March 03, 2011 Filed in:
Personal Reflecting on my prior blog, I tried to find any significant news concerning Egypt, and could not. The news about Libya has obviously been dominating the world of reporters, television, internet, etc.
There is actually something else I want to present in this blog ... and it pertains to the ever-increasing incompetence that seems to prevail, no matter where we turn.
I will be 57 this July, and I must say, that in all my life, I have never seen such a widespread problem of incompetence, particularly in businesses that are supposed to be serving the public. I will submit only a few examples of my barrage of experiences.
Just recently, I had to straighten out a doctor's error in Trish's prescription (NOT a first-time experience). She ran out of an important prescription, and suffered unnecessarily for a week due to this error. On the day I finally was able to communicate with the doctor's office, it took me about 4 hours of faxing and phone calls. A nurse associate finally call me back, and asked me what the problem was --- this INSTANTLY frustrated me more since I could tell she didn't properly READ my fax to start with. Then ... I had to EXPLAIN the fax and get her to LOOK AT IT PROPERLY. The 'light bulb' finally clicked, and she said she would call the pharmacy to correct the problem. THEN she asked for me to give her the telephone number and address of the pharmacy, to which I responded ... "IT IS THERE ON THE FAX". She said ... "Ohhh, I see". (I myself probably needed a prescription after the experience LOL)
Last month, our bank mistakenly charged us almost $300 interest for no reason. We called the "HELP line (right)" to straighten it out. After stress and effort, the matter was seemingly resolved. Last week, the SAME charges re-appeared, and I became angry. It was a weekend, and so I assured my wife I was walking into the bank the coming Monday morning to tell them their internet services were more than frustrating us---and that I was NOT leaving until THEY FIXED IT. Monday morning came, and the lady helping me at the bank was nice as she tried to resolve this. By phone, she explained the whole situation of the error to her bank's Dept. relating to the problem, but was then told to hold as she would be switched to another person --- and when this OTHER person said "hello", the lady at the bank helping me was then asked to REPEAT THE WHOLE PROBLEM ALL OVER AGAIN....to which SHE now expressed frustration (she was just getting a taste of what we customers go through so often). I smiled and shook my head while listening to all this. After the problem was finally resolved by communicating with higher management of the bank, I went home feeling as if I gained victory in a major spiritual battle. BUT ... then thought to myself ... "Wait a minute ... I didn't GAIN anything with this so-called victory ... all I did was restrain error and incompetency".
There are, of course, other recent stories of dealing with incompetency I could share, but I just want to write a blog, not a magazine article LOL. I'll just say that, while all this was stirring, I went late one night this past weekend to McDonald's to buy something for me and Trish --- (I was tired because of the recent stress, and we hadn't eaten supper yet, and it was past 11pm). I ordered 2 hamburgers and 2 french fries. When I received my order at the window, I had this feeling NOT TO TRUST the employees and double-check my order. I have been in the food-business at least 10yrs and know all about messed-up orders, and how such errors can be EASILY minimized. Well ... as I pondered re-checking the order, I simply felt tired, and decided I should be able to trust people at least some of the time. Sure enough, I get home, AND THERE IS ONLY ONE order of fries. I could hardly believe it. So Trish could at least try to enjoy her food, I did not tell her about the error lest she get frustrated all over again with something else ... particularly something as small as an order of fries. It's hard for me to explain what was going on inside of me.
Is there such thing as "a spirit of incompetence"? Is incompetence an overflow of "the spirit of spiritual blindness" that is worldwide in these last days? Or has our education system really gotten that bad!?
It is a true blessing dealing with businesses that send you EXACTLY what you order, or working with professionals in any Health Care System that actually LISTEN to you and PAY ATTENTION to details.