cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...

tag
Creditaddict
Legendary Contributor

Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...

I have to start this by saying I learn something new probably daily about credit and a large part of that comes from these boards.

 

NOW, That does not mean that I feel basic type things should not be known by a CSR or Underwriter especially local banks, further more NAVY!!

 

I think we ALL almost could say we love love LOVE some Navy.  So I called to "clarify" that Cash Advance over to a Navy Checking is free and would just accrue interest at 11.65% (2% above Purchase APR)

 

She confirms this but says "Keep in mind that in order to pay off the Cash Advance balance and stop that 11.65% you would need to pay your entire current balance FIRST"

I said isn't it part of the credit law that minimum payment goes to lowest rate but anything above that would automatically be applied to highest rate?

She says "Let me read to you how it works"

me - "okay"

so blah blah minimum low rate, "Payments above minimum will be applied as follows, Highest interest Cash Advance first, Highest Interest Purchases, and Highest Interest rate BT"

Me - "So just to clairfy, you did just say any payment above minimum WILL go to Highest Rate?

her - "yes"

 

I thanked her and I did not say "I told you soSmiley Tongue" and she did not mention she was wrong in any way.

 

I guess the reason stuff like this bothers me is because (Me) as a customer is calling a bank that I do business with and trying to either get info, correct something, or verify soemthing and if I really didn't know how it worked and I called in and this lady told me and I said okay and got off the phone, now she will continue to tell others it's that way and the person she told that didn't know and didn't challenge her and didn't come here for info would now likely tell someone else too...

 

AND, I fully believe you NEVER take a Cash Advance on a credit card, but Credit Unions and use to be Nordstrom are the exempt from this because no fees, and barely a rate change and Im borrowing for literally 3 days as I wait for a transfer to go through.

Message 1 of 9
8 REPLIES 8
maiden_girl
Valued Contributor

Re: Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...

Maybe it was her first day...lmaooo!

 

I just asked a rep a question at..god...forgot what bank it was...and she says "I'm gonna read it to you..and it goes like this...*she begins to read*" I wanted to burst out laughing!! LOL!

As of 2017, rebuilding...
Message 2 of 9
youngandcreditwrthy
Senior Contributor

Re: Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...

Yeah, even the Supervisors don't know what they are talkint about half of the time... I actually got a little annoyed with Barclay's the other day and directly asked the Supervisor if I were to call or speak with another CSR or Supervisor if I would get the same answer to my question, and she said yes... So naturally, I did call back the next day...got a diff CSR with a diff answer to my question lol... The answer I wanted, the real answer haha
Marriott PR$25k | BCE $24.5K |BankAmericard Visa $25k| BOA Better Bal $17.5k |Wmt Discover $12.5k | BR Visa $17.5k | Amex Delta Gold $10k | Discover IT $10k | Paypal Extras MC $15k | Amazon Store $10k|Smile Gen $7.25k | Dillard's $10k | West Elm $4k| Express $3.05K | Mypoints.com Visa $4.5k | Freedom Visa $1k| Amex Surpass $1k
Message 3 of 9
Creditaddict
Legendary Contributor

Re: Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...


@youngandcreditwrthy wrote:
Yeah, even the Supervisors don't know what they are talkint about half of the time... I actually got a little annoyed with Barclay's the other day and directly asked the Supervisor if I were to call or speak with another CSR or Supervisor if I would get the same answer to my question, and she said yes... So naturally, I did call back the next day...got a diff CSR with a diff answer to my question lol... The answer I wanted, the real answer haha

Oh that's like shopping at Macy's or really many stores... 

Me - "Please transfer me or if in store please call for a Manager"

Them - "My Manager is going to tell you the same thing I did"

Me - "That's Fine but I will need to hear the same thing from THEM!"

 

My favorite was Macy's and she was rude and gave me that line a couple times (regarding price adjustment for clothing marked wrong sale, or misplaced items in different racks...

 

She calls and you can hear her talking for a very short time "Customer wants this matched, misplaced, etc. asking for match of blah blah $.

her - "Okay" she hangs up... "I will adjust the price for you"

 

I saw it in her face as he told her on phone that was would have to now put the phone down and tell she would give adjustment and ring the item for the exact thing she was just so rude and stone cold on.... MADE MY DAY!!!

 

It's on the top of my list of pet peeves when someone tells me "They can't do anything I can't" or "They are just going to tell you the same thing" it makes my blood start to boil and means even more now im going to get what i asked for!

Message 4 of 9
youngandcreditwrthy
Senior Contributor

Re: Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...

I actually do have to tell people that often, that the Manager will tell you the same thing I did, but I also work in real estate, and you can't argue with contract terms or legal issues especially if you sign a contract.

I also used to work at JCPenney's, and I always did whatever I could do keep from dealing with a Manager haha... I remember people LYING a lot to get discounts or begging for coupons (which I find a little trashy/disrespectful to any business). BUT besides the obvious dumba**e* LOL.. I always hooked nice people up with discounts ehehe especially if I could convince them to open a JCP card haha, which I would often give a higher than avg 40% discount on all items with ;-)
I actually kinda miss cashiering at JCP, it was fun and easy!!!!! Haha I especially miss the elderly cute ladies haha that remind me of my gma :-)
Marriott PR$25k | BCE $24.5K |BankAmericard Visa $25k| BOA Better Bal $17.5k |Wmt Discover $12.5k | BR Visa $17.5k | Amex Delta Gold $10k | Discover IT $10k | Paypal Extras MC $15k | Amazon Store $10k|Smile Gen $7.25k | Dillard's $10k | West Elm $4k| Express $3.05K | Mypoints.com Visa $4.5k | Freedom Visa $1k| Amex Surpass $1k
Message 5 of 9
Croselx
Contributor

Re: Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...

