The French part 3 (technology/online)
Discussion
Sometimes they drive me bloody mental with their lack of response to phone calls, emails or anything Internet-based. It's like they just completely ignore you. That includes businesses and individuals, and is particularly annoying when they are trying to sell you something!
I find it 'kin incredible that entrepreneur is a French word!
...and breathe...
I find it 'kin incredible that entrepreneur is a French word!
...and breathe...
I'm still waiting for the devis to do the garden in my practice. He said I'd have it two weeks ago.
Then I wanted to get a glass partition with door installed in the waiting room. I phone the manufacturer who asks me for technical détails, dimensions etc
I send said details and the reply? "Sorry there are no installers available so we can't follow up your request".
Is it 'cause I is English?
Then I wanted to get a glass partition with door installed in the waiting room. I phone the manufacturer who asks me for technical détails, dimensions etc
I send said details and the reply? "Sorry there are no installers available so we can't follow up your request".
Is it 'cause I is English?
Le Pop said:
I find it 'kin incredible that entrepreneur is a French word!
Not according to GW !http://www.snopes.com/quotes/bush.asp
Ok so it's not actually true but it so so should be !
I know what you mean chaps. I had no response to an on line quote request for flooring, a gardener who came round to quote but never did, ground works contractor who agreed to do some work but never turned up, land rover main dealer in Bordeaux who lost the carte Gris and the keys to the discovery, then denied all knowledge when we went to collect the car and refused to do anything to rectify matters. Having lived here for ten years I could bang on and on endlessly as I'm sure we all could. The sad thing now is that because of the way things are I have gone from always trying to use French artisans and businesses, to avoiding them at all costs, shopping online and using a group of good local brit builders. And the French accuse us of sticking with our own and not trying to integrate. Perhaps they should ask themselves why. Here endeth the rant.
Trained as a bricklayer in the late eighties when I was involved with general building work, started work as a roofer before this. Took C&G level II plumbing, (including NVQ for what it's worth), about five years ago as I changed direction and was mainly fitting bathrooms. Also have an unvented cert.
While working in the early eighties, (before self emplyment beckoned), I was mainly roofing due to all the grants that were around back then but also decorating. Unrelated crafts but there you go! That's how it was.
Got involved with kitchen fitting and have all the jigs and tool's required for this as well. Thought about getting sparks qualy's as well but as yet haven't done this.
While working in the early eighties, (before self emplyment beckoned), I was mainly roofing due to all the grants that were around back then but also decorating. Unrelated crafts but there you go! That's how it was.
Got involved with kitchen fitting and have all the jigs and tool's required for this as well. Thought about getting sparks qualy's as well but as yet haven't done this.
Russwhitehouse said:
I know what you mean chaps. I had no response to an on line quote request for flooring, a gardener who came round to quote but never did, ground works contractor who agreed to do some work but never turned up, land rover main dealer in Bordeaux who lost the carte Gris and the keys to the discovery, then denied all knowledge when we went to collect the car and refused to do anything to rectify matters. Having lived here for ten years I could bang on and on endlessly as I'm sure we all could. The sad thing now is that because of the way things are I have gone from always trying to use French artisans and businesses, to avoiding them at all costs, shopping online and using a group of good local brit builders. And the French accuse us of sticking with our own and not trying to integrate. Perhaps they should ask themselves why. Here endeth the rant.
Exactly. I don't want to operate in a 'Brit bubble' but find increasingly that it is the only way to get stuff done. We live here in spite of the indigenous population rather than in harmony with it, which is not how we wanted it to be. Frustrated of Normandy.
When we were converting our barn in 2005 we had a French plumber start to do the work, he connected up to the mains and ran the pipes to the central distribution point and said he would come back after the concrete for the floor had been poured. He didn't come back and we couldn't contact him and he hadn't billed us either. Two years ago he sent his bill and asked when we would like him to complete the plumbing work! Errm... 6 years after starting the job you want to come back and finish it???? Absolutely bonkers and couldn't understand why we had somebody else do the job.
Le Pop said:
Russwhitehouse said:
I know what you mean chaps. I had no response to an on line quote request for flooring, a gardener who came round to quote but never did, ground works contractor who agreed to do some work but never turned up, land rover main dealer in Bordeaux who lost the carte Gris and the keys to the discovery, then denied all knowledge when we went to collect the car and refused to do anything to rectify matters. Having lived here for ten years I could bang on and on endlessly as I'm sure we all could. The sad thing now is that because of the way things are I have gone from always trying to use French artisans and businesses, to avoiding them at all costs, shopping online and using a group of good local brit builders. And the French accuse us of sticking with our own and not trying to integrate. Perhaps they should ask themselves why. Here endeth the rant.
Exactly. I don't want to operate in a 'Brit bubble' but find increasingly that it is the only way to get stuff done. We live here in spite of the indigenous population rather than in harmony with it, which is not how we wanted it to be. Frustrated of Normandy.
It's mad isn't it? I have several French friends who just shake their heads in embarrassed dis belief at some of the goings on with their countrymen. They have also switched on to the fact that head in the sand patriotism can be a costly and time consuming excercise and have also started buying online and getting stuff shipped over from UK and other places, thus saving a small fortune and actually getting things done before old age catches up. What is it? I just don't get it.
When my parents came to France, they thought of getting an English guy to work on the house and convert the barn (the estate agent who sold us the house explained that her husband was a fantastic builder...ahum...). In the end, they did it themselves. The first walls were a bit wonkey, they managed to build the separations in the barn, and notice that they couldn't get out (you can get a bit overwhelmed when you get going) the plumbing leaked here and there, but it worked out great in the end.
But yes, the French do like to take their time, and whatever you do, don't say that you're not in a hurry. Be it for fitting a kitchen, changing a lightbulb, or working on your car.
But yes, the French do like to take their time, and whatever you do, don't say that you're not in a hurry. Be it for fitting a kitchen, changing a lightbulb, or working on your car.
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