The bad... My electric Ryobi mower is on recall. I received an email from them about that. Directed me to a phone number or a website. I thought the phone call would be easier. I was sure wrong about that!
I called the number Friday. Got an agent quickly (yay). Gave her all the information she asked for (so they could set up a case file). She said I would immediately receive an instruction email about disabling the old mower and they would send me a replacement.
I didn't receive an email...
So I called again yesterday. It was a complete experience of ineptitude! I guessed (correctly) that they had gotten my email wrong. Even though I carefully provided it letter by letter (and spoke very clearly). So this time, I had basic military code words written down for my email address ("Alpha" for A, "Bravo" for B, "Charlie" for C, etc.
The agent still got it wrong 3 times! It was maddening. Even when I asked her to repeat it back to me, she used wrong words. How can you mistake "Bravo" for "Victor"? But we finally got that worked out.
Then came my address. I recognize that my street name is not common. There is a B where a V seems more likely. But I gave it to her code word by code word. And she got that wrong twice. Apparently, she couldn't type accurately. And let me say that I'm only saying "her" because her voice suggested she obviously was; not some sense of insult.
We finally got through that.
Then came the Zip code. I said 2O6O1, and that didn't register in her computer. I didn't realize I was talking to a Canadian. They have letters in their postal codes and in the US it is assumed to be all numbers, so saying O and 0 are the same. OK, my bad!
Once I figured that out, I corrected it. And apologized. I repeated my Postal Code as all numerics.
So she read back all the information I had provided. And had completed botched almost everything. Still had my email wrong, still had my street name wrong, still had the Postal Code wrong. Seriously, how can you confuse the spoken word of "one" with "nine?
So it was another round of correcting the information.
That was 45 minutes of idiocy. She finally did get everything right, because I did receive the promised email of instructions while we were still talking. And then she said to ignore that. Apperently, she had to register me with Ryobi/TTI. ARRRGGGHHH!
She said her system said there was still a problem and put me on hold for 10 minutes. Came back finally and said it was all worked in their database that I was qualified. Never mind that they had already said I was qualified for a replacement mower. I might get the replacement in 2 weeks. After following the instructions about disabling the old mower.
And that the original instructions were correct. In a pdf file I had to download and open, and print. I have to clip off at least 6" of 2 wires and take before and after pictures. And send a pic of the model/serial number label. Which is so small and inconvenient that I'm not sure if I can, and then email it to them. But that is tomorrow's problem.
I really don't need this kind of aggravation!
My new laptop has only a power plug and 2 USB-C ports. Can't even plug in a wireless mouse directly
