Archive - 2007

This is a follow up to my CIBC complaint. I called yesterday to confirm that my payment to the silly credit card was made.  I spoke with a very nice man and he informed me the payment had been processed (it had arrived on Tuesday, less than 12 hours after having been told I was a loser).  I then asked how I could make a complaint about the lady from collections. 

He immediately said: “What was her name?”

I told him what I thought her name was.

“You are complaint number fifteen for me today.  This has been a problem for a couple of days and I apologize for your treatment.”

He explained that the individual has been removed from conducting further telephone work and the issue has been escalated to the marketing department (why, I don’t know).  In either case, I was exonerated from being a jerk.

One thing I did remember only today about the experience was I had mentioned to the lady on Monday that the payment had been mailed the previous Monday and I was a bit concerned that it may have been lost.  I then said to her that perhaps the Christmas rush was to blame but, in either situation, it had left our office and was on the way.  Her response to that:

“Why did you mail it?  You should pay electronically, anyway.”

I had forgotten that and it makes me a little pissed off just thinking about it.  At any rate, the nice man on Wednesday afternoon assured me the individual in question had already generated many complaints since Monday and had been removed.  He was incredibly nice and has restored some of my faith in CIBC.

Not all of it.  Just some.

Tags: cibc, sucks, cibc+sucks

I have been a CIBC customer for a number of years (since 1993) and I experienced the most horrific customer service  representative.  I have never been so de-humanized.  The lady was from a collection department at CIBC calling me because they had yet to receive this month’s payment.  Which, by the way, I had sent only a week prior.

When I answered the telephone, I knew why they had called.  I started a little chit chat, as I know these kinds of calls can get quite tense, and wanted this person to know that I knew I had missed the payment and I had already sent one.  She would have none of it.  It was straight to business.  Fine, no problem, so, I told her I knew that I had missed a payment.  But, before I could really explain anything further this woman commented that I was close to having the credit card in question canceled.

“Sorry, canceled?  Missing a payment or two is a cancel-prone event?”

“Yes it is.”

“Shouldn’t I be notified of such an event before it happens?”

“Well, you aren’t as important as our bigger clients who get more flexibility.”

Here is where I shut down.  No chit chat.  No nothing.  When a company says that I am not as important as other customers – this is a show stopper in my book of life rules.  Sure, yes, I am evil because I have sent in payments late (apparently, four in my history) but CIBC is earning interest.  One would think that they are happy to charge me more money. 

I won’t pretend to understand the credit system of the world but when I get a call, I would like to be treated like a human being.  Something this woman didn’t even come close to doing. That was the moment I went from friendly to stone cold angry. 

I said to this person: “Sorry, did you just say that I am not as important as bigger clients?”

I didn’t hear the answer because I didn’t want to hear it.  I couldn’t believe it.  The worst thing I have ever done at CIBC is missed a payment here or there.  Mainly because I forget.  But, wow, the dehumanizing attitude of that woman was astounding.  With all of the over time complaints, you’d think these workers would be a little more jovial – especially, at this time of year. 

I did call back after hanging up on her and complained to the next agent I spoke with who did tell me that the lady should never have said that to me at all and he apologized on behalf of CIBC.  This made me happier.  How that woman felt that it was acceptable to tell me that I was unimportant just blew me away.

Tags: cibc, customer+service, cibc+sucks

Walking home from work on a Saturday should be a forgettable experience.  All you want to do is go home, open your front door, take of your shoes and coat and continue with your day.  Simple.

Yesterday was different.  As I walked home in the rain, an umbrella passed in front of my vision, quite near my face.  I turned to look and standing mere feet away from me was a terrified woman swinging her collapsed umbrella around herself and staring directly at me.

“What do you want from me?  What do you want from me?”  She was saying while swinging her umbrella around.

“Nothing, crazy woman.” I replied.

I didn’t know what to say.  I just hate such situations where I don’t know what to say or do because there was no reason for this woman to attack me.  I was no threat to her – well, maybe my good looks.  She was only about sixty.

On that note…

This is just a quite web note from the ranks of my day job, but we just released a new update to the Bait Car web site.  It was a quick turn over as we all thought it needed “something new” on it.

Oh, and there are new videos…

Tags: baitcar, bait+car, leftrightminds

I couldn’t NOT post this.  I was just zipping through my feeds and noted this picture.  I wish I could be down there to support the writers but things call for me to be here – like parents, work, and holiday things.

I am so glad there are a lot of Joss Whedon Browncoats down there to help out with signs and feeding the writers walking the picket line.  If you wish to check out who else is helping out Joss:

• View the Whedonesque Flickr Photo Pool
• Read United Hollywood
• Send some pencils!
• Read and watch Speechless Without Writers

Keep flyin’…

Tags: writers, strike, whedon, joss+whedon

Last night, I was going through a bunch of my old compact discs and I noticed, tucked away in the back, a copy of “Christmas In The Stars”. 

It took a bit of time, but I did remember that I had borrowed it from a friend years and years ago.  Obviously, I had never returned it – and I understand why he never came to collect.

Like the Star Wars Holiday Special, it is a very bizarre album and I am surprised Anthony Daniels didn’t throw the script on the floor and storm out.  At least, I would think he would have laughed a lot.  The most interesting thing about this record is Jon Bon Jovi madehis first recording ever singing “R2D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas”.  If you want to have a listen, come on my my place and we’ll drink some egg nog.

Shudder.

Tags: star+wars, christmas, christmas+in+the+stars

It takes a brave person to work with a Pug in the office late into the evening.  Serendipity is being the best little Pug, running around, eating my shoelaces, and attempting to eat as much tissue paper as she can.

I am still working at the office on a Friday night trying to get some things done before I work tomorrow and Sunday (last December rush) – not to mention a relaunch of a popular client on Tuesday.  It just doesn’t seem to stop around here.  It should be a busy weekend but once it is done, there will be a couple of weeks where I may rest.

Saturday, however, we’re hosting a cool person and their birthday party.  It should be a blast and if you don’t come, you are less than man/woman/human/Pug. 

Have a great weekend everybody!

Tags: birthday, weekend, pug, friday+night, work