October 27th, 2003

Today my rant is directed at BC Hydro. Not because of their heart, which I suspect is in the right place, but because of their poorly-thought-out execution of what seems like a great idea.

For those who don't live in British Columbia, Canada, here is the situation in a nutshell. BC Hydro wants all of us to use these new fluorescent light-bulbs to replace incandescent light-bulbs. They last longer ("up to eight times!") and they consume less energy ("up to 75% less!") and I have no reason to believe that they are stretching the truth very far with that. So they sent out coupons to pick up two free light-bulbs to all homeowners, and since I own a small condo, I received a coupon as well. So far so good, right? Just whip up to the hardware store and trade them in on my light-bulbs, right?

Well, no, actually. I could only go to a certain Canadian Tire outlet (not my favourite place on a good day) and only on a certain date--which was yesterday. I get there to find dozens of single-occupant SUVs and mini-vans circling the parking lot (where's the energy savings there?) and finally parked my little car about a block away, since I detest circling parking lots in my car (and I got inside faster, too). I met a huge line-up inside and these impossibly young girls (they looked 16, though I expect they had to have been at least 18) trying their best to direct the "exceed-the-fire-laws" number of people lined up along the back of the store, down the side, and towards the front door.

The girl told me it would take 30 minutes to wait for my free light-bulbs, and I decided that even two $7.00 light-bulbs (that's what each costs) are not worth standing like a sheep in a line up for 1/2 an hour. But as I turned to leave, she said, "Well, it's probably less than that, but I tell people 30 minutes so they won't be disappointed." Apparently, the truth was not an option. In addition, the girls simply did not have the moxy to stop some people from crashing the line and so people would just walk up to the counter, unhindered by the girls and the long line-up, and be out in 2 minutes. I pointed this out to one of them, but she just ignored me.

Another girl, obviously flustered, said to me, "I wish people would stand where they were supposed to!" (meaning me) and so I asked her where I should stand, and she said, "Anywhere over there ... " which cleared absolutely nothing up. I could tell she knew nothing about crowd control and it was not fair that she had to do this job without any knowledge of how to do it.

Well, the line moved pretty quickly, and I was in my car less than 20 minutes later. But on my way out I told the first girl that it had taken me about 15 minutes in lineup, not the stated 30 minutes. She said that she had no way of knowing how long it took, so told everyone 30 minutes thinking it was a worst-case scenario. I said that it had taken 15 minutes from the point where she was standing, and telling me 30 minutes was more irritating than just being told the truth. I also asked if there were some place I could complain, but she looked confused and could not answer me. Apparently, if I won't Just Shut Up, I am expected to have a web site where I can prattle on and be subsequently ignored. (By the way, does anybody ever read these rants? If so, do you think you could send me an email to let me know?)

So there, in long form, is my dreadful experience with BC Hydro's well-meaning but poorly-organised Light-Bulb Giveaway Bonanza. Here is where I think they fell down on the job:

Well, despite my ranting, I'm happy that I have these new light-bulbs (I ended up getting 3) and they operate with no apparent wasteful heat, they are very bright so that I can read in bed at night, they will save me a few bucks on my BC Hydro bill from now on, and they were free. So for that part of it, thank you, BC Hydro. For the rest of it:

Well-meaning does not make up for poorly-thought-out.

Feh ...


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