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Various Encounters

Over there years, I have worked several different types of accounts for multiple companies. I feel the pain for people who are still in the industry, as I eventually couldn’t take it anymore. I have included a few of my most memorable moments over the years.

While working customer service line for a major northern bank (US), our agents were constantly getting calls from the local branches for people to get refunds on their overdraft fees. Several times, the people would call from the branch’s customer service desk to try to get the fees waived. Come to find out the branches did this for two reasons: they didn’t want to lose bonuses, and they wanted to shift the blame. Now the branches knew that the customer service line was directed to deny any and all requests along these lines unless it was bank error, yet they would promise the people refunds if they called. Way to back up your employees there. Fun part was were allowed to tell the branch employees “no” as well. Also had a man overdraw his account by $250,000. Believe it or not, this was one of the kindest customers, as he knew what he had done by accident, his only request was to speed up having the item bounced, so he could make good on the payment.

Working for a large governmental program for health insurance always had its moments. I still remember the Dr. that called about his wife’s program. You see he had requested her coverage be made retroactive for some reason I can no longer remember. Notes indicated he was told that this would mean payment would be due if approved. Miraculously, the request was actually honored. Of course, that triggered the payment part for several months of back premiums. For some reason he didn’t think he should have to pay for those months he had specifically requested, so he wanted the request cancelled. Unfortunately, Sir, you got exactly what you initially requested, and we do not reconsider request of this nature.

Same government program based assistance on self-reported income, but if their was a difference between what you reported and what you had historically filed taxes on, you had to submit proof. This was one of the major call drives outside of the yearly application period, as people tended to completely make up income numbers to get larger amounts of assistance. Now, the eligibility results for assistance, included the income reported. Cue confused caller. Seems she had reported an annual income of $25000, and the system had triggered her having to send in documentation matching said income. Caller states she had sent income documentation multiple times and been told it was insufficient. Okay. What type of income level was submitted? Right, -$495k. She just couldn’t grasp how that documentation wouldn’t clear up her mismatch. Unfortunately, you have to submit documentation that matches what you put on assistance application, or change the application itself.

A major federal health insurance program:

Man wanted the insurance to pay for his air conditioner because it was hot in his city. Sorry, sir, that is not a valid medical device, and the program doesn’t cover all medical devices.

Lady wanted to find out what she would have to do to use her boyfriends entitlement for herself. For this particular program, spouses can use credits for each other. Keyword being spouses, not boyfriends, not girlfriends, not roomies. Spouses. After probably 20 minutes she finally asked the fateful question “What do I need to do, then?”

“Well, according to to this you need to actually get married.”

“But, but, our state allows benefits for non-married couples.”

“This is not a state based program.”

She left screaming about how she shouldn’t have to get married to the man she had been with for 11 years just to get his benefits.

God, I am so glad I walked way from those jobs.

submitted by /u/nealsimmons
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I’m an idiot and should just *know* when a client has spelled their own name wrong.

Sometimes, the callers break your heart…