On Hold: Even Congresswoman Gets the Runaround on Bank Help Lines

[RamboLiberal]

Source: ABC News

In a revealing example of what she says the average homeowner faces, a California Congresswoman spent more than two hours on the phone trying, without success, to find someone at the Bank of America who could help a struggling constituent modify his mortgage payments. ABC News Nightline cameras were rolling as Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) was repeatedly put on hold for long stretches, disconnected, transferred to extensions that did not work and ultimately switched to a recording which directed her to the bank's website.

"The average American trying to negotiate a loan modification will not be able to get it done," said Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Ca.). "It will be impossible for them to get in touch with the right person, and even if they get in touch with a so-called counselor, they have a cookie cutter kind of direction that they go in."

While the federal government and banks say they're trying to help homeowners avoid foreclosure through various help lines and more, an ABC News investigation has found that the process of reaching out for help can be disorganized and frustrating, hardly consumer friendly, even when a prominent member of Congress is on the line.

To prove her point, Waters agreed to let Nightline listen in on her attempts to contact her constituents' lenders on behalf of homeowners with nowhere else to turn.

"Most of the day was spent trying to trace down the right person or the right department to deal with the loan modification," said Waters. "It was awful."



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6702731&page=1

[MinneapolisMatt]

1. K&R.

UGH.

[47of74]

2. BoA screwed with the wrong Congress Critter

[tomreedtoon]

10. So who would have been the right Congresscreature?

And why are you putting the DVD de-encrypting code as your signature?

[47of74]

13. From BoA's perspective

The right Congress Critter from Bank of America's perspective would've been some far right wing scumbag like Steve King who would've not even made the attempt to help the constituent. But BoA really rowed their own boat up shit creek and jettisoned the paddles when they decided to screw with Maxine Waters.

And that's not a DVD de-encrypting code. Go here, plug that code into the HEX box, and press decode to see what you get.

[ixion]

3. this is the rule for customer service at large companies, rather than the exception

IMO.

[AndyA]

5. I agree. I can remember doing this years ago with NSAT&T

I was FURIOUS by the time I actually got to speak with someone, and it turns out they were in the wrong department! I asked for a supervisor, and after holding for over 15 minutes, got disconnected.

So...I filed a complaint with the FCC. THEN it was finally taken care of by AT&T. I've hated them ever since, and will never do business with them again, even more so now that I know how helpful they were to the Bush Administration with all that spying.

[HillWilliam]

4. Voicemaze is purposefully designed to discourage

customer interaction. I'm glad a congresscritter finally got to witness it first-hand.

While it's doubtful much will come of this first go-round, it is a shot across the bow.

[BrklynLiberal]

16. There are places where you must listen to a long series of messages before you can even get to the

option of talking to a person..that includes calling many of the Federal agencies as well.

[HillWilliam]

18. I was in charge of IT at an HMO

a while back and was rather horrified when they set up voicemaze. The CEO gave the order that several "black holes" be built into the system intentionally. I didn't last long at that company (I found out there were multiple sets of books) and the company didn't last much longer after that. But the "black hole" technique is very, very common and the one that HMO used was patterned after ones used by larger HMO's, intentionally designed not to service customer complaints and not to pay on claims.

Anyone who thinks it's bullshit, I've got news. I've seen it from the inside.

[BrklynLiberal]

19. Voicemaze...That is the perfect name for it!!!

:thumbsup:

I will probably use it in the future, and will remember to give you credit.

[HillWilliam]

20. No credit needed - just pay forward

pass the term along, maybe it'll catch on. Maybe, just-maybe, some day some bright congresswoman will get around to doing something about it ;-)

[aggiesal]

21. Can you imagine dialing 9-1-1 ...

and getting caught in a voicemaze.

These systems should be outlawed, or at least limited to 2 levels.
After the 2 level, there should always be a real person speaking.

IMO

[Telly Savalas]

22. If you believe you are having a heart attack, please press one.

If you or somebody in your immediate vicinity has been shot with a firearm please press two...

[riderinthestorm]

25. So what's the magic key to getting out of voicemaze? Pressing 0 always?

Help!

[Overseas]

6. K&R !! //nt

[FirstLight]

7. I hope that as part of the forclosure legislation...

the govt makes it illegal for the banks to play these games.

People helping people - for real

*sigh* won't it be nice for a change!?

[Veilex]

15. These games have been played for years...

and chances are that if they are made illegal, the bank will simply outsource customer service operations so that the bank can then say "we don't do that". After all, thats what cell-phone companies do now...plausible deni-ability style crap.

[Kaleko]

8. Huge kick!

[Soylent Brice]

9. nice to see this getting exposure, but it's not like she

and everyone else in the fucking country didn't already know this.

[bluestateguy]

11. You DO NOT want to mess with Maxine

There are certain people in this world who you do not want to piss off. Maxine Waters, I think it is safe to say, is one of those people.

[midnight]

17. Good. Maybe she can get this nonsense ended.

[aggiesal]

12. There is no such thing as "Customer Service" ...

It has been replaced with "Corporate Service".
This has been happening since RR era in the early 80's.

The person on the corporate side, has a script to read from,
and if the conversation deviates from the script, the corporate
service personnels' head explodes.

They don't exist to "Help" the customer, they are there to
inform the customer what are the corporate rules. If you don't
like the rules, too bad.

Oh, and the corporation can change the rules at any time,
and they are not obligated to tell you what those rules are.

Thank you for calling ...

[HopeHoops]

14. Have you ever called BoA? I'm YET to get someone with even an elemental concept of English.

On the plus side, I use their web site for almost everything now. It is at least functional. Don't expect a reply if you send a question.

[JeanGrey]

23. I LOVED THIS....EVERY member of Congress should have to

deal with the same shit the rest of us do! Bravo!

[truthisfreedom]

24. Oops... BOA is in crisis meetings right now to work on what to do with this new problem...

Imagine if these reports continue to appear for months! No more bailout... GIVE IT BACK!