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Catavino
Spanish Wine, Portuguese Wine, their foods, and cultures
Prepare yourself for a dramatization of a dumbfounding event that occurred at Catavino Headquarters last Thursday morning.
Scene 1: The Mystery
The scene opens with me sitting down at my computer with a steaming hot cup of coffee. While scrolling through the news of the day, which includ ... Continue reading »
Scene 1: The Mystery
The scene opens with me sitting down at my computer with a steaming hot cup of coffee. While scrolling through the news of the day, which includ ... Continue reading »
5 months ago
5 months ago
what keeps us Zen is stop worrying and opening one of these bottles of wine. Then, decide to take a day off instead of fighting against Endesa. It's way safer than trying to peel potatoes and cook an omelette in the dark.
5 months ago
5 months ago
Now I understand, or rather, I sympathise.
I could write a similar post for my TV/broadband suppliers in the UK, but I think that applies everywhere in the world
I'm a believer that there is something to 'Scream Therapy'
5 months ago
5 months ago
5 months ago
what keeps us Zen is stop worrying and opening one of these bottles of wine. Then, decide to take a day off instead of fighting against Endesa. It's way safer than trying to peel potatoes and cook an omelette in the dark.
5 months ago
5 months ago
Now I understand, or rather, I sympathise.
I could write a similar post for my TV/broadband suppliers in the UK, but I think that applies everywhere in the world
I'm a believer that there is something to 'Scream Therapy'
5 months ago
5 months ago
I am currently having the same kind of issue with a credit card - there has been a fraudulent use of it for £7 or so - no big deal money wise but They cant talk to me until I can quote a ref number off a letter and I have now been told for four weeks that the letter will be with me in five days.... up to now Ive had a tenner hush money off them
So. believe me, its not just spain - its endemic where numpties are reading system messages from screens and calling it customer service.
Sorry you didnt meke the GME this year - I'll be in BCN in august if you and ryan are about for a beer...
5 months ago
How do I deal with it in Portugal? I keep pilling up bureaucratic stuff and then on one week I try to sort all of them out. I guess that doesn't work in the case of electricity. To that I agree CusCus, get a bottle of wine and enjoy the moon :)
5 months ago
I am currently having the same kind of issue with a credit card - there has been a fraudulent use of it for £7 or so - no big deal money wise but They cant talk to me until I can quote a ref number off a letter and I have now been told for four weeks that the letter will be with me in five days.... up to now Ive had a tenner hush money off them
So. believe me, its not just spain - its endemic where numpties are reading system messages from screens and calling it customer service.
Sorry you didnt meke the GME this year - I'll be in BCN in august if you and ryan are about for a beer...
5 months ago
I have similar customer support problems with Verizon FIOS.
Good luck.
5 months ago
How do I deal with it in Portugal? I keep pilling up bureaucratic stuff and then on one week I try to sort all of them out. I guess that doesn't work in the case of electricity. To that I agree CusCus, get a bottle of wine and enjoy the moon :)
5 months ago
Regards,
Jose
5 months ago
I have similar customer support problems with Verizon FIOS.
Good luck.
5 months ago
Regards,
Jose
5 months ago
If that can be of any relief : the same happens in France, quite regularly, with all administrations and services that know we cannot do without them.
We recently had such problems with our Internet provider, and a colleague even told me that France Telecom created two phone lines for his appartment, he then took an Internet access for one of the lines and, when they finally decided to suppress a line, obviously, they suppressed the one with the Internet access... And it will take him another three weeks to get the line shut, the Internet access cancelled, to open a new line and re-activate an Internet access.
Good luck !
best regards,
Julie
5 months ago
If that can be of any relief : the same happens in France, quite regularly, with all administrations and services that know we cannot do without them.
We recently had such problems with our Internet provider, and a colleague even told me that France Telecom created two phone lines for his appartment, he then took an Internet access for one of the lines and, when they finally decided to suppress a line, obviously, they suppressed the one with the Internet access... And it will take him another three weeks to get the line shut, the Internet access cancelled, to open a new line and re-activate an Internet access.
