RE: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] banks fscking me

["Matt Ross" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Another personal story, I made a $30 miscalculation (forgot to write it in
my check stub).  The result, a $200 check cleared, and one check under $10
cleared with a charge somehow, despite the fact that I had the money to
cover it, I was charged $20, which dropped my account into the negative,
then two more checks totalling about $15 went through, each with $20 charges
each.  I had deposited a check for $400 the day before, but knew better than
to trust them to clear it in time, but I still got charged.  The net result:
If the bank had cleared the $400 in a reasonable amount of time (ie, the
same time they take to clear my checks), then I wouldn't have had a problem,
if the bank hadn't charged me the inexplicable $20, I wouldn't have had a
problem, if the bank had taken as long to clear my check as they do to clear
checks I get, I wouldn't have had a problem.  Instead it was my fault for
miscalculating (ie, because I made the mistake of mentioning that when I met
with them).  The bank manager who I was meeting with told me he'd consider
it a 'learning experience' for me, and waive the fees.  This is how they do
business, in the classical style.  Its never the companies fault, its always
the fault of a stereotyped customer group (teenager in this case), and a
'nice manager' will take care of all our problems, and a neglected sign sits
on the desk saying "the customer is always right".  You can find this method
of doing business in policy books from the early 1800's.

> I do agree with Jonathan that your best chance at getting your money back
> is to talk nicely to the people at the bank.  Make them feel sorry for
> you.  Related example:  I sometimes am assessed a late fee for payment on
> a credit card.  When this happens, I call the customer service line and
> tell them that I'm very sorry that I missed my payment, I give some sort
> of excuse, like I was traveling, etc., then I ask if it would be possible
> to waive the late fee.  They waive it every time.  If they guy on the
> phone didn't like me, he wouldn't have to waive the fee, and he could add
> a note in the record saying some bad thing about my attitude (which might
> make it hard for me to get help from other people).

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