what ever happened to customer service?

Note: ranting post

I always pay my bills on time, albeit not always in full. I hate late charges; they are so disproportionately high even when you miss just a day! Imagine my frustration when someone from collections (in a very informal tone) informed me that I missed a due date. Don’t you just hate it when you have to pay an unnecessary fee?

I enrolled my two cards from CTB (the card company) to an e-billing statement (as part of my effort not to contribute to the degradation of the forest). Besides, Internet is faster and more convenient (checking reward points, changing cash advance pins, paying bills). Since September, I haven’t been receiving bills in my mail. With this card, I tried checking it on the quick balance inquiry on CTB’s site, but it kept telling me that I was entering the wrong info until it was totally blocked. Apparently, CTB increased my credit limit! How would I know that? Again, I wasn’t informed. Yeah, I could have called CTB’s hotline, but sometimes, you’re just too busy to wait in the queue.

So, I told this guy of what happened and that I won’t be able to pay it that day (he called after banking hours). He told me the late charge would be waived if I pay tomorrow. That calmed me. I called the hotline to make sure that it would be waived, and wow, they have different opinions. I kept on explaining to the CSR that I never missed a date, that I did not receive the bill, and that I would pay tomorrow. As if dismissing the chance of waiving that fee, she told me that even if I do pay, it would still be charged. Whattt?!? What about what the guy said? I was trying to clarify it when she raised her voice and repeated her sentences. I told her, also in a raised tone, and this time, in English, “that’s what I’m gonna say, but YOU CUT ME SHORT!” She said sorry, now in a softer voice, and told me that she would just monitor my account and waive the fee. Finally. Still not wanting to completely surrender to our word-war battle, she interjected, “I’d do that so that you won’t have to call again and again.” I won’t back down, “I wouldn’t have called if you and your company were doing things right.” Then, I requested tons of things for her to do with my two cards, asked her name, and hung up. That’s what she gets.