Nope, this is not a rant, and they're not giving me anything to say this...but National City Bank is the best.
I called them this morning to find out how to keep Enterprise Car Rental from getting into my account. Basically, I have to close out my current debit card and be reissued another one. I can live with that, just have to change my online billing information for my home phone company and my cell phone.
They are putting through disputes on the two additional charges from Enterprise due to me not authorizing them. They said it will take their dispute resolution team about 4 days to decide if Enterprise was wrong to take money out of my account. I explained that I had received no notice of the charges nor was I phoned in advance to authorize them. If found to be in my favor, I get that money back plus the overdraft fees. They are also waiving their $8 per day 'continuous overdraft fee' for the trouble (I will get those fees back too).
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Update on insurance and car rental
I'm still in car insurance hell. I FINALLY was able to get somebody on the phone to let me know what was going on. They sent out a packet of documents on the 18th, which will probably show up in my mail box tomorrow (I hope), which I need to sign, and return with the title for my car. The return will be via FedEx 2 day, once they receive the documents, they'll issue me the check. Of course this means I won't have the check until probably next week. I work until 6:30 tomorrow so it won't be until after then before I get the documents, send them back on Wednesday, 2 days is Friday..Christmas Day, no delivery. Next day is Saturday, nobody's there on weekends, it won't be received until Monday, and I probably won't have my check until Wednesday. So 3 weeks after I total my car, I'll finally be able to replace it.
As for Enterprise, I returned the car tonight before they decided to attack my bank account again. They wanted an ADDITIONAL $120 in fees. I fought it, told them they owed me for the overdraft charges on my bank account, we fought it out for a while, them standing behind their farce of a "contract", only pointing out items hidden in fine print after I disputed them. They were willing to cut the fees to $60 as a "sorry we stole your bank account" measure. They kept saying "you didn't read the contract?"...well when you're standing outside in 30 degree weather and it's blizzard conditions....no, I signed where they said and went home. They completely took advantage of my situation and the weather conditions to screw me into a contract that was going to cost me a couple hundred bucks out of pocket. We'll see how long they're willing to wait for their $60, however now that they have my bank card number, I might have to have my bank reissue a new one.
Never rent from Enterprise, you'll get screwed.
As for Enterprise, I returned the car tonight before they decided to attack my bank account again. They wanted an ADDITIONAL $120 in fees. I fought it, told them they owed me for the overdraft charges on my bank account, we fought it out for a while, them standing behind their farce of a "contract", only pointing out items hidden in fine print after I disputed them. They were willing to cut the fees to $60 as a "sorry we stole your bank account" measure. They kept saying "you didn't read the contract?"...well when you're standing outside in 30 degree weather and it's blizzard conditions....no, I signed where they said and went home. They completely took advantage of my situation and the weather conditions to screw me into a contract that was going to cost me a couple hundred bucks out of pocket. We'll see how long they're willing to wait for their $60, however now that they have my bank card number, I might have to have my bank reissue a new one.
Never rent from Enterprise, you'll get screwed.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The joy of snowstorms
The Midwest got hit with a big snowstorm on December 8. Weather reports were saying the worst would fall overnight into Wednesday morning, so I figured I'd be OK going to work on Tuesday. There was already about 3" on the ground and this was the first time I was driving my car on snow. It was also the last. This was the Saturn I got in March from a local church. I was doing OK until I got to where I had to make a left turn onto another street. I started to slow down as I went into the turn lane, but the car kept going. I collided with a Dodge Dakota truck. The Dodge was able to be driven away, but my car had to be towed. The policeman who took the report was nice enough to take me the rest of the way to work, which was closer than going back home. My boss was nice enough to let me use the phone in her office to make my phone calls. My insurance covered a rental, and referred me to Enterprise. Here's where the trouble starts.
First off, it took my insurance a week for my insurance to even look at the car to determine it was totalled. I finally got to talk to them on December 17 to accept the offer. I was supposed to get a call from their total loss department within 24 hours, it's been 48 and no phone call. So it'll be 2 weeks in a few days, and I'm still owning a totalled car.
