Dutch Frickin' Bureaucracy

I'm getting sick n' tired of the Dutch way of doing things. Or should I say, their way of finding the most ways of not doing anything!!! These days, I tell myself its' not worth getting upset, just expect it to take forever with every simple process, because if I have any higher expectations I will just be fooling myself. But still, i cant help but feel infuriated by all this piling up!!!
What exactly am I talking about?

1) MY 2004 TAXES. Steps included: Filing for them in person prior to April 2005, and being told that I'd get it in July 2005. Follow up call in mid-July. Response: Keep waiting. Follow up call in August. Response: You filled out wrong form. Fill in another form. I ask to get help filling it in to avoid more problems. Response: We don't help with that sort of form. Fill it in and send it to us. Follow up call in end of August. Response: Don't have your form. Visit tax office to get someone to fill in the right form, in the RIGHT way. He says that I'll get my taxes in a few weeks. Follow up call in September. Response: We have your form, but it could take up to a year to process. Keep waiting. I tell them my friends have gone thru the exact same form and got their taxes already. Response: Keep waiting, I cannot help you. ARRGH!!!!

2) Work-related logistics: Activating email - wait time: 7 hours + 3 reminder calls to the IT Helpdesk. Getting access to X-drive: at least 3 emails to the IT administrators, still no access. Gaining access to intranet content management: Wait time of 2 weeks, then realised they didnt give me enough access, so still waiting. Security entrance pass: 3 weeks to activate, then after 1 day of working, it does not work again thanks to 'system error'. Without the pass, one needs to be stopped at every exit and fill in redundant forms. It works now but I'm not holding my breath.

3) Mobile phone contract. They say its simple: just bring your bank statement, passport, and bank card. I dont have any bank statements kept so I bring my salary slip, since it has all the info there, such as my pay, my account number, etc. Everything's fine, they even said it's fine to use a salary slip, but then, upon filling out the paperwork, they change their mind and say 'nope, we need a BANK STATEMENT, not a SALARY SLIP.' They are very inflexible and wont budge. Wont open phone contract in the meantime for me. Must have all things together before going forward. SO DUTCH.

4) HR: Providing me with contract- 1 month late. Has no clue about the residence/work permit process, outsources to another company. When asked about the process, they simply say "i dont know, someone else does it." I ask: Can you please find out then where the process is? Their response: There's no point in asking, just wait. I ask "Can you please give me a contact of someone there at least so I can ask myself?" The response: "No, that is not possible."

5) Internet company: I want to cancel my contract so I call the helpline at least 3x. The line costs money so of course each time I wait more than 10 mins and get directed through countless voice trees (in DUTCH, on top of that). Man 1 says: Oh, youve reached tech support. I dont deal with personal account problems. He transfers me (read: puts me in an endless tunnel of black with grossly annoying long beeps as ring tones, I never get picked up and so I have to hang up after 7 or so minutes) Finally when I reach someone who supposedly knows the topic, he says "you have to write a letter to cancel the contract, hold onto ur modem til then and then u can return it to the store" So I do that.

Later I'm informed I can cancel earlier and go to the store w/ my modem and return it. I go. Lady at desk says: "We dont take modems back here. You can cancel by writing a letter. Or over the phone." I say, "I have written a letter already." She says, "okay then just wait. But I cannot take ur modem. Best you phone to cancel ur contract." I know there's no way to force her to take my huge frickin modem that I really did not want to lugg around, so I accept defeat. Then I saw a phone which had the customer service number written on it in permanent marker. Looking at her, I say "Can I use this phone to call and cancel?" She hesitates... thinks for a bit... and then says, ... "I guess so." (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) So I got to cancel over the phone just like that!!!! Stupid person on the phone, told me to write a letter.. but I still had to carry my modem around.

These stories are 100% TRUE. Can you imagine encountering "customer service" like this on a daily basis!?!?!?!?

WELCOME TO THE NETHERLANDS!!!! :P