March 08, 2013

Fragging In Frustration

Mommy's IdeaIt's Friday and that means it's time once again for Friday Fragments with Mrs. 4444 over at Half-Past Kissin' Time.  Yea!  My brain is in need of a good defragging right about now.  Or maybe I could just use a glass of wine.  Yeah, that would work, too.


glitter-graphics.com

I hate despise loathe having to call any business's customer service department...usually that loathing is not misplaced.  Today was not an exception.  Let me try to make a long story short(ish):

Quite a few years ago, when we were young and had some financial reversals, we fell into the trap that so many of our generation did.  The refinanced loan.  We would find ourselves having trouble making payments and would go to talk to the lender.  This happened three times, I believe, and each time the lender's solution was to refinance the loan.  Not wanting to default, we went along and it bought us time.  By the time Tim landed his present job and our financial outlook improved greatly, we were so far behind on the loan that there was no way we could get out from under it.  We could afford the payments, but not to catch it up to date.  We finally had no choice to save our home and our vehicles but to enter chapter 13 bankruptcy.  That is the type where you pay back the debt.  The court put us on a payment schedule and the money was automatically withdrawn from Tim's paychecks.  It took 5 years, but we paid off all of our debts.  The court released us and even gave us a commendation because so few people actually finish this type of bankruptcy.

We expected to hear from the lender....they hold our deed, after all.  Months went by and nothing.  I finally did an internet search to find a phone number to contact them.  Oh, they said, it wasn't completely paid off (a relatively small amount remained), but it was nothing to worry about because we were paid ahead by 2 years!!  We'd hear from them when that time came.  Fast forward 2 years.  Nothing.  So, I called the lender again.  Oh, they said, they'd been sold and everything was being reorganized and no one was handling the account.  Once it had been assigned we'd hear from someone.  Forward another year (this year) and a letter arrives in the mail saying the loan is delinquent and in collections.  EXCUUUUUUUSE ME??

It took me 3 different toll-free numbers and 5 customer service representatives, 4 of whom spoke with heavy accents (please don't think I'm prejudiced, but I do think if your job is talking to customers on the phone the customer should at least be able to understand you) to find out that even though the court says we finished our bankruptcy and it's been dismissed....the lender doesn't.  No amount of arguing with the "supervisor" could get that through.  Their system has the account marked as being in bankruptcy and so it shall remain.  After a whole lot more semi-yelling on my part I at least have it figured out that the balance is just sitting, not adding interest and it will be okay if we make payments in whatever amount at whatever time and when it's paid off we'll finally get our deed.  So they say.  I am not sure anyone in that company has a clue what's going on.


source
I just want to bang my head off the wall or something.  Tim has been warned if there is ever any need to speak to those people again....HE'S DOING IT!





glitter-graphics.com



Daisy has started to get brave when she is outside.  Meaning she sticks close unless something catches her attention and then she's gone.  I had already bought her one of those flashing red lights to hang off her collar so I can see her in the dark, but it looks like she's going to have to be on a leash.  The other day she took off in all the snow and I couldn't find her.  She was down by the road, happily splashing in the puddles created by the melting snow.  And then she took off after a Buick.  Love my girl, but she is sooooo NAUGHTY!





glitter-graphics.com

So many times this week I thought, "I'll share this in Friday Fragments."  And here I am....unable to think of any of them.  I am going to have to start keeping a list to offset the senility.  LOL  Oh well, being Friday also means that I have to go back to work early.  You all take care and have a great weekend!  I'm going to try and get a  Saturday Share post up tomorrow if you need anything to browse through over the weekend.

11 comments:

Joyce said...

Sounds super frustrating and annoying. I would be handing the phone to my hubs for sure!

I hope you have a nice weekend! I've started adding random fragments to the notes app on my phone during the week. Otherwise I can't remember any of it either.

Tracy said...

I start writing my post on Monday so I won't forget stuff. Of course I still do though.

LuAnn said...

I am there too. Like Tracy's idea

Tami said...

Oh my!! I don't think I'd be able to keep my cool 'discussing' it on the phone.
I am glad for the tip though. We were thinking of refinancing because it has been a struggle to keep up. I suppose it will be better to cut back other things instead.
Happy Weekend!

Stacy Uncorked said...

Customer service just isn't like it used to be - hopefully you end up with your deed when it's all said and done. How frustrating!

Sounds like Daisy is going to need a leash - chasing after a Buick? Scary.

I keep thinking up great blog ideas, but forgetting them when it comes time to actually put them to words. I really need to start writing stuff down so I don't forget. Especially since I tend to get distracted easily. ;)

Another Winter Storm Dud and some Funnies

Judy said...

Oh man, Stacy! FRUSTRATING! Working in a law firm, I am inclined in those situations to have "my attorney" write a nice letter. Seriously, people . . . communicate!!!!!!

Jen said...

Oh yes, I keep a little spiral notebook in my purse, cause my brain is like a sieve! Also my dog is Daisy too! She's a cutie pie, but she's kinda little and we have about 10 inches of snow on the ground, so she's decided she's not housebroken anymore. She's a wackadoodle!
Visiting from FF

Kay said...

Oh my goodness, my poodle growing up did that exact thing. We would be playing happily and suddenly the dog would bolt!! He was crazy fast too.

I would love for all customer service jobs to come back stateside so we could understand what people are saying. If the business is done in English, then English it should be.

That happens to me every week!!! I forget everything that I thought would be so much fun to share :-(

Anonymous said...
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Barb said...

That customer service experience had to be super-frustrating. I can't even imagine, and then the whole situation on top of that.

Daisy may be naughty, but she's awfully cute!

Keetha Broyles said...


I too have had very frustrating experiences trying to talk to customer service reps on the phone who can't speak English. Makes me think of the "Peggy" commercials every stinkin' time.

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