Since we moved here, I noticed that even though I had changed the billing address on my American credit cards, my statements for some of them were consistently too late to be able to pay them on time. I phoned customer service for one of them, MBNA, and after some discussions about possible ways of fixing this, they admitted that they couldn’t help me yet, but the representative encouraged me to check my balance online periodically and at some point in the future, to contact customer service again to see if they could get what I wanted. What I wanted was to get my statement via email (or at least, an email to be sent when the statement was readable), the way I get with my Investment accounts. Since this particular credit card was even connected to my Investment accounts (that’s where the bonuses for using the card go), it seemed possible that maybe they might do this in the near future.
That was 6 months ago or so. After getting my statement for this past month late once more, I decided to give MBNA a call. The service representative had a southern accent. That wasn’t all that surprising. What I wasn’t prepared for was a full dose of unabashed American propaganda:
Me: (after the usual account exchange of security and account number information) Hello, I’ve been continuing to get my statement too late to be able to pay it. I know that I’m in Canada, but is there any way that you could send the statements earlier or send an email notifying me of them?
Service Rep: Oh yeah, we’ve had a lot of trouble recently gettin’ statements to people OUTside the US because of the guv-ment. They now have to check all of these statements.
Me (gasping in astonishment): You’ve got to be kidding.
Service Rep: Oh no, not at all. This is necessary, after what those terrorists did down here. You watch the news, dontcha?
Me: Are you telling me that I have no choice, that this is the US government who are holding up your statements?SR: I told you, to people in other countries, you’ll be gettin’ your statements late from now on. It’s a new procedure. If you want to talk your Senator about this, you can do that, but there’s nothin’ we can do.
Me: Can’t you just send the statements out a little earlier to make up for this?
SR: Sir, we send those statements as soon as we can already. The guv-ment just has to do this to keep us all safe. I’m sure you understand that.
Me: I can’t believe this. No one told me about this months ago. Is there someone else I can talk to about this?
SR: You’re talkin’ to me. Now I suggest you check your statement online, which you can easily do from www…
Me: (breaking in) I do that already, I really just want you to send me the statements earlier or send an email so I’ll know when to check…
SR: We won’t do that. That’s jus’ something we don’t do.
Me: OK, that’s it. I’ve had it. Please cancel the account.
SR: (almost relieved): I’ll be happy to do that, sir.
It didn’t go much longer beyond that. I think at some point I almost heard her mutter something about for’inners.
At any rate, I believe I’ve learned something. The behavior of the Bush Administration is now being imitated everywhere, even by the Private Sector: When you find yourself at odds with your customer/citizenry, blame the idea of Terrorism. The Bush government has literally gotten away with murder and mayhem by using the umbrella explanation of “9/11 Changed Everything”. The rights of Prisoners of War, the right to a Free Press, the privacy of phone conversations, medical records or financial transactions; everything is up for grabs under the “We have to fight the Terrorists.” excuse. I didn’t think I’d be hearing that particular spiel recited to me from a credit card company like MBNA, but I guess this is a game that anyone can play. So, if you get lousy service or a shoddy product from some American company, don’t be surprised if they pull out the ultimate ‘Get out of Jail Free Card’ that has the number 9 and 11 on it.
My head nearly exploded as I read that. Grr!
Unfortunately it’s coming here too. One of my coworkers confided in me that she got really frightened after a CBC documentary on terrorists in Canada. I said a couple of sentences of how it’s anti-Islam propaganda, mixed in with a dose of racism. To no avail. She’s a candidate for receiving Joe Sacco’s Palestine, required reading for anyone who has no idea what the Middle East is up in twitters about.
My head nearly exploded as I read that. Grr!
Unfortunately it’s coming here too. One of my coworkers confided in me that she got really frightened after a CBC documentary on terrorists in Canada. I said a couple of sentences of how it’s anti-Islam propaganda, mixed in with a dose of racism. To no avail. She’s a candidate for receiving Joe Sacco’s Palestine, required reading for anyone who has no idea what the Middle East is up in twitters about.
Everything things a freakin’ conspiracy, a boogie man in every closet.
It’s not like you’re living in a foreign country now, right? I mean, it’s just Canada, you should be able to expect your American accounts to be exactly the same across an international border… here’s a hint goober, get a Canadian credit card and maybe you want find yourself with this problem.
Why don’t you just put a monthly date in Outlook to check your statement online and quit looking for things about which to whine?
Maktaaq — Fortunately I haven’t come up against this kind of thing here yet, but I expect that sooner or later I will. I’m hoping that this doesn’t reach the level of hysteria that it appears to have to the south.
Paul — I’ve got Canadian credit cards, and recently got one in US Dollars here so that I don’t have fees from the currency exchange (which is no small amount). This was one of my last remaining US cards. As for the accounts being exactly the same over the border, that’s just the point: Apparently they are, except for their lack of ability to get me statements in time to pay them.
Thermblog ‑I’ve been doing just that (or something similar; I use iCal) for about a year. The company asked me to return after some period to check, so I was following up.
The post is not whining or conspiracy-mongering, but the fact that the threat of Terrorism can now being used as an umbrella excuse for everything from bad service to essentially passing the buck. Clearly some businesses have reached the point where they do this. Or perhaps they’ve instructed their reps to use it.
I believe that the tree rots from the roots. A rotten government that uses fear to keep the populace in check will result in the same practice in the private sector.
Ah, what we have to look forward to upon gaining our PR status — Dealing with “Customer No Service” back in the States on existing accounts there. Oh, Joy!