Now, the rental. Enterprise picked me up from work (since I had no car) to get the rental. They told me I needed a credit card. Since I don't have credit cards, I asked if I could use my Debit, they said sure. They said there was a $50 deposit which would be refunded when I returned the car. I figured that was it. Well, they showed me two different coverage options and had me under the impression I had to pick one, so I picked the cheapest. They never said I could have turned down additional coverage since my insurance company was paying for this. I told them several times that was my debit card, it was coming out of my bank account, and there wouldn't be any money in it until I got paid on Friday. They charged the first deposit on Thursday so it overdrafted. When I checked my account yesterday, I had a balance of $-23 even after my paycheck was direct deposited. When I checked account activity, I saw that Enterprise charged me $50 again on the 14th and on the 17th. When I called them and asked why, they told me then that the initial deposit was only good for 3 days because of the cost of the additional insurance. The guy on the phone said I could go back and sign off on the additional insurance. I was not happy because they had me under the impression it was required. It would have been nice if they would have 1) disclosed at the time of the rental that the deposit would only last 3 days and 2) notified me when there would be additional money taken from my bank account.
I told the guy that with the addition of the overdraft fees they caused ($108) plus their multiple charges for deposits, they got my entire paycheck. I now have no money for food, and no money to put gas back in their car before I return it, which will be another charge. I thought they did not bill additional charges until the car was returned...which they did not disclose either.
This accident has ended up costing me much more than just my car. I'm still going to be without transportation until after the new year at the rate the insurance company is going to settle the claim. If it weren't offered via payroll deduction I'd probably change companies, and definitely NOT renting from Enterprise again.
First off, it took my insurance a week for my insurance to even look at the car to determine it was totalled. I finally got to talk to them on December 17 to accept the offer. I was supposed to get a call from their total loss department within 24 hours, it's been 48 and no phone call. So it'll be 2 weeks in a few days, and I'm still owning a totalled car.
Now, the rental. Enterprise picked me up from work (since I had no car) to get the rental. They told me I needed a credit card. Since I don't have credit cards, I asked if I could use my Debit, they said sure. They said there was a $50 deposit which would be refunded when I returned the car. I figured that was it. Well, they showed me two different coverage options and had me under the impression I had to pick one, so I picked the cheapest. They never said I could have turned down additional coverage since my insurance company was paying for this. I told them several times that was my debit card, it was coming out of my bank account, and there wouldn't be any money in it until I got paid on Friday. They charged the first deposit on Thursday so it overdrafted. When I checked my account yesterday, I had a balance of $-23 even after my paycheck was direct deposited. When I checked account activity, I saw that Enterprise charged me $50 again on the 14th and on the 17th. When I called them and asked why, they told me then that the initial deposit was only good for 3 days because of the cost of the additional insurance. The guy on the phone said I could go back and sign off on the additional insurance. I was not happy because they had me under the impression it was required. It would have been nice if they would have 1) disclosed at the time of the rental that the deposit would only last 3 days and 2) notified me when there would be additional money taken from my bank account.
I told the guy that with the addition of the overdraft fees they caused ($108) plus their multiple charges for deposits, they got my entire paycheck. I now have no money for food, and no money to put gas back in their car before I return it, which will be another charge. I thought they did not bill additional charges until the car was returned...which they did not disclose either.
This accident has ended up costing me much more than just my car. I'm still going to be without transportation until after the new year at the rate the insurance company is going to settle the claim. If it weren't offered via payroll deduction I'd probably change companies, and definitely NOT renting from Enterprise again.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Customer Service
Actually, this isn't a complaint about bad customer service I have received...but it's about....bad customers!
The last few days at work, I've seemed to get the real doozies of customers to deal with. Every one assumed "customer service" meant that I can move the moon if they snap their fingers. Wrongo! Here's some tips to ensure you do receive what truly is good 'customer service'.
1. Make sure the service you are expecting is offered. One of my problem customers seems to think that the checkouts double as bank. Sorry, but they don't. We can't give you your change in specifically split up denominations. If your change is $20, you get a $20 bill. Sometimes we may be able to split it into 2 $10's, but not all the time. That's what a bank is for. There's been too many problems with "quick change artists" that many retail establishments will not allow the clerks to break up change for anybody. Yes, we CAN do it, but many times, it's against policy. Just like you wouldn't go to the deli to order a birthday cake, you shouldn't do your banking at the checkout.
2. Don't be a chronic complainer. That only serves to give you a reputation and nobody will want to wait on you. We have a regular customer that we've dubbed "Godzilla" because that's what she acts like when she's in the store. Nobody wants to wait on her because no matter what we do, it's just not good enough and she complains. After a while, nobody even pays attention to the complaints so when there's a legitimate issue, nothing will be done because "oh, it's the complainer again". Hold your complaining until there's something worth complaining about. If you don't like the clerk's hair color or makeup, keep it to yourself.
3. Don't be pushy. It's 2009, you will have to wait in line. Try to be patient, and if there's more than one checkout, feel free to use another one. Today I was waiting on a customer and it was taking a while since he was renting a carpet cleaner. There were about 5 regular checkouts open other than the camera counter. The next customer started complaining about having to wait in line. Seriously, the louder somebody complains about having to wait, the longer they'll be made to wait.
