Say it with me now... A lack of planning on your part...

[lachesis]

Does not equal a CREDIT to you!

I've been at this job for about two months now and weirdly enough I still love it. I now work for a small community bank in a customer support position answering customer calls and helping branches.

Today's "take the cake" customer went into a branch yesterday to send a wire from his account here to another one of his own accounts out of state. He saw the posted transaction on his online statement today. He wanted to get the fee for the wire removed because he said he was not informed of the fee at the time.

So, knowing the guy was definitely full of it, I put him on hold and called the branch he says he did the wire at. I spoke with the Assistant Manager who said that the Branch Manager was the employee who did the wire and remembers him vividly. He was in her office for over an hour going in circles about the fee and she eventually got him to sign the disclosure where it says what we charge for a wire.

The Manager didn't even want to speak with the customer because she knew how much of a pain in the ass he was the previous night and refused on crediting him for the fee. This was surprising as this manager tends to be one of the lenient ones. One of my supervisors was overhearing my conversation with the customer and with the branch and shook his head while mouthing "No way, he's not getting the fee waived."

I say goodbye with the branch and switch back over to the customer. "Sir? I'm sorry, but I spoke with Manager at the branch who says she DID go over the disclosure of the fee with you and you signed it. She will not waive the fee for you nor will my supervisor as this is a valid charge."

There was an edge in his voice and he asked me for my first and last names. ("I'm the only lachesis here in my department, Sir.") He stated he was going to write a letter to the CEO and complain about me, my supervisor, and the branch manager. I said that's fine and offered to give him the address to the building where the CEO's office is. Cue my supervisor's jawdrop because I was totally trying not to laugh while on the phone with the customer.

The kicker? The wire was for a mortgage payment. He waited the full 15 day grace period plus a couple of days for a payment that was due for the first. I'll bet he needed the credit for the fee to pay the late charge at the other bank.

I emailed the branch manager after the call and told her to get the prettiest frame for her office so she can put the letter in a place of honor. I can't wait to see the letter IF he ever sends one. Funniest part of my day, I swear!

[depechemodefan]

If I had a framed complaint from every person who sent in a complaint about me, I would have a whole wall covered. I bet the fee for the wire was maybe $2. If it was 1%, it probably wouldn't be much either.

[bainsidhe]

I bet the fee for the wire was maybe $2. If it was 1%, it probably wouldn't be much either.

9 years ago, a friend was charged something like $15 to wire money from her new bank to another account out of state (she'd just moved and a direct withdrawal came due before she could close/switch the account to her new bank). Unfortunately, she wasn't told of the fee and so the bank took it out of her transfer money. This in turn short-paid the bill which overdrew her out-of-state account and kept racking up fees. That $15 negative balance bloomed to many times its size before she realized what had happened. So yes, this can happen and yes it can become quite expensive. However, this guy was a liar and an ass.

[Moon]

Funny thing is.... with a wire transfer, don't BOTH banks take a cut? The receiving bank as well as the sending bank?

He also forgot the most important rule: Kindness will get you further than giving orders. Asking nicely is a much more effective way of getting an exception than throwing a fit.

[PepperElf]

and this is why, at <last job> we always had customers not only sign the paperwork but made them aware that we weren't responsible for data loss, by having them initial next to the clause. Not that the clause was only valid with an initial - i assure you, as long as they signed the paperwork that clause was agreed to... it was just our way to making them aware of the clause, and covering our asses if they tried claiming no one told them.

cos there's always someone who signs the paperwork, even acknowledges the clause, and then tries to play the "i didn't know!" card. Even though we had proof that they were notified prior to even performing the work.

[bankworking]

Funny thing is.... with a wire transfer, don't BOTH banks take a cut? The receiving bank as well as the sending bank?

Depends on the bank. My bank charges $20 for outgoing, but nothing for incoming. When doing an outgoing wire, we do tend to warn customers that they should find out if the other bank charges a fee for incoming though since that does seem to be a think with most banks.

[lachesis]

Well, I heard the other day that he did get the fee rebated. We charge $22 for our domestic wires. He emailed the CEO (damn you technology!) who has his email address on our website, but it's a little buried. He said he gets stuff like this all the time and forwarded the email to the head of our department and it's not worth it to fight the guy.

When I saw the email from our dept head, I went into her office to ask what happened. She told me the above and now that the CEO and head of retail know the customer's name, he won't be able to pull this kind of stuff again.

I said ok and turned around to leave, and my supervisor who was helping me that day was there to ask the same questions I had!

*shrug* Whatever the customer said in the email about us probably wasn't nice, but the dept head said I did my job and my supervisor backed me up.