Don't take it out on the CSR, take it out on the parent company not training them properly. I used to work as a CSR for a cell phone company and we were taught the basic things and expect to learn the rest along the way. Everyone was told to say that the supervisor will say/do the same thing as the CSR (often times was true) because if we don't everyone would want to be transferred (most customers think that a supervisor is pro-customer and armed to help the customer better and that they have more authority than a regular rep, which is only half-true). Though it is rude to not admit your mistake and makes you look dumb.

As of Feb: AAoA 1 year, 10 months
CK TU: 740; Wal-Mart TU FICO: 721
CS EX: 715
8 CCs, 15 total accounts.
Negs on report: 1 30 day late aged 3 years
5 inquiries
Message 6 of 9
Creditaddict
Legendary Contributor

Re: Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...


@Croselx wrote:

Don't take it out on the CSR, take it out on the parent company not training them properly. I used to work as a CSR for a cell phone company and we were taught the basic things and expect to learn the rest along the way. Everyone was told to say that the supervisor will say/do the same thing as the CSR (often times was true) because if we don't everyone would want to be transferred (most customers think that a supervisor is pro-customer and armed to help the customer better and that they have more authority than a regular rep, which is only half-true). Though it is rude to not admit your mistake and makes you look dumb.


I don't disagree with much of this... 

However after owning my own company, and also working high end retial Neiman Marcus... You need to take control of the situation... This applies in store a little bit more than maybe a CSR credit person, back to macy's for a hot second, I can't tell you how many times a rep says they don't have the ability to over ride price, or I don't know how to do a return... ITS NOT TRUE!

it's a cash register in a retail store, of course you can override the price... if you "choose" not to for a variety of reasons, then that's on you not your manager...

and I say this with the fact being it is true needed discount or what not... i understand people just out to beat the system... but look at Zappos, Look at Amazon, Nordstrom... Right or Wrong - They will return, honor, price adjust, give away if the customer requests... yes of course they take a loss for the people out to basically rob them... but overall the model works so well that it makes up for the bad to build the loyal... This comes into play with some of loayalty programs or different color credit cards and such... a sales associate or CSR can see all this on screen... you are going to really get ghetto argue dispute with a premier cardholder or what not over $5, $10 adjustment??

VERY similar to the topic yesterday about little fees that take me WAY longer to get back then just eat the cost, but that's the POINT... People/Companies are always testing ways of getting another fee by on the customer and if the overflow of negative, they might take it back... believe chase or wells fargo tried to do something many years ago and it quickly got deleted out a month or so in because of the hate customers got from it.

so in this story ties back to Navy... $1 ATM FEE for putting wrong ATM PIN in!

of course took me back to screen and I put a different pin in and it went through... just happened to see the charge on statement because i don't have any ATM fees normally because I don't use NAVY as my cash bank since not local to me anywhere other then USBank and its RARE.

I called and probably took me over 10 minutes to get the $1 back.

Now how many are going to pay that and just not even think about it, or be like tha'ts what you get for being stupid and putting in wrong pin or i don't have time to call for a $1... Do you call with stuff like that???

Message 7 of 9
Creditaddict
Legendary Contributor

Re: Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...

oops think i went off path and forgot... if im on commission and the sale is say $150, I'm not going to have you hate me or walk away not buying anything because you want the price of something adjusted for sale... Adjustment will be done quickly!

2nd. I get the poster above talking about discounts and opening the credit cads.... I worked at Dillards and you could get a pay decrease for not opening accounts... so if you think it's okay to take money from me because I don't open a credit card, Im going to be forced to entice my customers with a REAL REWARD... if you don't like that then give me a raise to make up for it.

3rd. being a small business owner i feel i have to offer the same service i would want and yes i have been ripped off to the point that just a few months back I had an issue with someone and it was a TERRIBLE month and I really just didn't even have the money to make the refund go through to this customer without bouncing my bank account.  We went back and forth for a while and finally he just filed a claim... then with the claim I ended up f'ing myself because of more fees, and such and I went back to this said person and basically wrote him a letter I so deserve how this turned out, really i feel terrible that i fought you on it and i feel terrible that i acted like it wasn't something I should do and it's really karma that got me... and i went on to tell him about my month (trying to justify i guess for me, not good) and all this stuff... and i got back this letter.... basically saying i knew you were a good person and we all do it some times, and went on to say sounds like you had a really good month, why don't you NOT refund me and get yourself caught up and if you find in 1 week, 1 month, 6 months you are in a better place and want to send me the money that will be fine but if you don't ever send it im okay with that too.

It was an amazing letter and amazing impact on my life, that i try to remember sometimes if I even think Im stearing off... This stranger who had been screwed by me, then won against me, and then offered to forgive it completely or loan it... 

I did not take him up on his offer but none the less we both got something from someone around the world that we didn't expect to get. Smiley Happy

Message 8 of 9
Link2k
Valued Member

Re: Amazed Daily how little CSR's know...

This is simply not true. I can't speak for Macy's but I know other stores removed the ability to simply alter price or add discounts due to abuse of this functionality.

Companies also don't try to fee you to death. Volume is more important, if I can remove a small fee and increase volume significantly its done. If its a fee I have to pay or something a few bad customers cause I will pass it along to those bad apples rather than make the majority of my customers absorb an increase in price.

Message 9 of 9
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.