C&CC !!! - It's not just the site staff..........

2into1 · Apr 19, 2017

Arrive home to find new membership cards have arrived ahead of renewal on May 8th. I've been a member 5 years, 4 of those 'on-line' so I don't get the (very useful) "book" or the (rubbish) magazines.

Ah me thinks. Just in time to upgrade to 'paper' member this year and get a new book (to replace my 5 year old dog-eared version). For 2 years I'd tried to organise this at their stand during one of the big shows, but the first time was told it was a 'non book year' then last Autumn was told I had to wait until my new cards arrive but before the money has been taken. Perfect timing me thinks!

Ring Ring.......
Me: Hi, I'd like to upgrade to full (paper) membership please
Them: .....Grilled me for security details like I was trying to send £1M to Africa
Them: How can I help?
Me: I'd like to upgrade to full (paper) membership please
Them: That will be £44 instead of £38
Me: Fine. Thank you.
Me: (making polite conversation while they implement the change). I'll be really happy to have a new book. Mine is worn out.
Them: Oh you won't get a book. We only do them every 2 years
Me: Oh, ok, then leave things as they are. I'll do this next year and get the book then.
Them: Oh, you won't get one next year. I told you the book is every 2 years.
Me: I know, but you said I can't have one this year, so I assumed I could have one next year.
Them: It's a new book year this year, but you can't have one as we've past the cut off date.
Me: Oh I see. Have you run out?
Them: No, we need them for new members. You can buy one. It is £10.
Me: If I cancel and rejoin as a new member, will I get a book?
Them: Yes.
Me: That seems a bit daft. To save us all a lot of time, can you not just charge me £44 this year and send me the book?
Them: No.
Me: Are you serious? As a member of 5 years I can pay £54, or I can cancel or rejoin and pay £44 for exactly the same package.
Them: Yes
Me: OK, I'll do that. Will you ensure that one of the bosses know that this seems to be a daft procedure.
Them: All calls are recorded.

It seems that whatever training they give to their site wardens, they give to those who design their admin procedures.

Meoncoast · Apr 19, 2017

beggers believe

Max-Felix · Apr 19, 2017

That's not great - maybe you just got one particular a******e on a bad day! I have only had to call them once to help with an insurance issue and have to say the lady I got was super helpful.

Jabberwocky · Apr 19, 2017

T4WFA said:
Arrive home to find new membership cards have arrived ahead of renewal on May 8th. I've been a member 5 years, 4 of those 'on-line' so I don't get the (very useful) "book" or the (rubbish) magazines.

Ah me thinks. Just in time to upgrade to 'paper' member this year and get a new book (to replace my 5 year old dog-eared version). For 2 years I'd tried to organise this at their stand during one of the big shows, but the first time was told it was a 'non book year' then last Autumn was told I had to wait until my new cards arrive but before the money has been taken. Perfect timing me thinks!

Ring Ring.......
Me: Hi, I'd like to upgrade to full (paper) membership please
Them: .....Grilled me for security details like I was trying to send £1M to Africa
Them: How can I help?
Me: I'd like to upgrade to full (paper) membership please
Them: That will be £44 instead of £38
Me: Fine. Thank you.
Me: (making polite conversation while they implement the change). I'll be really happy to have a new book. Mine is worn out.
Them: Oh you won't get a book. We only do them every 2 years
Me: Oh, ok, then leave things as they are. I'll do this next year and get the book then.
Them: Oh, you won't get one next year. I told you the book is every 2 years.
Me: I know, but you said I can't have one this year, so I assumed I could have one next year.
Them: It's a new book year this year, but you can't have one as we've past the cut off date.
Me: Oh I see. Have you run out?
Them: No, we need them for new members. You can buy one. It is £10.
Me: If I cancel and rejoin as a new member, will I get a book?
Them: Yes.
Me: That seems a bit daft. To save us all a lot of time, can you not just charge me £44 this year and send me the book?
Them: No.
Me: Are you serious? As a member of 5 years I can pay £54, or I can cancel or rejoin and pay £44 for exactly the same package.
Them: Yes
Me: OK, I'll do that. Will you ensure that one of the bosses know that this seems to be a daft procedure.
Them: All calls are recorded.

It seems that whatever training they give to their site wardens, they give to those who design their admin procedures.

It seems that they only employ folk who can't think for themselves...ridiculous.

DM · Apr 19, 2017

The systems are to blame - not the poor person on the end of the phone. These transactions have to follow a process flow. If the flow wasn't written that way the agent can't make it happen.

However the sensible thing to have done in this case would surely be to offer you a free book - but the agents aren't empowered.

'Computer says no ...........'

Jabberwocky · Apr 19, 2017

All systems can be over written if you know how/are willing.

Gary&Heather · Apr 19, 2017

What a crazy world we live in :headbang

GrannyJen · Apr 19, 2017

I have no sympathy

Today I experienced real pain!

I spoke to a bank :sad

T6 CFO · Apr 19, 2017

I think we all have these sorts of conversations. Last one that went down the " I can't believe I'm hearing this " route was with HSBC. In the end I did something I hate doing which is asking to speak to a manager who can override what we both knew was a stupid decision. She agreed it was a stupid decision but she was the manager. We then had the "why if you are are a manager can't you make a sensible decision" route. Cutting a long story short I was trying to get back £40 in fees for my elderly mother. Writing a letter to customer services got me back the £40 and £100 as a goodwill gesture.
The moral is there comes a point, very early on when it's not worth shooting the messenger who is some poor soul unable to change anything, go higher then resort to letters.

Mike

GrannyJen · Apr 19, 2017

My conversation was

"I cannot spend my money because you have frozen my account"

"Yes, we are aware that you have an incorrect birth year on our records"

"No. You have an incorrect birth year, I have the right one"

"Well, as your data does not match with our records you cannot use your account until you come into a branch"

"I did. You did not accept my ID"

"What was your ID?"

"Passport and Drivers License"

"Oh, we also need to see communications to your home address"

"Why?"

"So that your address matches our records"

"You can see my address on my drivers license"

"How do we know it's you"?

"Because you also have a copy of my passport and my drivers license in my file held at the branch that I called in to"

A brief silence .... then the rules are rules bit ... at which time I had an attack of the volcanic vapours and suggested that they spend their bonuses on getting an education into what real life is.