ODTAA
ODTAA was a novel by John Buchan and stands for “one damn thing after another”.
It’s the best description for my travails in trying to sort out a problem with sending and receiving emails on my devices.
You Could Not Make It Up or Technology Is Great As Long As It Works would be equally appropriate.
It all started last Monday when a notice on all devices appeared that I had inserted the wrong password, or no password at all.
The ever-helpful technical support of The Rust understandably could not resolve the problem without seeing the devices but suggested I try the password on the network’s main website.
This worked and provided access to, and sending of, emails.
He said the problem lay with the service provider – one of the well-known ones – and they may sort it. They did not and yesterday – as one does with a health issue that does not pass (you see a doctor), I decided that I would take expert advice.
I allowed myself 2 hours to do this.
Then I had a choice between Vodafone, who supplied the mobile, Apple who supplied the iPad … or a repair shop.
I went for the shop as I feared that the other two would say the fault lies with the service provider, not the device.
There is a shop I use. The shop owner was making progress but said he would have to reset the whole phone and this would take some 45 minutes.
I did some shopping and returned to find him locking up the shop – phone inside – to go to the mosque for prayers.
He put up a sign saying he would return at 2-30pm, the time of my lunch with Ivan Conway.
Fortunately – the one piece of luck I had all day – when I came back at 2-20pm I bumped into Ivan and could apologise for being late. I’m a stickler for punctuality.
In fact the repairer did not return till 3.00pm.
We then had the ludicrous but familiar problem that he could not complete the reset without my Apple ID, which (of course) was on the phone and could not be accessed till the reset was complete.
I then resolved to have my lunch and return afterwards less stressed. In fact the final process took half an hour by which time all I wanted to do was to get home, Ivan having invited me to the cricket.
Whenever I have such a problem I like to analyse it.
My first conclusion was that the fault lay with AOL, confirmed by the shop owner who found a reference to bugs on messages from the service provider.
However, they shift the blame to the customer and cause confusion as the notice did not state the problem was their’s.
A Luddite like me believes that there must be something wrong with my settings, not the software.
I now realise that when you are informed that an app needs an upgrade to fix bugs this is the only and first admission that the fault lies with the provider not the customer. You cannot call AOL when the system goes down, only email them but you guessed it again you cannot send one!
The second observation is that, in diagnosing and repairing the fault or offering alternatives, there are degrees of expertise.
This man could resolve the issue and when we talked money he said the normal price was £35 but he would leave it to me to pay him what I thought appropriate.
I actually gave him £40 as I confess to being a stressed and difficult customer. I also saw other customers asking for free help which he gave good-naturedly but without seeking payment.
The third observation was the necessity for an alternative email. I do have one but have forgotten the password.
The fourth observation is that a book explaining common faults which cuts through gobbledygook, jargon and double speak would be a best seller.
Finally, find a repairer that does not feel required to close his shop for prayers!
