The Global Association for Contact Center Best Practices & Networking

Just recently, I noticed that one of our corporate credit cards had been used fraudulently. When I dialed the 1-800 help line for my bank, I was met with many recorded options to select from their answering service. I chose the option to "report an unrecognizable transaction on your statement". I was then placed into a queue for about 20 minutes.

When I eventually spoke to a customer service agent, I explained my concerns and the situation, and was told that they would look into it, close the account, and requested us to cut up the card because a new card would be issued (which we received within 4 days).

A few days after receiving the new card, I checked the account online just to make sure that the account had been closed. To my surprise - it wasn't. So I called the same 1-800 number, where I was placed in the queue again for 25 minutes.

When the agent answered, I explained the whole story and mentioned what the last customer service person told me - that the account would be closed. I wanted to clarify that, from what I had seen online, the account still seemed to be open, yet the card number was different. I went on to question that, although we had a new credit card with a different card number, the account with the fraudulent transactions had remained the same, and was this correct - did all account numbers remain the same?

Simple enough question don't you think? Well, apparently not. He then went on to list all of the credit card numbers and their respective account numbers (which I already knew) and then carried on talking about stuff that was totally irrelevant to my question.

When the agent finished his ramblings, he asked me, "So what's the problem then?" To which I replied, "OK I'll just repeat my original question then". After going through more information with him, and explaining my situation again, he said to me, "I keep having to tell you this because it's obvious that you don't listen!"

This outburst left me in shock, and my only reaction was to ask him just who he thought he was talking to? As if his first comment wasn't bad enough, he yelled: "Someone who obviously can't listen!" and then just hung up on me!

Shocked and frustrated, I called back and, of course, waited in another queue for an additional 30 minutes this time, and eventually asked to speak to a manager. I asked the exact same question (although we had a new credit card with a different card number, the account with the fraudulent transactions had remained the same, and was this correct - did all account numbers remain the same?).

He replied simply with a 'Yes'. That was all I wanted to know from the very beginning, and the manager answered it with no problems at all.

One of the other frustrations I have with this company is, although from the outset of your call you are told that calls are recorded for the callers and company's benefit, the manager confirmed that they don't always record all calls - so I couldn't even ask him to pull up my previous call and use it for "training purposes"! I'm also still waiting for that apology letter I was promised by the manager I spoke to!

Do you have a customer service story that you'd like to tell? We want to hear it - good or bad! Send all contributions (in WORD format) to Content@ContactCenterWorld.com and we'll publish them in our Heroes & Villains section!