April 3, 2010

Yep, I cut up my shiny new Visa card...

Yep, I did it, before a single charge went through... I chopped up my shiny new Visa card. Holy crap --- think off all those points I will miss out on.

Don't be impressed --- this was not a deep spiritual anti-materialistic political statement, I will have a shiny new MasterCard from another bank soon. This is about lousy customer service and the douchebags who give it...

My card was about to expire, so I got the new replacement card in the mail. Actually I got the letter beforehand telling me the new card was coming and would feature shiny new chip technology, then I got the card, then in mailing number three I got the PIN (the new cards feature a secret number like a bank card in place of a signature, so are more secure).

After I got the third mailing and all those trees had died, I call to authorize the card, and voila, good to go shopping!

The next day I am using the card to pay for my sub sandwich at lunch (I charge everything), and it is declined. I double check the PIN, have someone else check it as well, try the card somewhere else... declined. WTF?

I go to the closest branch of the issuing bank to try at their machine, and there are literally 18 people in line and one machine working, so I leave.

I call their 1-800 number, and after listening to really bad hold music for a really long time, was told by dweeb number one that I must have done something wrong, there is nothing they can do to help, and oh by the way I had not authorized the card correctly............. WTF?

I ask to speak to a manager, get dweeb number two (dwebette?), who tells me that I did something wrong, there is nothing she can do other than suggest I go to the branch again, or she can send me a new PIN by snail mail that will take up to ten business days, during which of course I cannot use my card, and Hey Mr whiny client, get the fuck off the phone now you are wasting my valuable time. Okay she didn't really say that last part, though it sure sounded like that with her tone. And you are a manager in the customer service area?

So I ask what she is prepared to do to fix this, am told to fuck off (again, not literally), then there is nothing left to say and the call ends.

And now I have a shiny sleek new credit card and no way to use it. Which may be good in terms of fiscal responsibility, but is no damn fun.

Still not satisfied... What to do next? I steam for a bit, then send off an email to the bank's customer service area. It is polite and firm. I get an autoreply thanking me for my email and telling me I will hear from a customer service agent within two business days, which is sometime next week.

Okay still no satisfaction.... so I cut the damn card up. It sure felt good. And yes though I know it didn't really change anything, it suuure felt good...

21 comments:

Tiffany Harkleroad said...

I hate bank customer service they are the worst. I was a National City customer, and my account was sold to First Niagara. They never sent me new checks or a new debit card, so I had no way to access my money. Each bank said it was the other bank's fault and would not do anything to help me, so I withdrew all my money in person, and opened an account in a small local bank. So much better.

I hate banks....

TICKLEBEAR said...

if you can't get email, get evenge!!!
though symbolic, it remains satisfactory to stick it to the "big man". but they'll send you another letter telling you your new card is on the way, then you'll get the card, then a 3rd letter with your pin...
back to square one, no?!
have you looked over the 3rd letter of the first card if there was even an iota of a possibility that you may have missed something, explaining the whole ordeal? it could happen you know!! we're all human (still...).
:D~
HUGZ

Annie (Lady M) x said...

Ooh, if there is one thing that gets my blood boiling it is bad customer service. It felt so good reading about you cutting up your card because I had a run in with a bank too yesterday..... 15 minutes on the phone to set up a single order because they had blocked my internet access for TEN days because I had updated my telephone number. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Kelly@TearingUpHouses said...

I have a major problem with bad customer service of any form. I've been on the other side and had to deal with lousy clients, so I absolutely will not spend my money with a business that doesn't offer decent assistance. Ugh.

Kelly

TICKLEBEAR said...

from my personal experience, the best service i ever got is with the BMO (bank of montreal), and that's why i still have investements with them, even though my banking account is with another bank.

Stan in NH said...

