The World May be Flat, and Always on but …

In the summer of 2005 I heard of a credit card company losing some computer back-up tapes (back-up tapes; that sounds sooo ‘80s!) which contained (as usual) the credit information for thousands or more consumers. I mentally checked-out and promptly forgot about it. Until…
In late July I received an e-mail from a major-credit-card-company company asking me to call them right away due to an urgent matter regarding my account. I take these types of messages in about the same way that young men in the late ‘60s took letters that started “Greetings …” I immediately thought the worst – I was late on a payment and here comes the major late charge. But I also thought that if it was urgent; wouldn’t they call me?”
I called them to be informed that my credit card data had been lost and possibly compromised in some mishap (see paragraph one above) and the company needed to close my account. New cards with new numbers would be issued while they monitored my account for possible fraudulent activity.
Permit me to take an aside here: how, in this world of identity theft, banking scams from Nigeria and ubiquitous e-mails asking me to please, please send my password so someone, somewhere can verify their information about me, can we be sure who we are talking to or hearing from? Maybe I was wrong to even call but what choice did I have?
Several weeks passed after the initial conversation with major-credit-card-company and no new cards. But I did have some problems with charges incurred BEFORE the change of account but that must have been posted AFTER the old account was closed. How, without sounding like every deadbeat on the planet, can I explain that major-credit-card-company closed my account and I am waiting on new cards? That sounds suspiciously like I just might have some bad-credit issues?
Another phone call to major-credit-card-company to ask about the long-awaited new cards. I was politely told they would be sent the third week in August. I was also politely told they would be coming in just a couple of days. I did indeed receive two brand-spanking new credit cards with new account numbers later that same week. However these would expire in less than one month.
On August 15 I received two more brand-spanking new credit cards but ooops! These were for my old AND NOW CANCELLED account number. Apparently the left-hand-side of major-credit-card-company that handles issuing cards didn’t get the message from the right-hand-side that my account may be having some issues. Another call to major-credit-card-company to find out what is going on. I’m still told that my cards should be coming in the 3rd week of August and oh by the way we made a mistake in sending you those first new cards.
If I make a mistake in sending my payment or God forbid go over my credit limit, I am immediately slapped with some sort of onerous charge for my slip-up. But let the major-credit-card-company make one mistake (how they handle data for thousands of customers) then make at least one other (assuming I am the ONLY account that got old-number-cards by mistake) and what do I get?
That leads me to The World Is Flat reference. In Mr. Friedman’s lengthy and informative tome, we are told that one of the great world-flatteners is the ubiquitous fiber-in-the-ground that has led to the outsourcing of customer service to companies in India. That may be all well and good to save money for the major-credit-card-company but what about me the consumer/customer? Once I get past the heavily accented English (and I confess I don’t always understand everything the cheerful person on the other end of the line is saying) how does one begin to explain the nuances of why having your credit card account closed and not having any new cards or account numbers is a real problem? How do you explain that a trip to someone’s office is required to further explain that I really DO pay my bills on time and that this whole mess was created because major-credit-card-company lost my credit information? Everyone is unfailingly polite but I get the impression they have a database of FAQs to consult and can only pull answers off this list. When something doesn’t fit they consult a supervisor. Every time I asked a non-standard question I was put on hold – often for several minutes. They were likely calling the U.S. to get some help. Why can’t they simply patch me through to the U.S. person at major-credit-card-company so we could work things out?
Mr. Friedman also gives an example of a McDonalds that has outsourced the ordering at drive-up windows in much the same way. I don’t have a problem with that if it speeds up my order. But what happens when I order “off-menu”? What if I asked for my Big Mac, well-done? My daughter paid her dues at a local McDonalds and a regular customer would order a hamburger but with no bun, nothing but meat – for her dog. Imagine trying to handle that with an outsourced-order-taker?
By September I still had no cards. Another call to major-credit-card-company started well. The accent on the line actually sounded familiar. But once we were past the “How may I help you today” and similar boiler-plate-pleasantries, I realized I was once again consigned to an “out-source-ee”. I was again told my account was still under review. I somewhat sarcastically commented on how amazing it was that my account was still under review, no new cards had been issued etc. but somehow major-credit-card-company managed to get my bill for previous charges to me on time with the usual due dates etc. and no acknowledgement that there was any problem or concern whatsoever about my account.
Here’s the latest. One more try with major-credit-card-company. Another phone call gets me someone with a southern accent (I can say that; I’m from the south). Is it for real? Are language classes in India getting regional now? Glory be! The young man actually understands me and I, him! No less that one week later I find a small envelope on my front porch (Now why major-international-freight-company left such an important package on my porch without getting so much as a signature from someone in my house or at least handing it to a real-live person is another story altogether – see paragraph one again re: missing data tapes.) which containing two shiny new credit cards. The system can work after all!