Last year when I ordered the 2011
ASE 5 coin set, some of you will probably remember the hassles they gave me when they verified and then cancelled my order.
Today in my email I got a message saying they had cancelled my order for 5 sets of 2012 ASEs!
I was prepared having gone through their entire system last year and their "customer service" buffer zones that actually are little more than appeasement centers with trained-response employees who WILL tell you half truths (proven last year).
Sure enough when I called CS, Theresa answered, asked for my order number, related it was a cancelled order of 5 sets of 2012 ASEs, and said it was cancelled b/c the credit card was invalid.
I told her I had a new card and over a month ago had changed the account online through the mint website. Theresa told me that even though this was done, I also should have called them to verify the process was done (that's it - shift the blame to the customer)!
I asked why I would need to verify the new CC since the website had said everything was OK? I then asked her if she wanted a screenshot showing this.
She gave no response to this question, but instead just asked for the new CC number, saying she could reinstate my order.
When she got the number, she had me wait and then proceeded to tell me that the card would not go through. I told her there was no reason for this since it is a good card!
I related to her the fiasco with last year's 2011
ASE 25th Anniversary sets including the 20 calls I made to different levels of their system - all the way to the top - and how I was eventually told by their own rep that in actuality they were just putting me off until all the 2011 sets were shipped so they would not have to bother working out my problem.
Theresa said she would try the card again. After a wait she told me that the card went through but she could not reinstate the order and had to transfer me to HQ. I told her I know HQ is simply another name for the next buffer zone CS department from last year. She transferred me.
(I was nice enough to NOT ask her why she did not tell me that she could not reinstate the order from the start?)
I opened the conversation with HQ by relaying to them I knew how they worked from my calls last year and related what I was told by their rep last year concerning the computer canceling my verified order.
I told him about the new CC that was already verified by the website, and he too said I should have called them to verify this! I asked him why I would need to call to verify since the website said everything was OK? I also told them they need to get a competent computer system programmer so this will not continue to happen. He assured me they were working on getting a new system for next year.
I told him that this was exactly what I was told last year and it obviously was not true back then. So I wonder how true that is for this year?
I then asked him why Theresa had to transfer me to this second level of CS called HQ? His answer was b/c the CS you were at cannot handle this situation.
(note no answer given)
I bit my tongue and did not say he had just told me nothing but I did ask why CS could not handle it since Theresa said she could reinstate the order if I would verify the CC number with her?
He said that when CS found out my order was for these 2012 sets she had to transfer me since the sets are discontinued.
Good story! Theresa 's first question was my order number and she used it to verify to me the contents of my order! This happened BEFORE she asked me for the new card number! If what he said was true, she would have immediately transferred me before trying to run the card!
I reiterated him I am well aware of how their system works having had 20 calls last year to various people and going even to the level above him.
He asked me for the new CC number, and told me he could re-instate the order.
I asked him to tell me if they were shipping out returned sets. He hesitated a little and said that they have had a lot of returned sets.
(note no answer again!)
Noticing he did not answer the question again, I asked specifically if when I got my sets I would open them and find they had spotted coins, etc. and that mine were, in fact, returns. He assured me that specifically I would not get returned sets.
I wish on all of these people the Pinnochio nose syndrome! Every time they try to dodge a question or hold back information (unless you know how to ask for it), I wish their noses would grow a foot! That way all I would have to do is reach out my window - 100 miles away from DC, and tweak their noses to get my orders filled!
After the ton of trouble (and no resolution) last year; this year's fiasco of having to show them I know how their system is set up; and confronting them when they dodge an issue before being able to get anything accomplished, do I REALLY expect to get new (non-returned) sets?
Let's say I think my chances are less than favorable.
I admit, for the sake of principle, I was tempted, if they did not get my order this year, to go give them a personal visit. I was thinking of taking my friend Bruce Banner with me
Posted 10/05/2012 4:38 pm
