It doesn’t matter anymore what you say, or promise, it’s what you do that counts. There ain’t too many places left in today’s society where a handshake is worth anything.
I just love it when an institution such as a bank relys on computers to do their customer relations…computers are so much more personal than phone conversations.
I mean, picture this scenario…
You discover a mistake in your checkbook.
You, being a common person, do not want the embarrassment of an overdraft notice.
Being on Social Security, you cannot afford the loss incurred by an overdraft charge.
What do you do??
Well you first try to access the bank on line..Why?
Because they are located 25 miles away and remember..you are on a fixed income and cannot afford the gas at todays prices to go talk to real live person.
Ok so you connect with your dialup modem….why??
Because the other big business in your area (the phone company) only supports dialup where you live.
You finally connect and the bank’s branding images load…and load….and load some more..till they time out and you must redial.
But after only a few minutes of YOUR precious time you finally can see the button to log in there among the graphics telling you where you are, and all that they can “do for you” as your “partner in business”…some partner!
You enter your login information, and wait, their computer must look for the cookie on your computer to tell who you are and if you have seen their latest ads…if not…then you will see the latest ads for something you might buy while you are on the site to complain about having no money!…that makes perfect sense…to a banker maybe
Ok back to the scenario..
You are finally allowed to see your transactions, and are dismayed to see that indeed there is an overdarft charged to your account somewhere around the middle of the month.
You check your check numbers that are out an discover that all those you have written are accounted for and none are pending. ahhh good right?…wrong!
there is a bank fee scheduled for the last week of the month, and you know you will not have any income to deposit till your check is deposited the 3rd. of next month..NOW WHAT???
Frantically, you search the page for the help/contact button…ahh there it is. Click on it to open a popup window to type in your message..all well and good so far.
Low and behold, halfway into your typing, while trying to word your message to render it readable by humans, your window closes due to a timeout on their server.
Finally, you have typed in your message, which is nowhere near what you really think of them, but in keeping with more moral than political correctness, you did not call them names or threaten to blow them up…Not that you wouldn’t consider it, just that it wouldn’t be polite, you are are concerned with those things in your old age.
So you send the message and instead of “logging out”, you close the browser window more in contempt than ignorance.
You then resign yourself to the fact that it will cost you another $20.00 out of an already too small check.
Some time later, the phone rings with an unknown number on the caller ID, in anticipation of another phone spammer you answer it and discover it is a person from the bank.
“Yes..Hello”
“Mr. Cops?..” No one calls me Mr. unless they want something, but this lady seems nice, so I respond in like manner.
“Yes, what can I do for you?”
“I’m calling regarding your account, I see you have left an email about a recent overdraft charge.”
“Yes..I did”
“Well sir”.. (there’s that fake politeness formulated to make the customer feel important)..
“You have an overdraft charge on your account in the amount of twenty dollars”..
“Oh!..thank you so much for bringing that to my attention
Then I relent and bring down the amount of venom in my voice..
“Yes, I saw that and I checked to make sure all my checks are in, no more will be coming in, but the bank fee is due on the 20th. or so and I will have no money in there till my social security check gets deposited next month..”
“Yes, well that will be fine, and we will not be charging you another overdraft for the bank fee”.
AH!…there it is..the sweet feel of tension draining off.
“Oh thank you so much,”.. “I was really…really worried ’cause my money is tight, and I have paid your bank over seventy five dollars in overdrafts in the last 2 months.”..
“Well we will work with you”, “we like to help our customers who have been with us over the years.”…”Good bye..and have a nice day”
Completely ignoring little tickle in my brain that said “wait a minute…somethings wrong”!!
I hung up and sat back refreshed in the knowledge that my “partner in business” is indeed working with me and things will be fine.
SO…In keeping with tradition, that “no news is good news” I didn’t worry anymore about the situation.
On the third of the month…(this morning), I again put myself through the depressing ritual of waiting for the bank website to load…and load…and load…the latest graphics, ads, and bull crap that they think is good for business.
It takes my logon information, it loads the accounts page…
It shows the balance after the latest overdraft charge that was added yesterday.NOT a bank fee mind you, but a charge for being overdrafted in the amount of $20.00
Still waiting for the bimbo to call
