EXCLUSIVE: Telstra in major backdown on overseas call centre in Manila

Following hundreds of complaints across Australia from individuals and major corporations, Telstra has scrapped its offshore paging call centre in downtown Manila in the Philippines.

Since January - except for a few exclusive Australian corporate clients who complained bitterly - all Telstra Memo calls were unanswered by poorly trained Filipino staff whose skills in Tagalog far exceeded their English language ability.

Telstra customers have complained non-stopped of messages with wrong numbers, wrong names, mis-spelt and confusing word combinations being received.
The past 6 months has been utter pandemonium for Telstra customers.

The offshore experiment - which saved a few dollars for Telstra and enabled them to pay their former CEO Sol Trujillo a King's Ransom each year - has been officially scrapped.

Telstra is reverting to an Ausralian-based 24/7 operation from early August.
Consumer Watch spokesman said Telstra's decision in January to scrap its Australian Memo paging serving operation was the strangest decision ever made by the telecommunications giant.

"Sanity has prevailed in Telstra only after they realised the magnitude of their stupidity," Paul Tully said.


PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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No Free Flow tolling on most booths on the Logan Motorway!

Free flow tolling commenced on 1 July on the Gateway and Logan Motorways.

But at the first toll plaza on the Logan Motorway, only one of the four booths is a free flow, drive-straight-through arrangement.

This means that drivers who have done the right thing and pre-purchased a transponder have to join a lengthy single-file queue, while the motoring recalcitrants have the easy choice of THREE lanes.

Something doesn't make sense with this arrangement.

Sure, there needs to be some temporary measure for the drivers who still have to buy a transponder but the number of available lanes should be reversed so that the people who have done the right thing, get a smooth and easy ride through at least three of the lanes at the toll plaza.

Why should drivers without transponders have the choice of three lanes while the ones with transponders get the rough end of the Motorway pineapple.

Bloody hopeless!

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au


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KFC at Grand Plaza need a rocket - Is it the most-unsanitary KFC in Australia?

Imagine this.

The console operator at your local KFC who puts the meals together, picking up all sorts of packets and utensils and cups and lids, suddenly wipes away a piece of slimy mucous from her nose with her right index finger and then asks the next customer for their order.

The customer politely points out that she should wash her hands before proceeding to serve customers.

The operator give the customer a dirty look as she proceeds to wash her hands.

The customer asks if her training included the legal requirement that staff involved in handling food must wash their hands every time they touch their hair, nose or mouth with their fingers.

The operator replies that there was no such training involving health and sanitation issues.

Well, don't imagine anymore.
It actually happened this evening to a customer at Grand Plaza at Browns Plains!

Errors and mistakes can sometimes happen, but basic health issues must be a number one priority in all fast food outlets.

The fact that the KFC at Browns Plains is failing to give even basic training to the staff on key health issues should be of serious concern to the company, the public and the Logan City Council.


PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Great Caesar's Ghost: Paranormal or Paranoia - the Ghost of Rosewood is good for business

PIC: David Pahlke - Local councillor, publican and ghost buster!

When it comes to publicity, the publican of the Rosewood Hotel west of Ipswich, David Pahlke - who masquerades as the local councillor - has risen to the top of his profession.

In a grand stunt, he has called professional ghost busters into the pub who - surprise, surprise - came up with nothing but a few cold draughts blowing through the creaky windows and the usual dose of rising damp!

Things must be tough for Big Dave - who was the former postmaster at Rosewood before entering politics as a Moreton Shire Councillor - when he has to hire ghost busters from Brisbane to encourage a few more souls into the public bar.

David Pahlke is now a full-time Ipswich City Councillor on over a 100 grand a year while running the pub as a full-time job as well.

Locals are beginning to ask what is his main service to the people of Rosewood - being the local councillor, operating the local booze business or being the town's official ghost hunter?

They remember Dave's last failed attempt at local recognition when he named a park after himself and shot to prominence on national television with his ego stretching from Marburg to Grandchester.

He quickly had Pahlke Park renamed to avoid any further bad publicity on A Current Affair.

His greatest effort, however, was the Ipswich City Council Budget a couple of years ago when he turned up in a bright yellow suit with a Mafia-style violin case with you-know-what inside!

Mayor Paul Pisasale ordered him from the Council Chambers before the meeting. Since then, Pahlke has been known as The West Moreton Enforcer.

What sort of brain implosion occurred that day in Rosewood?

Imagine trying to sell a difficult budget to the people of Ipswich, with one of the Councillors dressed like the Mafia ready to extort money from the people.

Paranormal or paranoia - you be the judge of Rosewood's own Municipal Publican Spook.

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Tony Abbott MP supports smoking in cars with children

Whatever you think of his politics, Tony Abbott MP, former Federal Health Minister has shown his true uncaring attitude with his opposition to laws prohibiting smoking in cars with young children inside.

US studies show that just 2 cigarettes smoked in a closed vehicle will cause toxin levels to exceed 70 times the normal safe level.

Pity the poor kids - including babies - forced to inhale these dangerous fumes from their uncaring parents puffing away to their hearts' content.

Tony Abbott should be ashamed of himself for his stance on this issue which is utterly disgraceful and which embarrassingly contributes to an unhealthy Australia.

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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Woolworths and Caltex ripping off Ipswich customers again!

Mr Ken Markwell from the Ipswich suburb of Leichhardt has rung to say that on Sunday 28 June 2009, petrol at the Woolworths Caltex at Brassall in Ipswich was $1.21/litre.

5 hours later at the Caltex Woolworths servo in Warwick, it was $1.08/litre and has been for the past 5 weeks.

Typical price gouging which will get worse from today!

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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KFC - Six of one, half a dozen of the other!

PIC: KFC upsetting another customer.

The following letter appears in today's Queensland Times in Ipswich:

"WHY can I not get six drumsticks when I order them from KFC? Is there an unwritten law I don't know about?
ANON"

Yes, KFC. Why?

PAUL TULLY: paul@tully.org.au

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