’s website gave a reference number and stated the fault would be fixed by Thursday. I decided to call them to see if they would increase the priority but left this until Monday morning when I knew staff would answer the phone.

When I called on Monday morning, there was no queue, I got straight through, explained the situation and asked if they could increase the priority of the repair. The call centre person said he would see what he could do.

Later that morning, as I was on my way back home a BT engineer called to say he was on site, and by 1:30 pm on Monday the fault was fixed. Considering the original estimate for the repair was Thursday, I think just after lunch on Monday was a good result – Well done BT.

I was pleased that they were able to help, I would have been very disappointed if they could not, as I worked for BT as a telecomms engineer and later an engineering manager for 31 years, and am now a BT pensioner. Any failings on the part of BT always make me feel bad as I know I did my best to make things go well when I worked for them.