4. Store policy is not the employee's fault. Also, if you had one employee who did not follow policy, don't expect that every employee will do the same. There's a reason that some products are either locked up or sold at a special counter. If it were OK for customers to walk around the store with expensive or high theft items, they wouldn't be locked up. Just because one clerk said it was OK to take cigarettes with you around the store, doesn't mean all of them will.
5. Don't be upset when you're not the first priority. When you're checking out somewhere other than the regular checkouts, you may NOT be the priority customer. My store has a camera counter that also has registers. It's not a full service checkout, yet we do get a lot of people who think it is (refer to point 1 above). Firstly, it IS a camera counter and priority will go to customers who have photos on order. If there are no photo orders, then we'll deal with checking out.
Remember, the clerks are people just like you, please treat them with respect. They're expected to do a lot for the little pay they get and they deserve your respect.
The last few days at work, I've seemed to get the real doozies of customers to deal with. Every one assumed "customer service" meant that I can move the moon if they snap their fingers. Wrongo! Here's some tips to ensure you do receive what truly is good 'customer service'.
1. Make sure the service you are expecting is offered. One of my problem customers seems to think that the checkouts double as bank. Sorry, but they don't. We can't give you your change in specifically split up denominations. If your change is $20, you get a $20 bill. Sometimes we may be able to split it into 2 $10's, but not all the time. That's what a bank is for. There's been too many problems with "quick change artists" that many retail establishments will not allow the clerks to break up change for anybody. Yes, we CAN do it, but many times, it's against policy. Just like you wouldn't go to the deli to order a birthday cake, you shouldn't do your banking at the checkout.
2. Don't be a chronic complainer. That only serves to give you a reputation and nobody will want to wait on you. We have a regular customer that we've dubbed "Godzilla" because that's what she acts like when she's in the store. Nobody wants to wait on her because no matter what we do, it's just not good enough and she complains. After a while, nobody even pays attention to the complaints so when there's a legitimate issue, nothing will be done because "oh, it's the complainer again". Hold your complaining until there's something worth complaining about. If you don't like the clerk's hair color or makeup, keep it to yourself.
3. Don't be pushy. It's 2009, you will have to wait in line. Try to be patient, and if there's more than one checkout, feel free to use another one. Today I was waiting on a customer and it was taking a while since he was renting a carpet cleaner. There were about 5 regular checkouts open other than the camera counter. The next customer started complaining about having to wait in line. Seriously, the louder somebody complains about having to wait, the longer they'll be made to wait.
4. Store policy is not the employee's fault. Also, if you had one employee who did not follow policy, don't expect that every employee will do the same. There's a reason that some products are either locked up or sold at a special counter. If it were OK for customers to walk around the store with expensive or high theft items, they wouldn't be locked up. Just because one clerk said it was OK to take cigarettes with you around the store, doesn't mean all of them will.
5. Don't be upset when you're not the first priority. When you're checking out somewhere other than the regular checkouts, you may NOT be the priority customer. My store has a camera counter that also has registers. It's not a full service checkout, yet we do get a lot of people who think it is (refer to point 1 above). Firstly, it IS a camera counter and priority will go to customers who have photos on order. If there are no photo orders, then we'll deal with checking out.
Remember, the clerks are people just like you, please treat them with respect. They're expected to do a lot for the little pay they get and they deserve your respect.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Happy Halloween!
This is actually a non-venting post (so far, I haven't been to work yet..."What do you mean you're out of candy? It's Halloween!"), but I wanted to say "Happy Halloween" and ask if anybody was dressing this year and as what? Send pictures and I'll post the good ones. :)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Things to consider when you're at the drug store
A lot of people know that I work for a drug store chain. On a daily basis I get asked questions that either I can't answer, or the answer is so obvious I really just want to roll my eyes and walk away.
So....I present you a list of the most common questions/comments I get, and what I'm really thinmking (and it's quite possible this applies to every retail employee in every retail store).
"Oprah said this product is good for my illness"....Um, is Oprah your personal physician? I doubt it, so please don't take her word as fact. What works for Oprah (or any other celebrity) won't necessarily work for you. This goes the same for stuff you read in the newspaper (gotta love Dr. Gott) or in magazines. ALWAYS before trying something new, talk to your doctor first to make sure you actually NEED it, and that it won't interract with something you're already taking.
