Another Company That Doesn't Care
UPDATE: A young lady from Circuit City called me today to first apologize for the bad service, and second to get more details as to how my shopping experience should be improved. A ray of light.
I still have not heard a word from Mr. Phil Schoonover or Circuit City so I would imagine they just don't care. Big surprise there. At that rate, they will be filing for bankruptcy within the year. I know Circuit City personnel have read my blog because my site couter saw them on the entry for 16 minutes. So the fact they have not responded is not very customer saavy.
Last Saturday, I went to cash my second job paycheck for $76 and change at PNC Bank (the bank the check was written on) in Woodbridge. I walked into the bank, signed the paycheck, provided my two forms of out of state identification and asked them to cash my check. I would have deposited the check in my bank, but there aren't any within 700 miles of here.
After the teller begins processing the check, he looks at me and informs me there will be a $5 charge to cash the check since I do not have an account.
"WHAT?! The check is written on YOUR bank and it states 'Pay to the order of' on the check! You telling me you want me to PAY you to cash YOUR check in YOUR bank?" At this point, I have the bank manager's ear.
The bank manager comes over and doesn't say a word. I look at her and ask her if this is true. She indicates it is.
"I see. Very well, understand that I am not a person to take something like this sitting down, no matter how menial the issue may be. If you ever WANTED me to open an account, it will never happen. For that matter, I will tell everyone I know to avoid PNC Bank."
The bank manager just looks at me.
He cashes my check and hands me my $71. I continue to wait. "May I have a receipt for my $5?"
"We do not do receipts sir."
"You have GOT to be kidding me." I am beyond frustrated. I yell over to the manager that has now gone back to her desk. "I would like a receipt for my $5 you charged me for cashing a PNC Bank check in the PNC Bank."
"Have the teller provide you one." she responds.
"I would, but the teller just told me that you don't have reciepts. Maybe you should show the teller how to make a receipt."
I know I was being belligerent, but I am sick and tired of the customer getting the shaft. These banks make more than enough money from overdrafts fees, checking account fees, penalties, using our money for investments and so forth. So when they want to charge a person five dollars to cash a check their bank made, it really upsets me. What happens to all of those people that use this check as their primary source of income? What if they cannot afford to open a bank account...or simply can't control themselves enough to have a bank account?
I realize I don't need the five dollars nearly as much as other people, but the fact that the bank just took 6.5% of my paycheck pisses me off. Someone needs to make an alternative. Someone needs to make a bank that works like it did in the old days.
This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). I have written two criticizing blogs in the past month about customer service or services. Maybe I should just create a site that is a sounding board for everyone about the customer service and support of every company out there. I don't think anyone has started anything like this yet so this should be fun. The first two entries will be Circuit City and PNC Bank.
Maybe if this get big enough, the company executives will use it to actually direct their company in the right direction.
Did you know...
Reducing customer defections can boost profits by 25-85%. In 73% of cases, the organization made no attempt to persuade dissatisfied customers to stay; even though 35% said that a simple apology would have prevented them from moving to the competition.
I still have not heard a word from Mr. Phil Schoonover or Circuit City so I would imagine they just don't care. Big surprise there. At that rate, they will be filing for bankruptcy within the year. I know Circuit City personnel have read my blog because my site couter saw them on the entry for 16 minutes. So the fact they have not responded is not very customer saavy.
Last Saturday, I went to cash my second job paycheck for $76 and change at PNC Bank (the bank the check was written on) in Woodbridge. I walked into the bank, signed the paycheck, provided my two forms of out of state identification and asked them to cash my check. I would have deposited the check in my bank, but there aren't any within 700 miles of here.
After the teller begins processing the check, he looks at me and informs me there will be a $5 charge to cash the check since I do not have an account.
"WHAT?! The check is written on YOUR bank and it states 'Pay to the order of' on the check! You telling me you want me to PAY you to cash YOUR check in YOUR bank?" At this point, I have the bank manager's ear.
The bank manager comes over and doesn't say a word. I look at her and ask her if this is true. She indicates it is.
"I see. Very well, understand that I am not a person to take something like this sitting down, no matter how menial the issue may be. If you ever WANTED me to open an account, it will never happen. For that matter, I will tell everyone I know to avoid PNC Bank."
The bank manager just looks at me.
He cashes my check and hands me my $71. I continue to wait. "May I have a receipt for my $5?"
"We do not do receipts sir."
"You have GOT to be kidding me." I am beyond frustrated. I yell over to the manager that has now gone back to her desk. "I would like a receipt for my $5 you charged me for cashing a PNC Bank check in the PNC Bank."
"Have the teller provide you one." she responds.
"I would, but the teller just told me that you don't have reciepts. Maybe you should show the teller how to make a receipt."
I know I was being belligerent, but I am sick and tired of the customer getting the shaft. These banks make more than enough money from overdrafts fees, checking account fees, penalties, using our money for investments and so forth. So when they want to charge a person five dollars to cash a check their bank made, it really upsets me. What happens to all of those people that use this check as their primary source of income? What if they cannot afford to open a bank account...or simply can't control themselves enough to have a bank account?
I realize I don't need the five dollars nearly as much as other people, but the fact that the bank just took 6.5% of my paycheck pisses me off. Someone needs to make an alternative. Someone needs to make a bank that works like it did in the old days.
This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). I have written two criticizing blogs in the past month about customer service or services. Maybe I should just create a site that is a sounding board for everyone about the customer service and support of every company out there. I don't think anyone has started anything like this yet so this should be fun. The first two entries will be Circuit City and PNC Bank.
Maybe if this get big enough, the company executives will use it to actually direct their company in the right direction.
Did you know...
Reducing customer defections can boost profits by 25-85%. In 73% of cases, the organization made no attempt to persuade dissatisfied customers to stay; even though 35% said that a simple apology would have prevented them from moving to the competition.
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