Got that fixed (rant ahead)
Thursday November 15th 2012, 12:12 am
Filed under: Life

Don’t mess with the hoarse woman with the flu who’s having a hard time breathing.

My credit union overhauled their online system, and a week ago I found I couldn’t get in. I called, they tried, it didn’t work, but my brother-in-law was on his way over and I just had to leave it at that. And then of course I got sick.

Time to try again. Long wait. (I’d have sworn that was my friend’s oboe solo in that hold music. Small world.) We were far from the only ones the update messed over.

Got through. The clerk tried unsuccessfully to make it work–

–and then the line went dead.

Called again. Waited again. The next clerk tried to help–and when it didn’t work, told me baldly that no she couldn’t help me. When would Mr. H be available?

Wait. What?

He’s the primary name on the account, ma’am.

Would you give me a different answer if I went into your branch in person? (As if! right now.)

She hesitated; No, ma’am, they’d tell you the same thing there.

This stiff-the-housewife thing: AmEx used to pull stunts like that, they don’t anymore, they learned. It’s not good business to take the mommy wars to the mommies.

What time do you stop taking phone calls?

Six o’clock.

He won’t be here.

They tried to tell me he could be interrupted at work to take care of it, I flatly said no.

So you’re telling me you’re not going to let me access *my* money in *my* account? Tell me, I said wearily, why do I bank with you?

Boom! The magic words! All the sudden they snapped to, did whatever they had to do to the system, told me to try it now, and bam I was in.

Would it have been so hard to have done right by me the first time? I can’t see how I could ever have any customer loyalty again, since they had zero to me.


18 Comments so far
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What I never understand is why they don’t say up-front that “we won’t help you without Mr.C around”, so we can go directly to the rant. This “sure, I’ll try to fix it for you…oh no, too hard, now I need the Man” is just ridiculous! I also hate resorting to “I’m going to leave your company” threats in order for them to listen to me.

Glad to know, however, that you’re feeling better and feeling feisty!

Comment by Kathy in San Jose 11.15.12 @ 1:06 am

Have had similar issues with one of the creditors I inherited when I married Beloved. Trying to activate my own card (so I can have talking rights)? Not paying attention to the fact that I needed to activate it from my home number? Calling to speak to a human? Needing *his* SSN to get through? (Putting the card in a safe place until I was ready to deal with it. It’s still in the safe place. I have better things to do at the moment.)

Comment by Lynn 11.15.12 @ 4:25 am

Oh that makes me crazy!!!!

Comment by Jody 11.15.12 @ 5:29 am

I have had trouble with the gas and electric company,Gas company still a bit of a pain but the electric and water are here in Lodi,and I personally went down and introduce myself, no longer have problems with them.Grrr.

Comment by kris 11.15.12 @ 6:55 am

I had similar problems after my divorce with the television satellite company! I had authority to do everything BUT cancel the account. I wanted to say “Sure, keep it connected only I’m not gonna pay it.” Decided to cancel “in writing” (ahem) And another time I notified my Citibank credit card that my daughter, who has a sub-account, would be traveling internationally, only to be put through to their suspected fraud office and subjected to security grilling until I snapped, “Look I CALLED YOU! Now put me through to your supervisor, immediately. No, I mean it, now!” And I didn’t even have the flu, I just have a short fuse, ha!

Comment by LynnM 11.15.12 @ 6:57 am

I opened an account with a credit union. A couple of years later, I added my husband to the account. Guess who became the MAIN account holder? For several years, when I was working and he had retired, I put MY name first on our income tax returns, though.

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 11.15.12 @ 8:06 am

Agreed, agreed! I *HATE* playing the “well then I’ll take my business elsewhere” card, and when I do, I usually follow through, even if that one transaction ends with the outcome I needed. Hrmph.

Comment by Channon 11.15.12 @ 8:31 am

My bank tried to give me a bank card in the name of Mrs. Husband name Husband Name. I took it back tot hem and told them while I may have taken his last name, I surely did not take his first name, and would they please change it. The lady could not believe I would not use the card as is. “Dearie (seriously, she called me dearie. 20 years later that still irks me), most women are proud to be known by their husband’s name. It’s not like people won’t know it’s you.” I stood there gaping, and said – fix it now, or our money leaves the bank with me.
I get the same attitude when I go car shopping “will your husband be joining us?” I told the last guy that he just lost the sale, and I would not buy a car from this manufacturer until they realized how sexist that was. He chased me out to the parking lot, apologizing all the way!

