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Beyond the Lone Islands

http://dawntreader-island2.blogspot.com

Tuesday 12 May 2009

Phoning the Authorities





Welcome to the Tax Agency! Right now there are many people calling us. You will be put in a queue. 92 operators are working as fast as they can to answer your call. - You are number 104 in the queue. – tick tock – If you wish to order a brochure or a form, press 2 for our automatic service, or visit our website – tick tock – There is still a queue. You are number 99 in the queue. – tick tock – There is still a queue. You are number 87 in the queue. – tick tock – repeated messages, tick tock, etc etc – There is still a queue. You are number 4 in the queue. – You will now be connected to an operator. – Tax Agency, good m... – beep, beep, beep, beep… (=disconnected)

Starting over, going through the whole process again, finally getting through…

- Hello, I called two weeks ago and asked you to send a new income tax return form to my father, because he either never got one in the first place, or it has been mislaid. He has been ill for a while, you see, and has difficulties remembering and sorting things like this out for himself now. When I called you two weeks ago, we got a respite until the 15th , but since he has still not received the form, we have not been able to do anything about it.
- That sounds strange. Let me check. --- long silence --- Well, I'm sending another form today to his address. (No explanation what had happened to our previous request.)
- Can we get a prolonged respite? You see, I can't get there again before the 15th.
- Sorry, we cannot do that over the phone. But I can enclose a respite application form together with the tax form.
- But he won't know how to fill in that form either, or be able to get it sent off.
- Well, you will just have to write a comment in the comment box on the income tax return form then and explain the situation.

Now I'm sitting here wondering what exactly to write in the comment box, if I ever do get my hands on that form?

Due to circumstances beyond our control…
Due to your empty promises…
Due to your incompetent staff…
Due to your stupid rules…
Due to my father's medical history and whole row of different diagnoses…
Due to the story of my own life and present personal health and circumstances…

???

2 comments:

rae said...

Taxes are terrible! I'm so sorry. This sounds like most of the conversations you have with live Customer Service Agents these days. I would almost rather deal with an automated service!

Anonymous said...

I hate the IRS. They keep saying how they are suppose to be changing and be more people friendly...yeah right. I rather kiss the underbelly of a rattlesnake than deal with them :) Aloha

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