Just where are we going?
May 20th, 2008 Paul
So, tonight I called, sorry, tried to call the Iron Ore Company and Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway. I would link to them but they do not seem to have a web site. So little technology this will be easy I hear you say…..how wrong you can be!
Anyway, I called the number supplied, 1 709 944 8400 and was confronted by a Canadian voice message. My options were to press one to use the voice recognition system, press two to enter the extension of the person you want to speak to or…….you get the drift. This is perfect if you want a job or anything related to the Iron Ore Company.
I listened for a while and thought, yes naively, the train will get a mention soon. Just information of booking would be fine. Nothing but silence. I now start thinking “Great, the operator will come on and help” but no the voice recognition system comes on. Again I listen and get told to say the name of the person I wish to talk to but still cannot make the connection to trains. At the end I get told I can say “Department List” so I give this a go. First option went past in a Canadian blur and into the list of iron ore related things, like tool shop or furnace. but nothing.
I give up and ask Sarah to listen, maybe it is a language thing and the words Train or Information are different in Canada. So, Sarah listens says nothing also and gets put to someone’s voice mail!?!?! A quick conference later and we are at the conclusion I need to call the outfitter for the non-comedy number. Before I do this though I think about the Canadian blur and think, “maybe that was an abbreviation for Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway. I give it another go and sure enough the first department is QNSnL. Several attempts at saying that later, yes I even tried a very bad Canadian accent, it gives up on me and decides to put me through to the reception. Finally, a human. Sorry, no, another recording. This one sympathizes with my difficulty and tells me to try again, Click….
One more try before Sarah has to speak to the machine…. Success, I get put through to the station 
Happy days. “Hello blah mumble” says the voice. “Hello,” replies I, what did he say? Am I through to the furnace room I wonder. “I’m after some information about the train from Sept Isles to Schefferville.” “No problem, I will give you the number.”
So, the number to enquire about trains is 1 418 962 5530. I know what you are thinking now….418, that isn’t 709 so just where is it? French speaking Quebec is where.
Stay tuned for part 2 where I am faced with non-native English speakers…..
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