A1 Shops

While queuing in Austria is never much fun in the first place, since most locals think replicating a rugby scrum is the best way to stand in line, the A1 shops take the cake.

One of the country's primary mobile phone network providers, A1 has about 50 shops across the country where patrons can theoretically buy phones, discuss payment plans and get other matters dealt with.

The problem begins with the shop's layout. Each one has a large rectangle bar type arrangement positioned in the centre of the shop floor where the 'service representatives' work in the middle.

Unfortunately this leaves customers unsure of where to queue, instead milling around wondering who to stand behind in order to try and get served quickest.

Consequently the shops are a nightmare to visit. Usually you get stuck for ages behind some old duffer who put his battery in the phone upside down and can't figure out what's wrong, and without fail someone who came in after gets served before you do.

Once you do get to speak to someone, the service is often hopeless. A friend told me she needed a phone fixed, but the assistant told her there were none available, come back another time. My friend insisted that one was reserved for her, but the assistant merely wrote her name on a scrap of paper and put it in a draw, advising her to try another shop.

At the second shop after another 20 minutes of queuing, my friend eventually got a replacement while hers was sent off for repairs. However the new phone was not compatible with the charger supplied and the battery kept falling out of it. My friend couldn't face going back into the stores again and instead just switched it on only sporadically to preserve power - not exactly an ideal solution.

"With a total of 54 A1 SHOPS in Austria's most important population centers, mobilkom austria offers expert service for mobile phones, mobile phone accessories and applications," says A1 Service rep David Stockinger. "We ask for your understanding that we have a lot of customers who visit our A1 SHOPS and therefore there is sometimes a tailback and time of waiting."

Basically, don't expect a change anytime soon, just the same scheiße service.