"Do you have any of this in the back?" ... never We don't have a back room big enough to have the entire store in back stock. Actually, stores keep very little backstock because it's a money loss to have it sit in storage. Unless it's a popular selling item, chances are pretty good that we will not have it. Also, the fact that we ordered it doesn't guarantee that we'll get it in. Any store's stock is dependent on a central warehouse, that may service hundreds of stores so it's very possible that even they will run out of an item if it becomes quickly popular.
"Can I have a raincheck?" ... most of the time, yes however a raincheck is only in case we're out of stock on a sale item. A lot of people ask for raincheck because we're out of the product they have a 25 cent off coupon for. Also, it's useless to get a raincheck on seasonal items, or items that are not sold in all locations. If the tiem never comes in, it's a wasted raincheck. Also, rainchecks do have restrictions. We don't really believe that you really need to have 20 bottles of ibuprofen for a dollar each, that's just being greedy (and we never order that large a quantity without a special order). Also, they do expire so don't get mad at us because you forgot about your raincheck and never got to use it.
"What should I take for.....(insert malady here)?" This is a question that really should be asked of a doctor or pharmacist. When I tell people this, they reply "oh they're busy", or "I dont' want to bother them"...well you need to bother them, because asking medical advice from the high school kid who's stocking cold medicine is just plain stupid. Floor people have no medical training and are not qualified to give medical advice, that's why we have a pharmacy. There are things to consider, such as the age of the patient, weight, other medications being taken, etc. that the stock clerk won't know. It's a HUGE liability on the store to have a sales clerk give out medical advice. Chances are pretty good you'll get the wrong information and it could be lethal. Best to get medical advice (and this includes what vitamin to take, what pain killer is better, even down to what to use for poison ivy) from a medical professional.
"Why haven't you gotten this in?" or "When will you get this in?" We really have no idea, but most of the time I'll make something up that sounds believable. We're told so little at store level, we're lucky we know the phone number and hours of operation! We know when our scheduled delivery days are, but we won't know what's in the delivery until it's delivered. So basically, we'll get it when we get it. As for why not, "manufacturer issues". ;)
So....I present you a list of the most common questions/comments I get, and what I'm really thinmking (and it's quite possible this applies to every retail employee in every retail store).
"Oprah said this product is good for my illness"....Um, is Oprah your personal physician? I doubt it, so please don't take her word as fact. What works for Oprah (or any other celebrity) won't necessarily work for you. This goes the same for stuff you read in the newspaper (gotta love Dr. Gott) or in magazines. ALWAYS before trying something new, talk to your doctor first to make sure you actually NEED it, and that it won't interract with something you're already taking.
"Do you have any of this in the back?" ... never We don't have a back room big enough to have the entire store in back stock. Actually, stores keep very little backstock because it's a money loss to have it sit in storage. Unless it's a popular selling item, chances are pretty good that we will not have it. Also, the fact that we ordered it doesn't guarantee that we'll get it in. Any store's stock is dependent on a central warehouse, that may service hundreds of stores so it's very possible that even they will run out of an item if it becomes quickly popular.
"Can I have a raincheck?" ... most of the time, yes however a raincheck is only in case we're out of stock on a sale item. A lot of people ask for raincheck because we're out of the product they have a 25 cent off coupon for. Also, it's useless to get a raincheck on seasonal items, or items that are not sold in all locations. If the tiem never comes in, it's a wasted raincheck. Also, rainchecks do have restrictions. We don't really believe that you really need to have 20 bottles of ibuprofen for a dollar each, that's just being greedy (and we never order that large a quantity without a special order). Also, they do expire so don't get mad at us because you forgot about your raincheck and never got to use it.
"What should I take for.....(insert malady here)?" This is a question that really should be asked of a doctor or pharmacist. When I tell people this, they reply "oh they're busy", or "I dont' want to bother them"...well you need to bother them, because asking medical advice from the high school kid who's stocking cold medicine is just plain stupid. Floor people have no medical training and are not qualified to give medical advice, that's why we have a pharmacy. There are things to consider, such as the age of the patient, weight, other medications being taken, etc. that the stock clerk won't know. It's a HUGE liability on the store to have a sales clerk give out medical advice. Chances are pretty good you'll get the wrong information and it could be lethal. Best to get medical advice (and this includes what vitamin to take, what pain killer is better, even down to what to use for poison ivy) from a medical professional.
"Why haven't you gotten this in?" or "When will you get this in?" We really have no idea, but most of the time I'll make something up that sounds believable. We're told so little at store level, we're lucky we know the phone number and hours of operation! We know when our scheduled delivery days are, but we won't know what's in the delivery until it's delivered. So basically, we'll get it when we get it. As for why not, "manufacturer issues". ;)
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