topic Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH in Community Spirit

POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

newstart2380 — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:15:11 GMT

Reported in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle:

Be sure and cancel your credit cards before you die!
And so easy to see happening - customer service, being what it is today!

A lady died this last September, and MBNA bank billed her in
October and November for their annual service charges on her credit card,
and then in December added late fees and interest on the monthly charge.

The balance that had been £0.00, now is somewhere around £60.00.

A family member rang MBNA:

Family Member:

'I am calling to tell you that my grandmother died in
September.'

MBNA:
'But the account was never closed and so the late fees and charges still
apply..'

Family Member:

'Maybe, you should turn it over to your collections section.'

MBNA:
‘Since it is two months over due, it already has been.'

Family Member:

‘So, what will they do when they find out she is dead?'

MBNA:
'Either report her account to the Frauds Department or report her to The
Credit bureau, maybe both!'

Family Member:

'Do you think God will be upset with her?'

MBNA:
'Excuse me?'

Family Member:

'Did you just get what I was telling you . . The part about her
being dead?'

MBNA:
'Sir, you'll have to speak to my supervisor.'

Supervisor gets on the phone:

Family Member:

'I'm phoning to tell you, she died in September.'

MBNA:
'But the account was never closed and the late fees and charges still
apply.'

Family Member:

'You mean you want to collect from her estate?'

MBNA:
(Stammer) 'Are you her solicitor?'

Family Member:

'No, I'm her grandson'

MBNA:
'Could you fax us a death certificate?'

Family Member:

'No problem..'

(fax number is given )

After they get the fax:

MBNA:
'Our system just isn't set up for death. I don't know what more I can do
to help.'

Family Member:

'Well, if you sort it out, great! If not, you could just keep billing her. I don't think she will care.'

MBNA:
'Well, the late fees and charges will still apply.'

Family Member:

‘Would you like her new billing address?'

MBNA:
'That would help.'

Family Member:

' Plot 1049.' Heaton Cemetery, Heaton Road , Newcastle upon Tyne

MBNA:
'But, that's a cemetery!'

Family Member:

'Well, WTF do you do with dead people on your planet?'

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

the_great_she_elephant — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:44:22 GMT

"/>

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

judyztreasurez — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:46:29 GMT

:^O:^O:^O

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

freakiness — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:54:34 GMT

:^O:^O:^O

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

icyfroth — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:56:15 GMT

Yeah but can't the CC company sue the estate?

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

judyztreasurez — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:00:44 GMT

Yes, they can Icy. I was just hoping that it had all been finalised and too late for them but in the real world they would just put a claim in to the estate. Greedy!!!!

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

katydidthat — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:25:50 GMT

Funny, NS, but not too far away from reality.

I went to the UK to oversee my Dad being placed in care as he had Alzheimer's disease. He was put in the local hospital while a permanent position was found for him in a nursing home.

Meanwhile, I was living at his house. I went through his bills and found that he was still being charged for Meals on Wheels ... the over-arching organisation knew that he had been admitted to hospital ... I rang up and explained that Dad had been in hospital for the last six weeks and had not been receiving MoW ... they said that they were unaware of Dad's circumstances ... I found this difficult to deal with as they had detailed meals that Dad was supposed to have received on different days ... when he wasn't at home ...

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

icyfroth — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:32:43 GMT

Someone rorting the system katy 😞

goes to show how vulnerable the old people living on their own are.

(Sorry to gloom up your thread, news.)

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

patchoo78 — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:33:08 GMT

Couldn't they just pay the 60 pounds and then cancel the card?

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

katydidthat — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:36:46 GMT

Thanks, Icy ... and there is more to it ... which I will elaborate on if asked 🙂

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

lionrose.7 — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 08:42:55 GMT

I had the same problem with Telstra and energex, told them my husband had died and they said they could not talk to me because the account was in my husbands name.

My friend who was with me grabbed the phone off me, because I was losing it big time.

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

the_great_she_elephant — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 09:03:34 GMT

A short while after my mum died their bank sent out new Visa cards - in separate envelopes - one for her and one for my dad. Because he knew what was in her envelope, Dad simply wrote on it 'Customer Deceased Return To Sender' and put it back in the mail box. A couple of months later two advertising flyers arrived from the same bank - again in separate envelopes, one addressed to him, the other addressed to THE DECEASED CUSTOMER.

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

katydidthat — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 09:10:18 GMT

You'd think that Customer Relations, or Customer Service would have a clue ... wouldn't you?

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

icyfroth — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 09:46:07 GMT

Life After Death

"Do you believe in life after death?" the boss asked one of his employees.

"Yes, Sir." the new recruit replied.

"Well, then, that makes everything just fine," the boss went on. "After you left early yesterday to go to your grandmother's funeral, she stopped in to see you."

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

viewmont1071 — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 10:43:31 GMT

My grandmother got called for jury duty twice at age 94 she died in March.. she was called in April and then fined for not attending.

It was sorted out, a death certificate faxed and apologies provided. She was selected for jury duty again in September... and surprisingly.. did not attend again 😐 and was duly fined in October

... The sherriff.. finally lobbed about March the next year at my mums house... Mum said that "she had moved" and he followed Mum and I around in the car to Grandmas new address

....the local cemetary...

crikey she gave it to him at the gates after producing the paperwork from the first incident..

I can't imagine why they would request a live person to be a jury person at age 94.. let alone a dead 94 year old..

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

freakiness — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 11:05:39 GMT

Life After Death

"Do you believe in life after death?" the boss asked one of his employees.

"Yes, Sir." the new recruit replied.

"Well, then, that makes everything just fine," the boss went on. "After you left early yesterday to go to your grandmother's funeral, she stopped in to see you."

:^O:^O:^O

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

freakiness — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 11:06:51 GMT

....the local cemetary...

crikey she gave it to him at the gates after producing the paperwork from the first incident..

I can't imagine why they would request a live person to be a jury person at age 94.. let alone a dead 94 year old..

You've got to wonder how some people get jobs and keep them :^O

Re: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE EVEN AFTER DEATH

mum*of*goldens — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 23:27:03 GMT

This topic has certainly been around before, I thought it was familiar. Still a funny though and certainly true of bureaucracy gone wrong.

http://www.snopes.com/business/bank/deadcard.asp

http://blog.beliefnet.com/watchwomanonthewall/2011/11/hum%E2%98%BAr-or-not-cancel-your-credit-card-before-you-die.html

http://www.noelgallagher.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1606