Westminster Council Cave

I have received a letter from Westminster Council.  The long, tall and short of it is that they have cancelled the Ticket! (PCN).

 

The lectured me about parking, and did not apologise for ticketing a disabled vehicle, but they did cave.

 

So take heed all you disabled people out there.

 

WESTMINSTER COUNCIL DO NOT WANT YOU ON THEIR TERF!

 

Basically they do not recognise disabled badges and do not give parking concessions.

 

Heartless gits!

 

NatWest

Still Waiting........

So it has now been 18 days since my mum and sister signed the allegedly final piece of paper to get me added to this blasted account.

Guess what?? Nothing has been heard from Eastbourne.

I am now trying to get hold of Jackie to see where we can go with this.

20 mins on the phone talking to Amy Burgess. All she did was stonewall. I did not have the account number to hand and she would not connect me to Jackie without it. She would not even book a call back.

Finally she has booked a call back between 9 and 12 tomorrow morning.

I will believe that when I get it!

NatWest

An Update..........

After an extended hiatus (our fault) My Mother and sister finally managed to get the forms signed. My sister went 1st, as my mother had already done here part, but, after over an hour in the bank filling things in, she was told that there was more for my mum to do!

The pair of them returned last week and spent anther 2 HOURS! in the bank. We have now been told that it is all done.

It has been over a week with no update, so I am not sure. I will chase next week.

On point of information. My last communication with them requested that they confirm reception of the paperwork and that they return my identification documents when they are done. IN the light of last weeks Government cock-up you would think that they would be extra careful. This does not appear to be the case as they have done neither of my requests!

Not happy.

Lets see if they can finish!

Westminster Council Take the Piss!!!!

This from their automailer. The Pesky parking ticket did not ask me to put the reg number and ticket number in the subject line!! Thank goodness I read the response and can cut and paste! I wait their response... _____________________________________________________________________________________
From : Parking@westminster.gov.uk

Thank you for your correspondence to Parking Services.

We will investigate and respond in writing to your query in due course.

If you have not included your full name and postal address please do so immediately as we cannot reply to your query via email.

Also please ensure that you have included the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) number and the Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM) in the 'Subject' heading on your email.

Your email will now be processed and responded to in date received order.

Please do not reply to this automated email. If you have any further enquiries you can call Parking Services on 020 7823 4567.

On Behalf of

Parking Services

Westminster City Council

For more information about parking Westminster visit: www.westminster.gov.uk/parking

Westminster Council Take the Piss!!!!

Today, while parked near Covent Garden I was given a very shady parking ticket.

I was correctly parked on King Street and was displaying a valid Disabled Badge.
I was within the 3 hours allowed by the Badge.

The PCN was therefore incorrectly issued.

Upon seeing the notice I called the number on the back of the notice and was told that we should have made a "Contribution" to the parking. I looked everywhere around the car and all all the pillars near by (see attached picture) and was unable to see any indication that this was the case.

I then spoke to Community Officer number CW 7373 who looked with me and agreed that there was no indication that a "Contribution" was required (and can verify this if asked).

When I spoke to the "gentleman" on the phone he was not sure how much this "Contribution" should be.

It strikes me as very unfair that a disabled person should be expected to call the parking c redit card line and make a payment of unspecified value when they have a parking permit that allows them to park with out paying. I repeat there was no indication that Disabled Badge holders have to pay.

I trust have appealed this and will let you know what happens. Rest assured I will fight this all the way!

A Blast from the past!

This is Seth, Cosma (Me) and Iain, in the late 80's taking a look around London, in a break between lectures. Click on the picture or the link below to see some more blasts from the past.

Click here for more Pictures of the Boys!
More from the College Archives...
Originally uploaded by CosmaP

NatWest

The Current Position...........

I received some forms, filled them in and sent them to the address I was given. Somehow they went from Borhamwood to Chatham! They called me wanting to know what they were for. I told them to contact Elisabeth Mann. They did not know who she was!!!

I provided THEM with the phone number and they called her. Here is the response.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 24-Aug-2007 13:07
Subject:

> Dear Mr Papouis
>
> I have just received a telephone call from Jenny who is based at our
> Chatham Customer Service Centre (CSC). She tells me that the form you had
> completed had arrived at the CSC and as she didn't have all the paperwork,
> hence her telephone call to you and then to me. To keep you up to date I
> have asked her to send the form to James Beeston, via Internal mail, so he
> can collate all the paperwork and then send it to the CSC when it is all
> complete.
>
> I shall be out of the office next week, but if you need to leave a message
> for me, I will deal with it on my return. However, in my absence Nicole
> Cooper will be managing my case load and you can speak to her if you
> urgently need to contact Customer Relations.


