I am sure it was coincidence (and I am not being sarcastic), but a day after posting the original version of this web page Movistar abruptly changed their tune and offered compensation.
(An edited version of the text of the original page is featured lower down.)
Throughout my dealings with Movistar a consistent thread has been the lack of product knowledge shown by the sales staff;
OOO1) One offered me a two items for the price of one package (full price for the more expensive, the lesser thrown in free), a deal - it turned out - not allowed by the company, a fact which might conceivably explain why numerous attempts to print out a receipt were aborted by the - presumably networked - printer (when I complained about the non-working more expensive item I was told I had only bought the lesser; I assume the shop girl made a genuine error at the start, but certainly fiddled to cover that error - the price of the more expensive was paid, and before I left, the shop girl made a point of reminding me how to activate it!);
OOO2) Another denied the existence of the product, until the publicity material was read to her;
OOO3) Two more, having sought technical instruction by phone, handed the products to me telling me they were activated - they were not. Once I was wise to this problem I made a point of activating them on my laptop in the shop, and getting the sales assistant to read the confirmation messages (even this, it turned out wasn't a sufficient guarantee that the product paid for would be delivered!)
With the exception of the after-the-event fiddling cited in 1), above, I do not blame the sales staff - it is blindingly obvious that their lack of product knowledge stems from poor training; the fault lies with Movistar management.
The compensation from Movistar represents about two thirds of the amount taken from me (effectively) fraudulently, but it does not include the amount taken in the fiddle cited in 1), above. Whether the fiddled amount went into the Movistar till or into the girl's pocket the legal principle is the same. The girl is employed by Movistar, and in the forming of a contract she represents Movistar; a contract was agreed between me and Movistar; I honoured my part of the contract, i.e. I paid the agreed price, Movistar did not honour its part of the contract, i.e. it did not supply the products paid for.
The limited compensation does nothing to restore the time wasted chasing up these problems, nor does it address the considerable inconvenience of discovering at crucial moments that a paid for product is not working (again), nor does it diminish the justified umbrage generated by suffering contact with their knee-jerk Culture of Denial. Hence this page will remain.
The text of the original page (with minor alterations) is below.
'I say, I say, I say; what's the difference between Movistar and a pickpocket?'
2nd Man;
'I don't know. What is the difference between Movistar and a pickpocket?'
1st Man;
'Sorry pal, I can't help you with that one - there's no difference as far as I can see.'
That's not entirely true - the average pickpocket steals your money and leaves it at that, Movistar steal your money while telling you you're the one to blame for the theft.
I calculate that in the last 12 months Movistar have defrauded me of over 100 Euros by failing to supply services paid for.
In addition the inconvenience incurred by the repeated unjustified termination of paid for services is considerable. And the dishonest and insulting responses from Movistar are intolerable.
Complaints made to the Movistar helpline are invariably met with a profound CULTURE OF DENIAL - in each and every case where Movistar have failed to supply the paid for services they are not at fault. By some bizarre twist of logic it is always the customer who is at fault.
I brought the latest of a succession of Movistar 'foul-ups' to the attention of the shop manager who had sold the product to me. She spent a considerable amount of time on the phone trying to sort out the issue with Movistar, during which she offered me the observation that the fault lay with Movistar.
Eventually a Movistar apparatchik gave me a complaint number telling me they would investigate the matter and let me know within 48 hours (48 HOURS!), and no, it wasn't possible to restore the service which had been paid for before the investigation.
After 48 hours Movistar had not contacted me. I phoned their helpline, where all operators were busy - of course they're busy; what else would you expect with a company as awful as Movistar - It would be paranoid of me to assume that I am their only victim.
As if being 3rd rate and dishonest were not bad enough Movistar have what must be one of the most annoyingly infantile pieces of holding music; 'I just wanna be ok, be ok, be ok' on and on and on - oh, oh, oh, if only Movistar were even only half ok, half ok, half ok what an improvement that would be, that would be, that would be!
I wonder whether the choice of this irritating music is a) the result of thoughtless incompetence, or b) the result of calculated choice ('This'll make the so-and-so's put their phones down'). After this inane pap had inflicted more than enough punishment on me I put the phone down.
However after a further 48 hours I tried again. This time I was connected before Miss 'Be ok, be ok, be ok' could fully addle my brain. I got as far as saying 'I want to check up on complaint number...' when the helpline operator terminated the connection. Disconnection was a new one on me, just when I was getting used to dishonesty, denial and discourtesy.
A day later, back in the shop the manager phoned the helpline for me before passing the phone to me. Once again I got as far as saying 'I want to check up on complaint number...' when the helpline operator terminated the connection.
At the time of writing, some 120 hours after Movistar's promise to contact me within 48 hours, I've had enough of this company's casual fraudulence - hence this web page, which will remain here until Movistar get their house in order.
Since the death of Franco and the end of Fascism Spain has made great strides towards integrating fully with modern Europe, Movistar's mode of operation suggests that an arrogant rump of an outdated mentality still persists. Those responsible for Movistar's CULTURE OF DENIAL need to be made to understand that insouciant dishonesty and an overbearing manner are the hallmarks of ingrained corruption in third world banana republics NOT the standards of probity and customer service expected and considered the norm in Western Europe.
For anyone taking legal action against Movistar in relation to their fraudulent conduct vis-a-vis their customers, the relatively poor quality product, the excessively high prices, or just their thumpingly insulting culture of denial please feel free to quote from this page.