Véronique’s car was stuck at the Antwerp charging station for two days: “We feared for our holiday” (Antwerp 2018)
Véronique Lecoque, her husband Eduardo Guerrero and her daughter Clara had prepared everything on Friday to leave for Spain the next morning. The last item on the checklist: going to pick up their hybrid car at the Blue Corner charging station, a few blocks away on the Mechelsesteenweg. “We were already very happy that we had found a charging place”, says Véronique. “That is really not easy in Antwerp.”
But she ran into a problem with her car. “The car was delivered, the light was blue, I swiped my card and suddenly the light turned red. The cable could not be released.”
On the website of owner Blue Corner, there was a help page with advice when the cable gets stuck in the charging station, but that did not provide a solution. In principle, Véronique could choose to disconnect her car and leave the cable behind. “But it costs 300 euros. Moreover, we need him when traveling.”
2.5 hours of music on hold
At the helpdesk, Véronique and her husband did not find a response. “We even called two mobile phones, to the Dutch-speaking and the French-speaking helpdesk at the same time, but we didn’t get anyone on the line. After 2.5 hours of music on hold, we’re done. Although at Blue Corner they promise to be available 24 hours a day.”
Saturday morning Véronique managed to get hold of an employee. “The friendly lady did everything in her power, trying to reset remotely, but concluded that a technician had to come.”
Two hours later, no one had contacted me. Back at the helpdesk, Véronique jokingly asked “if the technician was definitely going to come today”. “I can’t assure you,” was the reply.
Holiday shortened
Another day and several phone calls later, Véronique was informed that she would still be helped during the weekend. “I don’t think there are any technicians at Blue Corner on weekends. In my mind, we can leave ten early Monday afternoon on our journey. But even before Monday they couldn’t get someone to reset the charging station at the help desk.”
Véronique helpdesk that the people on the people on the steeds. “But I’m frustrated that they keep us so in the dark. Had to be honest that the problem can’t be solved during the weekend, we were able to rent a cable somewhere. Hoping our cable would still be there when we got back. But as they have not been transparent, that was no longer an option at the end of the day.”
On Sunday afternoon, the redemption still came. “A Blue Corner employee called me. They apologized and immediately sent a technician. My husband was able to get the car in between.”
The relief of the family is great. “We had the courage already on the way that we leave for Spain today! We will quickly load the car again and hope to be able to leave within two hours.”