Service Stop.
As the name implies, University Calgary's new and improved method of taking payments, their "Service Stop," does exactly what it says. It stops service.
For the past five years, paying my tuition has been a simple task of filling out my receipt, and putting that receipt into an envelope with a cheque. Afterwards, that envelope is delivered by me, safely into a drop box.
Under normal conditions, this process takes about 3 minutes.
This year, they've removed all of that. And in it's place is a highly sophisticated system of pissing people off with it's promise of greater efficiency.
So I walk up the stairs and Whoa! Everything's gone. Where's the envelopes? Where's the receipts? Where's that familiar poster saying what to write and where? In it's place, a sign hollers a gruesome tale:For Registration, Proof of Enrollement, something, something else, and Fees, follow the red circles. The red circles were sprawled on the floor, systematically leading me around a corner. No doubt a pathetic but accurate attempt of metaphorically displaying the results of what this wonderful institution can do to young optimistic students; Cause them to tear the flesh off their own skin and drag their organs across the floor in acts of hopeless frustration.
Not knowing what to expect, I follow this trail of disease and torment. As I round the corner, a hauntingly familiar melody of my childhood trickles down my spine. Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!
Why the fudge are they playing Ghostbus- and to my horror, I discover a mass of students sitting on tables, chairs, and the floor, watching in the most uninterested fashion at a Television set, playing a poorly tracked Ghostbusters from an obsolete VHS machine.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, I had to take a number and wait for the next available agent to take my cheque. This might not have been so bad, except for the fact that they merged all the agents together. I was waiting among students, who were in line to register their freaking courses. (Which by the way, takes a lifetime). To make matters worse, none of the agents knew what number was next, and so you would see one or two of them, sitting patiently waiting to help the next poor soul who's probably already swallowed their tongue.
Why the Funk would they do this?! What the Hell were they thinking?!
So, two hours and thirteen minutes later, my number was called. "How can I help you?" the lady asks.
"Oh I'm just here to pay my tuition."
"By cheque?"
"By cheque."
"Great, why don't you take a seat. Here's a pen for you," she offers.
I didn't need the pen; My cheque was already filled out. I take the seat anyway and pass the order to her.
"Oh, great." She fills out a receipt and hands it to me, smiling expectantly.
So far, this transaction's taken no more than 40 seconds. I return the smile, "Is that all?" I ask.
"That's all."
I could have smashed her head into the wall, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Surely she couldn't have been the one behind this stupid design. Still I couldn't resist,
"You know," I said, indicating to her copy of the receipt, "I could've done that."
For the past five years, paying my tuition has been a simple task of filling out my receipt, and putting that receipt into an envelope with a cheque. Afterwards, that envelope is delivered by me, safely into a drop box.
Under normal conditions, this process takes about 3 minutes.
This year, they've removed all of that. And in it's place is a highly sophisticated system of pissing people off with it's promise of greater efficiency.
So I walk up the stairs and Whoa! Everything's gone. Where's the envelopes? Where's the receipts? Where's that familiar poster saying what to write and where? In it's place, a sign hollers a gruesome tale:For Registration, Proof of Enrollement, something, something else, and Fees, follow the red circles. The red circles were sprawled on the floor, systematically leading me around a corner. No doubt a pathetic but accurate attempt of metaphorically displaying the results of what this wonderful institution can do to young optimistic students; Cause them to tear the flesh off their own skin and drag their organs across the floor in acts of hopeless frustration.
Not knowing what to expect, I follow this trail of disease and torment. As I round the corner, a hauntingly familiar melody of my childhood trickles down my spine. Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!
Why the fudge are they playing Ghostbus- and to my horror, I discover a mass of students sitting on tables, chairs, and the floor, watching in the most uninterested fashion at a Television set, playing a poorly tracked Ghostbusters from an obsolete VHS machine.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, I had to take a number and wait for the next available agent to take my cheque. This might not have been so bad, except for the fact that they merged all the agents together. I was waiting among students, who were in line to register their freaking courses. (Which by the way, takes a lifetime). To make matters worse, none of the agents knew what number was next, and so you would see one or two of them, sitting patiently waiting to help the next poor soul who's probably already swallowed their tongue.
Why the Funk would they do this?! What the Hell were they thinking?!
So, two hours and thirteen minutes later, my number was called. "How can I help you?" the lady asks.
"Oh I'm just here to pay my tuition."
"By cheque?"
"By cheque."
"Great, why don't you take a seat. Here's a pen for you," she offers.
I didn't need the pen; My cheque was already filled out. I take the seat anyway and pass the order to her.
"Oh, great." She fills out a receipt and hands it to me, smiling expectantly.
So far, this transaction's taken no more than 40 seconds. I return the smile, "Is that all?" I ask.
"That's all."
I could have smashed her head into the wall, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Surely she couldn't have been the one behind this stupid design. Still I couldn't resist,
"You know," I said, indicating to her copy of the receipt, "I could've done that."
posted by Jonny at 5:11 p.m.
3 Comments:
Thats rediculous. The old drop box system was acceptable and efficent for students; if i return to find such a thing has taken place, i might possibly flip out and stab someone.
Or, just get in line...
If I were a teacher... I would say that that post was well written... there was great reflection, assessment of the situation, and many questions that don't have answers being asked :)
Good luck on your last year!
i was gonna say how bad UC was for not having an online system but karen cleared that up for me.
At ubc they have 99.9% of their ~50,000 students pay online.
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