Comment by Sandra 11.15.12 @ 9:40 am

I went to a dealer to buy a car. MY car, MY $. I knew exactly what I wanted and they had it. “Sorry, ma’am, come back with your husband.” Same answer from the manager. Did some research to find the owner, sent him a very polite letter saying I had purchased the car elsewhere. No response from him. Sheesh!
If you’ve got the energy, I would do some research and try to find the name and address of a woman as far up the food chain as I could, and send her a letter. Hopefully she opens her own mail……

Comment by Carol Telsey 11.15.12 @ 9:45 am

I’ve had the same issue with the credit union — especially frustrating since I am the one that pays the bills, balances the check book, manages the budget, etc., etc. in fact the DH says he’s sure if he actually signed a check they’d return it because they wouldn’t recognize the signature!

it really annoys me when I’m treated like a second class citizen or a child in this regard — and you’re right, the magic words seem to be “I don’t have to do business here”

honestly, when will these guys realize it is 2012 not 1912!!

Comment by Bev 11.15.12 @ 9:45 am

WOW! Did that hit a nerve! All I can say is that I completely with all of you gals. (I’d better, or I’ll get my head chopped off’)

Comment by Don Meyer 11.15.12 @ 10:02 am

Oh! Oh! Yes! Several similar experiences. The last car we bought, for my work use, I went through 2 other dealers’ salesmen before finding the one that would deal directly with me. Then, the Finance Manager, a woman!! —-kept trying to upsell extras to my husband, as if I didn’t understand!!! Insane! But, truly, the silliest was some 26 years ago. I’d ordered checks from Current (remember when we first could order outside the official bank printer?) and then got a letter that the bank that they were merging and my account number would change within a month. I went into the bank and explained I’d just spent $4.95 on new checks. (We’d just bought the house, I was counting pennies!) that would now be useless. Would they credit me at least some towards new ones, since they’d given me such short notice? No. No way. So I asked to close our accounts. She said I’d lose the interest not paid yet. I was too angry to care. There was a chat with the manager and they agreed to pay me the $9.62 interest even though I was closing them before the end of the quarter. What??? I said very loudly, “So you’ll pay me $9.62 to take my money elsewhere, but won’t pay me $3 or $4 to keep it here?” Nope. Sigh….Customer service?

Comment by DebbieR 11.15.12 @ 11:45 am

Wow! Given the fallout over “binders of women” one would think – oh, wait, silly me – any institution that deals with $$$ is still working on the Victorian age. Have all you commenters thought about sending your stories en masse to your representatives? One letter = 15 voters

Comment by Another Joan 11.15.12 @ 12:22 pm

I ordered a new printer the other day, not pleased about the one that had just bitten the dust. The company I ordered from left an email message saying I should get a code they left on my phone, then call them back with the code.

I got the code; I called back; I couldn’t get through. Their automated voice mail answerer hung up on me twice.

I tried the next day and reached a person. They were concerned. I wanted this shipped to New Jersey? Nah. I intended for them to ship it to your home town, Alison.

They kept asking me, though, and eventually the penny dropped. I order Christmas gifts for darling grandson Jack in New Jersey. I must not have paid any attention to the shipping address when ordering. I mentioned Montclair and explained. They understood. The printer is on its way to me.

A hassle, but I’m glad they caught my mistake. I need that printer here, the better to print out knitting patterns of interest. Not to mention that letter to my niece.

I knew there was a reason I liked that company. Lucky.

Comment by RobinM 11.15.12 @ 5:08 pm

“Oh we can’t handle that with you, we need to talk to the main account holder, Mr. K.” “Mr. K? Who is Mr. K?” “You know, Afton K.” “I am Afton K.” “No, Mr. Afton K.” “There is NO Mr. Afton K. It is MS. Afton K.” “Oh, you have a male name?” “No, I have MY NAME.”

Jeeze I hate that. I’m in the middle of it right now with the paper subscription.

Comment by afton 11.15.12 @ 7:00 pm

I guess bad customer service is international… I should tell my husband – it might put our province in perspective.

Still, I’m sorry you had to deal with that. 🙁

Comment by Suzanne from Montreal 11.15.12 @ 7:03 pm

I get that a lot at work, never mind that there have been plenty of female engineers around in the last 30 years. Of course I have to cut the Europeans some slack…they meet more English people, and I have frequently had to explain to them that in England, Robin is more commonly a man’s name, but in the US, it’s more likely a woman’s.

Comment by RobinH 11.16.12 @ 9:52 am

Anyone that says we have finished the work on sexism will from hereon in be directed to this post – and particularly the comments!

Comment by twinsetellen 11.16.12 @ 5:41 pm



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