mikes web log

A significant problem has appeared.

The project is linked to the e-learning foundation. This link is the foundation for sustainability. We are asking the families who receive the computers to donate £10 per month to the foundation. This is then returned to the project minus expenses. It is anticipated that this will provide for future support for the project. 

At the start of the project our main concern was installation. We thought the money bit would sort itself out so it was at the bottom of our list. There was no proper link between installation and donations. The first problem that appeared were families having donations taken from bank accounts when their computer had not been installed. This was quickly resolved by cancelling direct debit orders and returning monies. However a more dramatic problem is evolving – we are having to tackle those parents who want to pay and cannot because they have not been given a direct debit or have not been asked to pay. This are now talking to those who have been asked to pay and have paid – as you would expect in the communities we serve. Then there are fears that those who have not paid  will suddenly be asked for not one but three months of payment.

I am relieved that we have now appointed somebody to tackle these problems over the next ten weeks. The message is – this is an area that will not sort itself out. It is a complex area involving mutiple interations, school – family, family – e-learning foundation, project  – family and so on. The dangers are potentially significant.

One of the most noticeable characteristics of my software build visits is the number of mothers I meet who are looking after very young children. This is coupled with the number of people who answer my phone calls who are unconfident in speaking English. The two observations are not necessarily related. They are however both interesting and require further investigation.

Is this part of the European statistics that give Birmingham  the youngest age profile in Europe?

There are many mothers who want to find out what is happening. They look at you  installing the software for the full 25  minutes and you know that they are fascinated by what is going on.

I am excited by the potential of what we are doing. Parents are exciited by the interaction of their families with ICT. In a few it is unconditional. In most it is conditional on the safety that we offer and I am pleased that we can cope with this.

Lets admit it they did achieve it. At last evidence of a refund. No apology. Maybe that is part of being a Michelin star restaurant!

I arrive home and receive a letter from the restaurant which included a copy of the original bill and a copy of the £13.50 refund. No more. Never mind. Now ended. Wife is now thinking about going to a ‘Simply Simpsons’ somewhere else in the West Midlands. No problem, all I can think about is the food.

This is interesting.  It is now three days since I made my complaint to the superb Simpson’s restaurant. They have now apparently overcharged me by £13.00. However let us be magnanimous about this. It could be my fault, I could have misheard the credit controller at HSBC.  There is the possibility that the head waiter at Simpsons misinterpreted what I said …. maybe he thought that I had been undercharged. Maybe the receptionist at Simpson’s never passed my Saturday morning message onwards – I did ask for my returned receipt.  Maybe they had refunded me, and HSBC had made the mistake. Shall I phone again. The alternative is awaiting my HSBC credit  card report on the 12th. Yes let us go for that and see how it unfolds. It maybe it is me that makes the apology.

Here is a nice state of affairs. It was my wife’s 50th on Thursday – lots of presents and nice phone calls and then a special dinner on Friday. Where – Simpson’s of course – one of the only Michelin Star restaurants in Birmingham. Booked it in November just to make sure. Great meal. There was seven of us. You are welcomed with a glass of champagne and then before even the first course you get two of chef specials. You could see that some of our guests could not believe what they were tasting. The food was absolutely excellent. No pressure to finish, great waiters and if you were bored  you could viewthe kitchens and its organised chaos.

Then coffee. A great coffee – it would taste even better with a Cointreau so I order one. The rest of the evening is great some excellent petit fours arrive, which we greatly enjoyed. No Cointreau. The bill arrives and I notice, just before the taxi arrives, that I have been charged and paid for the Cointreau (£6.50). I comment on this and the head waiter indicates that it will be refunded to my credit card account.

The following day I had one of those calls from the credit card company. These are the ones that they do to check on unusual expenditure. I am in full support of them. “We noticed a £550 bill at Simpson’s last night” “Absolutely correct” was my reply “And wasn’t there a £6.50 refund” “No there was a further £6.50 charge” was the reply.

A phone call to Simpson’s resulted in a muttered apology and that they would look into it. Wow. Since then (48hrs) nothing. Lets see if the apology comes a little later.