I just spent the most grueling hour on the phone in my entire life! About a month ago, I applied for a
Citi "Professional" card for
Ekcetera. This card is apparently a consumer credit card taken out in my name to use for business expenses. That's fine...I don't really care who's name it's under - my credit's fine and I'm not going to default on it. Anyway, a couple weeks ago I got a letter asking for address verification. It asked for my PERSONAL information.
Ok, so I verify my Boatman Lane address, but I had put my Blaine Ave. address on the application. So, I get a message on my home answering machine today asking for more verification. I call the number and they say, "your application has been declined because you couldn't verify your address?" What the ?!?!
So, while on this conversation, I find out that I am speaking to the consumer department. I explain to them that I'm not applying for a consumer card (at this time I didn't know it was both). They transfer me to the business department who can't find my application. They want me to fill out a new application. NO THANK YOU! I do NOT want to fill out another application because you already have my credit information and you do not need to pull my credit again - you can use the same info you got for my "personal" application. The man on the phone proceeds to tell me that he's worked there for 17 years and there's no possible way that he could be wrong and how could I possibly be asking him something the he can't possibly do. He raises his voice at me, yells a little, and hangs up on me.
A little stunned, I call back and am asked the same 50 questions over and over again. I begrudgingly tell them my answers and try to tell them what is happening. I am speaking to someone in Nigeria or somewhere, and they do not understand me. They continue with their script and anger me further. I'm transferred back to the business department for the 10th time.
Finally, I come upon a very helpful woman who asks me if perhaps this was a professional card application - in which case, the business dept. wouldn't have my app. but it was still a business card. Thank Heavans! She tried to transfer me back to the consumer division, but they are experiencing high call volume. She gives me the 800 number to call at my convenience. I tell her how helpful she has been and hang up.
I called right away, not wanting to put it off any longer. I call and Nigeria answers. Provide verification.......yadda yadda.....explain the situation.....some blubber from the woman's script. One moment, I'm on hold AGAIN to the business department. Thankfully, the helpful woman I just spoke to answered. Didn't I just speak to you? Why are they transferring you back here? She says, "one moment, I'll speak to them and they WILL help you." Tacky music plays for a few seconds....FINALLY, an American woman comes on and I begin explaining to her what is happening. She's two words into her sentence and I hear a "click." I WAS DISCONNECTED!
O-n-c-e-a-g-a-i-n, I call the number I've almost memorized and Nigeria picks up. I ask to be connected to the person I was last speaking to and she mumbled something from her script. Finally, I asked to be connected with a supervisor and she happily did so. THANK YOU! A woman comes on the phone, asks me to verify my info and says, "we can simply change your application to your home address. If you want to switch it when the card arrives, just call customer service to do so." I was on the phone with her for about two minutes and my application was approved and my card is on it's way to my door. I felt like I should have won a prize for the most number of times being transferred between two departments. All this and all I get is a lousy piece of plastic that does nothing but increase the amount of debt I have.
Wow - I hate Citi Bank.
