What renewal notice? (365.2.55)
Let me begin by saying this: I worked in customer service for a looooong time. I worked in a call center, I worked on the front lines, I trained people how to deal with guests and I was raised in a family where tourism and hospitality put food on the table. I know first hand how challenging it can be to have low-paid staff working your phones. I could write a book based on customer service situations gone wrong and how to fix them. I’m not sure if knowing all that makes me a better customer or a worse one but I always try to give the staff the benefit of the doubt wherever I go.
Today, on the phone, my patience was tested. For 5 phone calls, 65 minutes and being told 5 different things about my transferring my Texas membership in Giant Unnamed Auto Club to a New England branch, I kept my cool.When they asked for my phone number and put me on hold to call me, I kept my cool. When they told me after 45 minutes that ‘transferring my membership didn’t make any difference anyway," I kept my cool.
But after being told that I’m clearly listed as spouse on the membership and a full member in my own right, do not tell me that you can’t make any changes because I am "just the wife" because THAT will cause me to lose my cool.
The kicker to all this? When I asked to forget the whole transfer and to simply cancel my membership, I couldn’t do it because I’m…(wait for it)...just the wife.
36 comments
Sarah wrote...
I hope you're using that flame to light the stove and cook your man a big steak dinner, missy.
(did I ever tell you about the time Bell South refused to cancel my phone service then tried to guilt me into signing up for a 911 service because wouldn't I be sad if something happened to my children and they died horrible deaths because I was too greedy to pay a nominal fee? flames. flames on the side of my face.)
Lulu C. wrote...
Well, fuck that! I would've burned it, too!
I've worked a lot of customer service jobs, too. I think it makes me a more tolerant customer...to a point. After that, all bets are off!
Brittany wrote...
That's freakin' crazy. I really hope you gave 'em what for!
Lauren wrote...
hooolllly shit I can't even believe you could stand still long enough to take this picture after that. I hope you send them this picture.
roseandpie wrote...
i had the opposite customer service experience today - but only after I copied my 3rd email to the president of the company. surprising how quick a response i got after that. sorry your experience sucked!
Melissa wrote...
I had situations like that when I worked for Random American Cellphone Company, people would call in to make a change to someone´s account, and got really made if they were the spouse but not the actual account holder, so we couldn´t make certain changes, and sometimes no changes at all. There was nothing I could do about it, but I would never say to someone ¨you´re just the wife¨.
Jennifer (Benny) Begley wrote...
That is shitteous. Burn baby, burn. I'd say mail them the photo,but really, why give them any more of your time, or even the 42 cents for postage.
Amanda Woodward wrote...
I really really hope that you email them a copy of this photo. What jerks. Arghhhh!
Brenda in Toronto wrote...
wow. just wow.
concateknit wrote...
Oh my yes, burn, burn, burn.
I liked it when I called Giant Unnamed Auto Club about pre-scheduling a tow for my car and they were all like "Sure. We can do that" and then when I called back to actually schedule the tow, they were like "No. We cannot do that." Then I asked if it would be okay for the tow truck driver to take the car to the dealership and drop it off after hours, and they were all like "Yes. We can do that." Except that when the tow truck driver showed up, he was all like "Oh no. I cannot do that at all."
So. Annoying. Grr.
Anne wrote...
Time for a strongly worded letter (with a copy of this pic, I think). There's just no reason ever ever ever to say something like that.
cauchy09 wrote...
flippin' poopyheads!
Laura Taylor wrote...
That's just amazing. I would be absolutely furious!
Eunice wrote...
Okay, that customer service is just downright rude. and mean. and way outdated.
i think you should just state which company it is (i think i have an idea), just so all women and potential wives can avoid it in the future.
saomai wrote...
ugh saw your tweets about this. ridiculous! just a bunch of asshats working there!
Nancy & Ronan wrote...
sorry C!
Heather wrote...
Seriously??? Fucktards!!
Lisa wrote...
How frustrating!
meg wrote...
dude, f'real? fuck that!!! i would have to tell myself to turn it around and say OK, what if i had put the dude on my account, would he be just the husband.
i'm so appalled. do you think it was about you being the lesser, submissive wife or not being the name the account is under. either way, saying just the wife irks me! grr!! if it's the latter, they could have chosen a better way to say that.
Julie wrote...
DUDE. so much for the cultural progress of the last one hundred years. how utterly, fucking ridiculous!
i second the idea of sending a strongly-worded letter with this photo.
Sharon wrote...
OMG, seriously? People can be such idiots.
So, my story: I'm in the military. I'm the active duty member - NOT my partner. I can't tell you how many times I've had to correct my insurance company on that one. If I go on base to use the commissary or gym, they assume that I'm the dependent and ask to see my dependent's card. Apparently, because I'm female, I must automatically be the dependent wifey. I even had someone ask me if I was picking up my husband's uniform at the dry cleaners. Gah!!! Idiots.
Stephanie Pajonas wrote...
this angers me so much! what the EFF is their problem? they obviously do not deserve your money or patronage.
btw, this sort of thing angers me as much as receiving correspondence from people addressed to "mrs. KP." as if i do not even have my own name?!
Danielle wrote...
Oh yes, the "Mrs. TD" chaps my ass too. I took his last name, but dude, LET ME KEEP MY FIRST NAME!
NotHip wrote...
This sucks!
Yup, I hate that Mrs. Phil shit. I didn't change my name, but at the wedding I heard someone repeatedly calling "Mrs. V....Mrs. V." And I finally turned around wondering where in the world Phil's mom was. It was his uncle who asked, "Am I the first to call you that?" I politely replied that I did not change my last name. I took no offense b/c it is a normal assumption. However, Phil's mom, trying to smooth things over btwn me and this super conservative, Southern Baptist uncle, jumped in and said "But she is still Mrs. Phil V." I quickly interjected "NO, no I'm not."
Erin wrote...
they're evil in other ways, right? I don't remember why, but I've heard there are questionable monetary donations or something?
also: yeah, WTF with "just the wife." or "Mrs. B." Puke.
Bertha Crowley wrote...
AAAsshats.
Vicki wrote...
I went ballistic a few years ago dealing with a credit card company that DH and I held jointly and for which I wrote all the damn checks... I still get steamed about that. Love your little fire!!
Kellee Middlebrooks wrote...
Wow. Just....wow.
Also, great shot.
Astrid wrote...
Bah!
Jody Scofield wrote...
The same thing happened to me with our cable!!! I couldn't do anything because I was "just the wife" We soon after canceled our cable and now enjoy our fiber :) I wish I had something to burn after that too!
Sarah Minshall wrote...
Oh my god! What a bunch of ass faces. I wouldn't have put up with that crap either. Good for you.
pamela wynne wrote...
GO you. I was waiting for a photo like this after your tweets -- how did I miss it?
I recently went into a furniture store w/ a guy friend, and the salesdude completely pretended I wasn't there -- introduced himself, shook hands, made eye contact and a whole sales pitch ... all to my friend. We didn't even speak, just turned and walked out.
Rachel wrote...
Wow. Uncalled for!!
Tess Lee wrote...
What a huge pain!!
susan sobon wrote...
i would put their name on the pic title
i have heard they pay attn and might just catch it and try to make it up to you....ya' never know
that is total crap tho.
wow. that's pretty shitty!!!! i've always had really good luck w/ unnamed auto club (and the canadian version), including being picked up on the side of a highway last summer and towed 100 miles after my car broke down. at least you know you are more than just the wife, and we all do too!