Dear So and So

[Pax]

Thanks gals, I just need some room to breathe, but the hits keeps coming. I'm so tired.

[Catrin]

(((Pax))) hope things ease soon!

[Blueberry]

Dear Ikea:

You sold me a defective part. I am now on my second phone call to you about said product (since you never returned my call as promised) and have been on hold (this time) for more than 20 minutes. Last time was longer than 30 minutes. This is your problem, not mine. I am not driving 2.5 hours each way to exchange the part. You need to figure something else out. Your customer service really stinks. This was the first time I had shopped in your store, and it will most definitely be the last.

[bmccasland]

(((((Pax)))))) Hang in there! Hope things work out for you.



Dear Cosmos - While you're in a giving mood with Pax, could you also work things out for my sister and her family. Food stamps not coming through, broken cars, tuition, not enough $$ to pay rent is just too much.

[Owlie]

((Pax))

Dear B:
Let this little episode serve as a wake-up call. The jaw pain, shortness of breath and left-arm numbness may not have been anything THIS TIME, but what about next time? Please consider quitting smoking and at least some exercise.

[Pax]

Finally, a little good news. My job is civil service so they don't just fire you when you can't do a job... so they found me a temp placement where I'll have to learn all kinds of new and cool stuff, but I get to sit down!!

[Crankin]

Nice, Pax!
Owlie, I hope your friend gets medical attention .

[indysteel]

Yay, Pax!!! I sure hope it was a blessing in disguise!

[Becky]

Dear AmEx,

I sincerely hope that the application procedure and ensuing debacle is not indicative of your normal level of customer service. My poor DH has made 5 different phone calls, talked to at least 6 different people, been told at least 3 different things, wasted at least 2 hours on the phone, and we still don't have a resolution to our issue.

The letter to your executive office is going in the mail just as soon as we get our promised phone call on Monday. We've never been treated so poorly by a financial institution, and someone needs to know about it.

Sincerely,
So Angry She Can't See Straight

[indysteel]

Dear AmEx,

I sincerely hope that the application procedure and ensuing debacle is not indicative of your normal level of customer service. My poor DH has made 5 different phone calls, talked to at least 6 different people, been told at least 3 different things, wasted at least 2 hours on the phone, and we still don't have a resolution to our issue.

The letter to your executive office is going in the mail just as soon as we get our promised phone call on Monday. We've never been treated so poorly by a financial institution, and someone needs to know about it.

Sincerely,
So Angry She Can't See Straight

I used to get great customer service from AmEx, but I had an incident recently that made me really wonder.

Last April, they detected fraudulent activity on my card (this part I really do appreciate). They closed the account--or so I thought--and issued me a new card. A couple months later, I mistakenly used the old card number to pay online for travel insurance. Just as I hit the submit button, I realized my mistake and expected the transaction to not clear. Suprisingly, it did. My first call was to the travel insurance company, which told me to contact AmEx.

The explanation that I got as to why the transaction went through was wholly unsatisfactory. They told me that it must have gone through because the insurance company had my number on file and/or because AmEx recognized them as a vendor I'd used before. The company did not have my card number on file and what does it matter if I had used the vendor before? Either the account is closed to further use or it isn't. What good does it do to close an account if the card can still be used? I ended up talking to the fraud department and they could not give me any better of an explanation. Maybe it was a fluke, but it bothered me. And their assurances that I won't be liable for any fraudulent purchases didn't fully appease me.

Anyway, I hope you get your issues with AmEx resolved to your satisfaction.

[Becky]

Indy, thanks for weighing in. On one hand, it comforts me to know that it's not just me & DH; on the other hand, it scares me that this level of incompetence is more widespread than I thought. I find myself really reluctant to even use the card and, as a result, we've discussed closing the account ASAP and getting the credit report hit over with. But now there's a chance that they won't even do that right?!?

Honestly, I'm not sure what they can do at this point that would satisfy me. *sighs*

[indysteel]

Indy, thanks for weighing in. On one hand, it comforts me to know that it's not just me & DH; on the other hand, it scares me that this level of incompetence is more widespread than I thought. I find myself really reluctant to even use the card and, as a result, we've discussed closing the account ASAP and getting the credit report hit over with. But now there's a chance that they won't even do that right?!?

Honestly, I'm not sure what they can do at this point that would satisfy me. *sighs*

Here's what I ask anybody who is concerned about a hit to their credit report: Are you planning to apply for credit, e.g, a new car loan or mortgage loan, any time soon? If you're not, then don't worry about it. And if you are, then just wait to close the account until you obtain the loan. But if you otherwise have excellent credit, I wouldn't worry about the minor hit you might take by closing the account.

[Becky]

Here's what I ask anybody who is concerned about a hit to their credit report: Are you planning to apply for credit, e.g, a new car loan or mortgage loan, any time soon? If you're not, then don't worry about it. And if you are, then just wait to close the account until you obtain the loan. But if you otherwise have excellent credit, I wouldn't worry about the minor hit you might take by closing the account.

Yup, that's the advice that we've received from others and, overall, I don't expect this to have a huge effect on our credit. But it's annoying just the same, especially when it's a debacle not of our making.

[Blueberry]

Dear People who Repaired my Birks:

Thank you! I'm so glad to be able to continue using my shoes, and the new foot beds are awesome (they could even go up a size to accommodate my expanded feet). Thanks for providing good customer service.

Happy footed person

[malkin]

That makes me happy about your Birks.

I hope repair does not become a lost art. There's a place in town that repairs glasses. I had one pair that was hopelessly bent with broken nose pieces from being in a pocket and another that was in pieces from being stepped on and the guy fixed them both up in one day for under $40 bucks.