Caught Being Good #2

I was so impressed with the service that I just received that I thought I'd give these people a Caught Being Good award!

Today's recipient is another surprise:

CPFL, the electric company in the state of São Paulo. 

Because we're moving this weekend, I have to change my address at a few places, including the electric company. Yesterday I tried to change my address at the bank, but as we all know, Brazilian banks love to make things harder than they have to be. I couldn't change my address over the phone or online. No no. That would make too much sense. So I went into a branch while I was out running errands, and asked to change my address. No no. I can only go to the branch where I opened the account, and I have to talk to a manager there. And then, they might have to change my account number, because my account number is connected to the branch where I opened the account. So I'd have to email all of my translation clients and tell them the new number. And, this should go without saying, the bank is only open from 11am - 4pm, and I doubt the manager is there the whole time. Wish me luck!

So after that episode yesterday, I was dreading calling the electric company. I mean, it's customer service bureaucracy with the added challenge of the telephone.  I fiddled around online a bit to make sure that we use the same electric company in the new city, which we do. Then I took a deep breath and called the 800 number.

I successfully understood enough of the automated options to make a choice ("if your power's been turned off, press 1" kinda deal). First hurdle, passed! (These things are easier to survive if you imagine you're in a video game.)

Then I had to wait on hold for a bit.  Not too bad.

Then the guy came on the line, and he was totally helpful and patient with my not understanding of things. He told me everything I had to do, and even set up my name at the new address! He told me the dates of the last bill on file there and asked if that bill was ours, too, like if we'd been living there at that point.

Then he was telling me where to go here in Hicktown before I leave to verify my ID documents in order to finalize the name change to the new address. I didn't understand because it seemed too good to be true-- that I could do something for the new town here in the current town. So when I said, "I'm sorry, I don't speak Portuguese well, and I don't understand this step," he said "no problem!" and explained it again very slowly until I understood. Then he gave me all the codes I'll need to take with me to this office when I go verify my documents.

Hooray! I slew the dragon!

He was just the nicest guy and he made something that should be easy... easy. So he gets a Caught Being Good award!

I also signed into the CPFL site and sent a message on the "contact us" to compliment him. I'm sure he'd rather have that than a GIF on my blog.