"incompetent"

Today I tried to logon to my account for my regular monthly order of catheters. Couldn’t logon. Tried all sorts – changing password; changing email; entering pass codes. Eventually bit the bullet against my better judgement and joined a telephone queue.

Turns out they have updated their web ordering portal. Instead of leaving things alone that are working, they invented a way of confusing their long suffering customers with a vastly complicated process of ignoring all existing login information and requiring us to re-register with a new portal. They also decided not to inform anyone that the existing system would not work anymore for repeat orders. Clearly it would have been ridiculous to email all customers to say that the existing system had been replaced – it would have consumed at least 3 seconds of effort.

Eventually, after a lengthy phone call I was able to establish how to create a new account, given that the system told me repeatedly that I didn’t have an account. Problem solved? No.

When I tried to order the same product and units I have been ordering for the last 12 months – the system only allowed me to order 5 not 6 – which I need. The added problem then would be that the surgery repeat prescription system would not match the Fittleworth restricted order system. This would then involve me in a protracted negotiation with the surgery to increase the frequency of orders to one every 3 weeks instead of 4 – which in itself would require untold numerous conversations of why.

Yet another phone call - yet another call queue. A very nice person eventually answered, during which time yet another 2 catheters were used.

I began to explain the problems I was having and the agent said – ‘and it wouldn’t let you order six’. Bingo – he’d has lots of calls regarding the same problem! He explained that the only way to resolve this was by ordering by phone. However the newly created web portal had no record of the collection point optional delivery that had taken me forever to organise so that dpd didn’t just drop the parcel at my front door when I wasn’t in.

Perhaps Fittleworth needs to replace the people in the technology support department with teenagers who at least know what they are doing?

How this company manages to receive funding from the tax payers of this country – and I have been paying tax for over sixty years now, escapes me. And will it ever get any better? I doubt it.

Proviso - Everyone I have spoken to on the telephone has been extremely courteous and helpful and very very patient with a 76 year old non-techy and I can’t praise them enough. As for those in charge and responsible for a lack of planning/ testing/ and understanding – incompetent.