That's the way we "vote" with these institutions...with our interest dollars and fees. By refusing to let them have any of yours, you are making a statement that needs to be made. However, you do have to follow through with a phone call or email, letting them know why you want to cancel your service with their institution. Otherwise, they'll just think you still don't know how to activate it properly and they will continue to send you invitations to activate you new card.
It's a vicious cycle. :)

Tezzie said...

Oh, man...gotta hate dealing with banking bureaucracy! And don't even get me started on customer service here in Finland...seriously, as a fellow Canadian and understanding exactly how crap it is over there, I can still safely say that you've got it good compared to here ;D

Thanks for stopping by, commenting on...and signing up to follow my blog! Love meeting new folks :D

bmat10 said...

It amazes me that in this day and age how bad customer service has become. It just doesn't make any sense to me. Bad customer service is why I have changed credit card companies so many times, why I will never ever shop at bestbuy.com again. There is no excuse and it makes me so angry. My wife uses a wonderful line when we are driven to call a company because they have screwed up something some how. I have also adopted the line and it works wonders. "How are you going to make this right?" Simple and too the point.

Bucko (a.k.a., Ken) said...

We sure have lost sight of what customer service means these days. The concept of the customer is always right has gone out the window as such customer has become more beligerent, and we all have less patience that we used to. It must be this new technology age.

Brahm said...

I like the "How are you going to make this right" line, is a better version of what I left them with which was prety much 'what are you going to do about it?'

This was an aerogold visa with CIBC, who I have never had issues with before, and hate giving up the points, but those people just pissed me off...

TICKLEBEAR said...

what's more important:
those points?
or your dignity?...

injaynesworld said...

This reminds me of the old Lily Tomlim phone operator bit: "We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company."

And yes... I am that old.

LadyFi said...

Good for you. Hope you change bank too!

TICKLEBEAR said...

i'm that old too.
good ol' Ernestine!!!
:D~
HUGZ

FabuLeslie said...

You said it! Eff corporate america, the banks, and the horses they rode in on!

Robin said...

I hate banks...I have an award for you...my new and fun blog circle of friends...I thought I left a comment this morning but I guess I forgot..have a great evening..!

Princess Aurora said...

Thanks for visiting my blog and BOO ON BANKS! I keep them on the same list as I do the postal service and the court system!!!!
Roots was a Canadian thing and we didnt have that... I now own a few pieces of Roots clothing and LOVE the sweatshirts! I think Champion was to America what Roots was to Canada :)

Brahm said...

Much as I hate the doucebags have dealt with on this one -- and am waiting to hear back from these dudes who are taking their time (I guess that is bankers' hours) --- I have had good relations with banks such as with getting a mortgage.

Like all industries I guess there is good and there is bad. And there is stupid and there is rude and there is moronic and there is incompetent and there is douchey...

marymac said...

I just want to thank you- I was able to print out and rearrange the credit card pieces in your picture to get the number. I made some customer service schmuck pee their pants when I unleashed a cacophony of cusses for 30 minutes, and then I went shopping at Tiffany's. Don't worry- I totally picked you out the CUTEST cufflinks. ;)

Ginny said...

Love "cacophony of cusses"! Much better than "nabobs of negativism," for those us who lived through Nixon-Agnew. Let's popularize the term & we'll know where it originated! History in the making, linguistically speaking. Unless marymac's already published it elsewhere.

Brahm, I feel your frustration. My husband was scammed by an online software company that kept charging our credit card monthly for a service he never signed up for. Visa told him there was nothing it could do. Someone up the chain of command finally did make it right.

Brahm said...

I too remember Lily Tomlin and the telephone company -- loved Ernestine!

And MaryMac, glad you put the pieces of the card in the pic together. It's not mine, so please send those numbers over... I need a new credit card, and if the bill goes to someone else, that is darn near perfect!

I did get a generic "we are sorry you are upset, please try again, and go away" email from the bank today, to which I responded that they were not addressing my concerns, and I wanted someone to call me, and how are they going to make this right. Have not heard back, quelle shockeur...

Post a Comment

Comments are like chew toys and favourite treats. Alfie says thanks!