Another problem with PCCW.

So I'm leaving Hong Kong.

I've been teaching since I got here and I've been doing other things. Since last September I've been working with a community-based company in Sai Kung doing design and web development work and providing input to projects like the eNewsletter (collectively termed "Operations"), and that's been a rather effective use of my skills and time, but hasn't been sufficient enough for me to stay in Hong Kong.

I know I haven't blogging as much lately. Seems blogging kind of took the 'net by storm, and I saw many people get into it as well, but after doing a quick a check of the bloggers around me, only a few remain. Namely all those who have been blogging long before they were called blogs, but instead "journals". I think that's a more apt term to name it.

I no longer like blogging and no longer find blogs interesting. My use for my blog here was to easily communicate to friends and family without having to send out a mass email. And for those who don't know me to know me a bit better without needing the formal introductions or the get-to-know-you period of time. But I came up to a problem - what if I want to blog about friends or family? Well I think these should be things I would tell them otherwise. Should I be worried about a boss, former boss, colleague reading what I have to write? I'm not responsible for what they have to think, but I do have to work with these people. So I'll make my blog private - but then what's the use? Blogs are troublesome.

Anyway, after almost 2 years to the day, I'm leaving Hong Kong. It's been a year longer than I anticipated at first, but also a year earlier than I had changed. A good time.

During the past month I have become restless with Hong Kong and its inanities. No longer having to lower my sensitivity meter, I have become more aware of some ridiculous things in Hong Kong and have become nearly fed up. I have also become sympathetic for the Hong Kong people and the stuff they have to deal with in a ridiculous system.

I maintain that Hong Kong just misses the point on things. There is this gap that constantly exists between planning and execution, between idea and action, between - well, you get the idea.

I've been cancelling my credit cards, and had to inform my Internet Service provider, PCCW that I was changing credit cards. I filled out the on-line form informing them I was changing my billing information. Sure enough, as before, the change did not take effect. Just like before I received a text message on my cellphone informing me my service would be cut off if I don't go pay at a 7-11 ASAP. I've had this same problem before a few months ago, which I wrote about here.

So I called them.
"Please enter the 6-digits on your ID number."
Entered.
"Press 1 for billing.".
I press 1.
"Due to long waiting time, please call outside of our peak hours from 2 to 4."
(Swearing)

I call at 4:30. Same stupid message to call outside of hours 2 to 4.
I call at 5. Same stupid message to call outside hours 2 to 4.

I called and pressed a sequence of numbers to reach someone. Their line hangs up.
I called and pressed another sequence of numbers to reach someone. "Please hold for next available representative."

I put my phone on loudspeaker and place in my shirt pocket as I loiter around my local 7-11 looking for a bat to hit something with or an ice cream cone to squelch my anger. People here the familiar PCCW waiting music broadcasting from my shirt as I walk around. I am starting to whistle along.

"Ice cream please." I request at the 7-11 counter when the waiting music broadcasting from my shirt is interrupted to "Hello?". The man behind the counter looks at my chest as he holds the ice-cream out to me. "Hello." I say as I pay looking for another hand to help juggle the ice-cream, my wallet and the mysterious voice from my chest. "Hold on!" I say to my chest, anger is rising.

I am out of the 7-11 when I start on my tirade.
"What time is it?" I ask.
"Sorry?"
"What time is it?"
"5:10 sir."
"It's no longer 4pm. Why is your billing line asking me to call after 4pm if it is still not answering the phone?"
"I don't know sir. Do you need technical support?
"No. But you do. Your phone line is screwed up."
"Sorry?"
"Try calling yourself, you'll see." I realize I'm not making any sense to this guy.
"I'm sorry sir, I don't understand."

And he's not going to understand. He is on the other side of the idea planning and execution gap, the idea and action gap. He and the rest of PCCW cannot understand.

Organisations, companies, and government departments that are born-and-bred in Hong Kong cannot see themselves the way their clients or organisations see themselves. As the providers of goods and services, they can't see things as receivers of goods and services. Hence the value of overseas-born or raised talent that are the gem for organisations, that can offer value to an organisation to see things differently and communicate effective planning for execution, effective ideas for action. The Hong Kong system does not breed creativity or out-of-the-box thinking.

The man on the phone forwarded me to billing, assuring me I wouldn't have to wait on hold or be hung up on by their service.

"Hello."
"Hello. I received a text message that my service will be cut-off if I don't pay ASAP to a 7-11."
"Let me check. Sir, I see you have updated your billing information and we have charged to that credit card. No problem."
"Then why did you send me a text message that -"
"Must be a mistake sir. No problem!"
"You're going to screw this up and cut off my service, aren't you?"
"No sir. I don't know why you got that message."
"Well I'm sure I'll be talking to someone there next month. Oh yeah, about your phone line, what time is it?"

Up next: my problems with MPF (pension fund), netvigator password, bank phishing scandal and a restaurant menu display.