How many MORE people will get involved in this simple process???

I JUST WANT TO BE ADDED TO AN ACCOUNT!!!!!

By the way, I have still to receive the confirmantion, that I explicitly requested, that my paperwork has made it to the correct location!

NatWest

Missing post!

You will be pleased to know I have received the form from you. I have signed it, as has my mother, and I shall return it to you asap.

Alas the form from Eastbourne has not arrived, are we sure he has posted it?


On 16/08/07, ~ NatWest CRU <Customer.Relations@natwest.com> wrote:

> Dear Mr Papouis
>
> Further to our telephone call, you can send the signed form to me at
>
> Ground Floor
> National Westminster House
> 225 Shenley Road
> Borehamwood
> Herts
> WD6 1TE
>
> I will then forward it in our internal mail service to James Beeston at
> Eastbourne. Or alternatively James tells me that he has enclosed a self
> address envelope to Eastbourne branch.
>
> If you need to contact me at any stage please do not hesitate to send me
> an e-mail or telephone me.
>
> Yours sincerely
>
> Elizabeth Mann
> 0208 236 8140
> Customer Relations Unit Borehamwood

Norwich Union Direct

The Fun Continues....

Letter sent to NUD in response to a letter from them telling me I owe them money!

Hello Hanna,

Hate to be a pain, but...

I have received a mail from NUD telling me I owe you £10.53.

I have called your Customer services (on 0800 068 3661) and Prem (He will not give me a full name ex - 51408) tells me that it is a result of the cancellation and reissue you did.

I pointed out that this must have been an over site and, after leaving me on the phone for a while, he came back and agreed to waive this cost.

He then adds insult to injury by trying to scratch the £10.53 back by trying to sell me RAC cover! I asked him not to sell me anything and he said that he was not selling, he was offering a service. He did not seem to get it when I explained that if there was a cost associated to this "service" then he was selling!

Anyway. This has now been resolved, but I thought I would inform you.

Perhaps this can be used in training. i.e. When a customer calls with a charge enquiry DO NOT TRY AND SELL HIM MORE!

Thx

NatWest

NatWest's Eastbourne Branch Speedy as ever...

I just had a call from Elisabeth Mann.  James Beaston in Eastbourne is not responding to her calls.  She sounded quite exasperated.  and has promised to escalate this if they do not get back to her.  What is it coming to when the left hand willnot eaven SPEAK to the right hand?

 

Still waiting...........

NatWest

No Paperwork from NatWest...

I find it hard to believe that a letter cannot make it from Eastbourne to London in 3 days

Some Numbers for reference..

Complaints switchboard - 020 8736 8000
Elisabeth Mann DDI - 020 8236 8173

Trying to talk to Elisabeth, On hold for 20mins....

She is not in. Left a message for her to call me tomorrow.

NatWest

The Wondering Paperwork Returns!

 

Having lost my paperwork again, NatWest have (after 2 days) managed to find it in Eastbourne.  Frankly I do not believe this.  Elisabeth Mann told me that she had taken copies of my documents before sending them to Eastbourne, so I think she has sent them down there again.

 

Apparently James Beaston has been told to deal with this personally, and not f%^* it up.

 

But guess what??  They have forgotten to get me to sign 1 more piece of paper!  This is now being sent to me.

 

And Aldersgate branch (Colin Harold) have never called me back!

 

This has gone beyond funny.... 

NatWest

They have done it AGAIN!

 

I have just had a call from The NatWest customer services department.

 

Guess what!!

 

They have lost my paperwork AGAIN!  That makes it 3 times. 

Elisabeth Mann tells me that she stuck it in the post and then went on holiday. There have been some postal strikes so that's OK it is stuck in the post between her and Eastbourne.  I pointed out that I was assured the last time that it went missing that they use secure couriers and if it was lost it was in their internal system.  Sounds like another lie to me!  is this the "Other Way??"

 

I specifically requested that they contact me to let me know where my paperwork was, no one has done that.

I specifically requested that they return the originals to me.  No good they have lost them AGAIN!

 

Elisabeth tells me that it is OK as she took copies of my copy's, let's not worry where my copies have gone.

