Volkswagen Assistance

Volkswagen Assistance
I have to take my hat off to them. The passenger window on my VW Beetle decided to have a funny five minutes on Friday. I’d been all day in a conference and the weather had been warm and sunny. I had to return a phone call. So, I opened both windows to let some air in whilst I made the call.
A few minutes later – time to go and - help- the passenger window only went so far up.
I phoned VW Assist. They very efficiently took my location and mobile phone number and told me someone would be with me within the hour. Not long after, the patrol man phoned to say he would be there in about thirty of forty minutes – at about half past five. He arrived at 5.35.
In the meantime, though, they started closing the car park. They suggested I move to right by the entrance – then I could look out for the patrolman. I did as they suggested – and couldn’t resist having another go at shutting my passenger side window. With a lot of effort and moaning and groaning, the window did shut. Typical! Now the patrolman would think I was a complete idiot. At least, I thought, I’d better wait and see him. It would be good at last to get an idea of what was wrong with the window.
A few minutes later he arrived. No recriminations. Yes, there was something wrong – he could see that by the marks on the window. It may be a burned out motor or it may be the acoustic panel that has come adrift. Best that he doesn’t try anything with it. Take it to my dealer and don’t open the window in the mean time.
We chatted for a few minutes. He gave me a few indicators as well about the best way to get home and avoid the worst of the rush hour.
Great. Efficient. Helpful. Friendly. Keeping promises.

Mobile Broadband

This is the latest great innovation. It may mean the end of landlines altogether in some areas. It is no more expensive than some of the normal deals – like BT, Virgin or cable TV deals.
Except when it comes to using it abroad. And unlike what happened with the phones, people are not running up bills of a few hundred pounds. They are running up bills of a few thousand pounds. Double figure thousands, almost.
This was featured on Watchdog last night, and my partner knows of someone who was still downloading a movie whilst they travelled abroad.
People cannot pay those amounts of money. What will happen if they don’t?
At least the European Commission has said it will step in if the phone companies themselves don’t do something about it.
I would say that mobile phones are still generally too expensive. Odd that we bother at all now that Skype is so easily available. I think we are not living up to the true potential of the technology. Technology is bringing us closer to being a One World – but not fast enough.