sigh

have you ever noticed that some companies (especially the customer focused ones) try to make your life harder than it already is? or they try to make you feel like you are bothering them? if you answered yes then you might be interested in the below post.

i would like to share with you the experience i had with my bank today...

11:30 am - i went to a bank (not one of my branches) to withdraw money out of MY account and on the first try the machine ate my card. YES. IT ATE MY CARD! it's excuse that it printed and spit out at me.... "you have exceeded the number of wrong pin entries"

11:31 - i look behind me waiting for either A. to be let in on the joke that was obviously being played on me or B. to have the branch manager run at me, red faced and embarrassed, that this machine has accidentally confiscated yet another card.

11:32 - when neither scenario pans out i head inside to speak to an employee of the branch. i explained to him several times that his machine had stolen my card by accident and that i needed him to open it up (haha like that would ever happen!) and GIVE it back. he made a phone call to someone he could see from his desk but obviously couldn't be bothered to get up off his tush and walk over to the guy... but i'm digressing. the reply was please have a seat over there ma'am.

11:37 - the guy walks up to me and say's "i'm sorry ma'am we cannot give you you're card you will have to contact your bank." after letting out a DEEP sigh and giving him my "i'm not impressed" look, i walk out and back into my car

11:39 - bang head on steering wheel

11:45 - i have nearly begun to calm down so i call my bank's help line (HA!) the conversation went a little like this....
Bank Guy: good afternoon how can i help you?
Me: a bank machine just ate my bank card and i want it back
BG: when did this take place ma'am
Me: maybe 15 minutes ago. i just left the bank this happened at.
BG: ok ma'am can i please have the number on the card
Me: (ok at this point i kinda lost it) if i had the number i would have the card and if i had the card i wouldn't be calling you!!!!
BG: let me transfer your call ma'am
Me: (eye roll)

*please note the blow conversation has been shortened for your sanity*

Me: (waiting on hold with stupid music)
Bank Lady: good afternoon how can i help you?
Me: repeats story
BL: well obviously you tried the wrong pin too many times ma'am (pronounced maaaaaam)
Me: i tried it once
BL: yes ma'am i understand maybe you put in the wrong code ma'am
Me: i didn't. i'm sure. and even if i did it's your banks policy to take the card after one wrong try?
BL: no ma'am you probably entered it wrong too many times ma'am
Me: (losing patience) like i said before, I entered it once
BL: ok ma'am. well all you need to do ma'am, is go to your nearest branch and explain the problem to the manager and they will return your card within the hour ma'am
Me: (dumbfounded look BL couldn't see) what?
BL: yes ma'am, just go to the manager ma'am, and he will return your card to you ma'am
Me: ok can i have the number for the branch
BL: yes ma'am (provides wrong number)
there's more but basically she just took me in circles... i won't waist your brain power the way she waisted mine

11:55 - tried number BL gave me and realized it was wrong... so i went on to do the other things i had to get done for the day.

4:00 pm - i walk in to the main branch of my bank in abu dhabi. (i was even a little happy because i got a REALLY good parking spot and this is a nightmare area to park in). i walk up to the information counter and ask to speak to the manager (hehehe i doesn't hurt to be blond sometimes cause you can get away acting like you don't know what's going on) the guy asked me why i wanted the manager to i explained my story again. he then points to the desk in front of him. i walk up to the desk and a girl stops me before i can speak to the man behind the desk.

4:05: after giving the girl my spiel and then waiting (even though no one was in front of me) i finally go to speak to the manager. i repeat my story for the gajillienth time and i tell him that over the phone the customer service told me that he (the manager) would return my card to me with in the hour (he did a good job of trying not to laugh, which is ok cause i knew that was impossible) he then proceeds to lecture me on banking policy. let me give you a "his point" vs. "my point" as per our conversation (perhaps this will be a new blog game i play ; ))

his point: the bank sent out text messages saying that all customers should changer their pins due to an excessive amount of fraudulent charges
my point: i received the text. however no where on that text did it say it was mandatory for all customers to change their pins and if they didn't change them with in a certain amount of time their cards would be locked.
his point: we don't want our customers to loose a lot of money on fraudulent charges therefore we changed the policy and we lock your cards for your protection
my point: it's my money and i want it when i want it. also isn't our money insured by the bank therefor you are more worried about the money the bank will loose not the customer?
his point: well at least you are here and not abroad because we locked at least 95% of all card abroad
my point: well that is horrible. i'm glad i'm not traveling because the last thing i would want is to not have access to any money while i was in another country. (in my mind i was feeling very bad for anyone traveling not aware of this new policy) but i assume that if i were to call you before i traveled you would leave the card open
his point: no we wouldn't. but we do it for you because you would rather have your money even though you can't access it than to not have it
my point: what's the difference?

at this point we had reached an in-pass (therefore i won! especially cause his points were stupid) and he proceeded to tell me that i needed to order a new card, over the phone, through the same people that told me to go to him. i took a deep breath and explained to him that perhaps he could talk to whomever is in charge of answering the phones for the bank help line tell them to get their facts straight.

i was proud of my self for not yelling in the bank. i have yet to call back the help line because i wanted to enjoy what was left of my weekend. but i'll call them tomorrow and i may not stay so patient. stupid businesses and their stupid customer service. what ever happened to getting your customers the services and treatment they deserve. they are taking a fee from us so can't we demand to be treated well? YES WE CAN! and we should! and tomorrow when i call the bank i will! YEAH!

**sorry if that was a bit long winded but i had to get it out : ) i feel much better now. thank you.