Good luck !
best regards,
Julie
5 months ago
My buddy is still trying to figure out how to import a proper washing machine into Spain as he constantly complains about how they never work. I guess it's give and take, right?
5 months ago
My buddy is still trying to figure out how to import a proper washing machine into Spain as he constantly complains about how they never work. I guess it's give and take, right?
5 months ago
However, I wonder if we really tackled the big question: Is this story an example of a cultural norm that we should get used to when living in another culture, or is this something that we need to address look at as simply poor customer service?
Case in point, if my heater is busted in the US, I can order the part and fix it myself. Here in Spain, I cannot. When my heater blew last year, I was at the mercy of the heating company to fix it, on their time frame, because they have a monopoly on their parts. Therefore, I, nor any electrician, could fix it for half the price. Only they can fix their machines for an astronomical amount of money. Is that cultural, or just unfair? And where do I draw the line?
5 months ago
However, I wonder if we really tackled the big question: Is this story an example of a cultural norm that we should get used to when living in another culture, or is this something that we need to address look at as simply poor customer service?
Case in point, if my heater is busted in the US, I can order the part and fix it myself. Here in Spain, I cannot. When my heater blew last year, I was at the mercy of the heating company to fix it, on their time frame, because they have a monopoly on their parts. Therefore, I, nor any electrician, could fix it for half the price. Only they can fix their machines for an astronomical amount of money. Is that cultural, or just unfair? And where do I draw the line?
5 months ago
5 months ago
5 months ago
A pure Spaniard should then go out and get the electricity from a traffic light or whatever. hahahaha... I guess this is also the clue for our wines: temperament.
So sorry that you get such a bad impression from our big Corporations...
5 months ago
A pure Spaniard should then go out and get the electricity from a traffic light or whatever. hahahaha... I guess this is also the clue for our wines: temperament.
So sorry that you get such a bad impression from our big Corporations...
5 months ago
I don't think it's an spanish culture, but a strong difference between the concept of 'customer service' that exist in US and the one that exist in mediterranean countries...
Regards,
Jose
5 months ago
I don't think it's an spanish culture, but a strong difference between the concept of 'customer service' that exist in US and the one that exist in mediterranean countries...
Regards,
Jose
5 months ago
Glad it all turned out ok though
5 months ago
Here in Iberia, there are few jobs, that I'm aware of, that are commission based. You are paid pitance for your work do and have to struggle to make ends meet as prices for basic goods continue to increase. So where is your motivation to help the customer when you aren't even being paid a respectable salary for the work you do?
Additionally, I have found that the US inherently believes that the customer comes first. I have not found this mentality here, which is both good and bad. Bad because the customer is typically brushed off as insignificant. On the other hand, the customer is never given too much power as seen in the US model, winning lawsuits left and right because they have upper hand.
JIKVIG: Please don't apologize for laughing, because you ought to. The scenario is way too ridiculous not to get a good chuckle from it ;-)
5 months ago
Glad it all turned out ok though
5 months ago
Here in Iberia, there are few jobs, that I'm aware of, that are commission based. You are paid pitance for your work do and have to struggle to make ends meet as prices for basic goods continue to increase. So where is your motivation to help the customer when you aren't even being paid a respectable salary for the work you do?
Additionally, I have found that the US inherently believes that the customer comes first. I have not found this mentality here, which is both good and bad. Bad because the customer is typically brushed off as insignificant. On the other hand, the customer is never given too much power as seen in the US model, winning lawsuits left and right because they have upper hand.
JIKVIG: Please don't apologize for laughing, because you ought to. The scenario is way too ridiculous not to get a good chuckle from it ;-)
5 months ago
Cheers,
Jose
5 months ago
Cheers,
Jose
4 months ago
2 months ago
1 month ago
You guys should check out Monvinic, the new wine bar/restaurant/appreciation center in Barcelona. It's right next to our hostel, so drop me a line if you ever stop by!