 

This just smacks of total incompetence.  NatWest bank are incapable of sending some important personal identification between two if their branches without loosing them.

 

But it's OK, they will compensate me, OK that may cover the wasted time, but what about the identity loss??

 

I will give them a chance to rectify the situation, then consider where to go from there.

 

NatWest

Deafening silence from NatWest... 

 

Well on July the 11th NatWest received copies of my documentation again.  Since then I have heard...

 

NOTHING!!!

 

I have just tried to call them and spoke to a colleague of Jackie's, foolishly I did not take her name. Apparently Jackie is in meetings all day.  I left my name and number for her to call me back.

 

I am now going to try and get through to the Aldersgate Street branch on 0845 3017948

 

Mr Judge is not available.  Try to speak to Colin Harold.  Apparently he is with a client.  I will hold....

They cut me off!!!

I called back and, after the receptionist (Emma) tried to fob me off, he mysteriously became instantly available!

 

He will contact Mr Judge to see what he has done with the documents.  I did point out that I had specifically requested that the service centre contact me to conform that the documents had been received.

 

What a farce!

Norwich Union Direct

Cheques have arrived... 

 

and been paid in.  The end of this chapter...  Let's see what the next year brings....

Norwich Union Direct

A Conclusion is Reached!!

 

So after all the faffing we have come to a conclusion.  Many thanks to the people in the UK offices of NUD who have managed to resolve this silly situation.  It transpires that apparently it takes 14 days to update the DVLA DB (This I do not understand, but lets take their word for it).  Due to the fact that my insurance policies coincide with my road tax (silly me I thought it would make life easier) there is no way that I could get the road tax electronically.

 

The only way round this is to cancel and recreate my insurance, the very nice lady at NUD has done this for me.  Let's see what happens next year.

 

This whole mess has just highlighted the failings of call centers.  The fact that they could not give me a working email address, the fact that they did not seem to have the ability to call me back when they said they would.

 

I will not labour the point as I have had long conversations with NUD about this and they seemed receptive to my comments.  They seem to be aware of the issues, but the question is "What can be done about it?"

 

I do not believe that this is limited to NUD, It is a failing of all call centers and it is down to us, the users, to say NO I will not accept this level of service.  The call centers seem to be OK as long as you are on their "script".  The minute you want something different, BANG!  you are in undiscovered country.  At the very least they need an escalation process that includes the UK.  It should go, 1, Call center staff, 2, Call center supervisor, 3, Call center manager, 4, UK Customer Support.....  This should be process, it should not need me to do all the chasing!!!    Arrrghhh!!  Do not get me started again!

 

Norwich Union Direct

Problems with NUD.. Well I seem to be going up the NUD internal ladder....

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hannah Kiteley &lt;Hidden to protect the currently Innocent>
Date: 17-Jul-2007 17:22
Subject: Problems with NUD

Dear Mr Papouis

Further to the post left by Becca Sibley on your blog space concerning the problems you've had with NUD.

Becca has asked me to take a look at these for you.

I can't get you on your landline or your mobile number, but I will try again tomorrow. The telephone number below is my direct dial number, and you can get me on that any time between 10:00 and 17:00.

Thanks

Hannah Kiteley (Miss)
Customer Relations Manager
Chief Executive's Office
Sales and Service

I have actually Spoke to this lady. She seemed very nice. Ho Humm.... are we making progress?

Linked In

Take a look at my Linked in Profile

Norwich Union Direct

Thanks to Ramesh...

For NOT providing me witha valid email address!!!!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: mailto:postmaster@cos-c.co.in<postmaster@cos-c.co.in>
Date: 15-Jul-2007 11:10
Subject: Delivery Status Notification (Failure)

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Unable to deliver message to the following recipients, due to being unable to connect successfully to the destination mail server.

mailto:Ramesh.chandran@direct.cos-c.co.in

Final-Recipient: rfc822;Ramesh.chandran@direct.cos-c.co.in
Action: failed
Status: 4.4.7


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Cosma Papouis"
To: mailto:Ramesh.chandran@direct.cos-c.co.in
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:03:43 +0100
Subject: Just Checking

You may wish to take alook at this..........

http://cosmap.blogspot.com/

--

Norwich Union Direct

An email and a call from NUD, I nearly fall off my chair...  Again...! 

• Becca. From the Support email number
• Sounded very nice and helpful (and extreamly cheerful :) )
• Let's see where this take us............