Last Saturday I dropped my phone and smashed the screen. So careless of me but as the phone was 6 years old I was pretty philosophical about it as a trigger to get the latest all singing and dancing iPhone Apple had to offer.
By mid-Monday after about 4 calls with my network provider, each demanding my inside leg measurement amongst other assorted details before they would talk to me, I was losing the will to live and wishing I had not dropped the blasted thing before I finally ordered what I was assured was an ‘in stock’ replacement.
A delivery of instruments arrives from Italy
That job done, we just awaited the arrival of our delivery of instruments from Italy, some 15 on this vehicle with another 23 due in three weeks later to fill us up before the logistical nightmare of a post Brexit import process comes into place.
All was going well until it became apparent that 10 of the instruments had been incorrectly paired up with straight flat pedal boards. The language was blue, how could the day possibly have got worse.
All the plans of what goes where out of the window as we worked out a scheme to match the imminent scheduled customer deliveries of many of these instruments with the correct pedal boards, now having to be ‘stolen’ from other stock instruments buried deep in the warehouse.
An online auction gets me into trouble
Tuesday was business wise less stressed but on a personal note my online auction finger got carried away bidding for an old 4 by 4 I needed for jobs on the farm. Wanting an old Land Rover and losing patience I bought a Jeep from the massive auction houses that peddle insurance write offs.
I rather fear when it turns up it will not have the 4 wheel drive option I need and is probably not even a runner under its own steam. Memo to self, do not try to bid while not concentrating on the task on screen.
No phones in stock
But the phone stress was back. My provider emailed to say no phone in stock and would get back to me in a few days so more time now sharing other intimate personal details to allow the provider to talk to me again to order a different phone.
No need they say, your phone will be with you on Friday and anyway you must wait 48 hours after cancelling any order before we can take a new order, so that’s the best we can do. Fine I can cope with Friday.
Wednesday relatively quiet. Too quiet actually. If I had a mobile I would ring the office just to check the phone lines were still working.
And then we get Thursday. New email from phone supplier to say it will 3 days before they can tell me when a phone will be available.
But its being delivered tomorrow I say to myself?
Ring them up again well prepared now for any question on ancestry or physical distinguishing marks they may care to try to trip me up with before conducting a relevant conversation. Yes sir we have no stock and it is 4 to 6 weeks before we expect any new stock.
OK so I will place a new order please for what is in stock? Sorry you must first cancel this order which takes 2 days and then we can process a new order.
Do you wish to cancel the order? I showed great restraint with my answer, my friends and family would have been proud so on Monday we start the process all over again.
A nice sight at the end of the week
Friday has its issues but I won’t bore you with the detail. So it was nice to leave the building this evening greeted by the sight in the picture below.
Twelve organs all prepared for delivery to what I am sure will be happy customers next week. OK so you can only actually see ten but trust me there are two on the floor out of sight.
That makes up for a great deal of stress earlier in the week but I rather think the battle of the new phone has a few more instalments to run.
And by the way 10 correct pedal boards are already en route from Italy to be married up to the other organs in the building.
I have had a passion for church organs since the tender age of 12. I own and run Viscount Organs with a close attention to the detail that musicians appreciate; and a clear understanding of the benefits of digital technology and keeping to the traditional and emotional elements of organ playing.
