I was going to write a delightful post about my entertaining weekend. Fun in the park, SATC movie, parade, etc. But instead, I'm going to vent about a really annoying experience I had this afternoon.
We are in the process of closing on a home (can't even bring myself to write about for fear of jinxing the process) and have been dealing with our mortgage. The bank we chose is one of the largest financial institutions here on the West Coast, so I considered them pretty trustworthy. Up until this point, they had been pretty good about communication and customer service in general.
Since we are first-time homebuyers, we are going through all the documents with a fine-tooth comb, mostly so we understand exactly what we're paying for. We have, from their perspective I'm sure, some pretty annoying and nit-picky questions. And since hub's work schedule doesn't allow him to make calls during the day, I have become well-acquainted with our mortgage associate... Let's call him Jack.
Today, I called Jack with a list of questions (written down and checked off as he answered them), including one about our escrow account for tax purposes. Basically, we felt as if they were asking for too much money in escrow, even if it was for taxes. I asked him repeatedly to make sure that the amount they were asking for was correct and that the reason he was giving me was indeed correct. And he confidently told me that was in fact the case. Simply company policy and state law, he said.
Of course his answer made no sense. And so when I talked to hubs, he was getting increasingly frustrated and called Jack himself....
Lo and behold, hubs gets a TOTALLY different answer! An answer that actually made sense! Basically, the bastard made up a story, pulling numbers out of the air, telling PURE fiction to satisfy my "annoying" questions! Sometime after I hung up with him, he must have talked to someone and gotten the real answer. So when hubs called, Jack had his ducks in a row and an intelligent answer to give.
I cannot even express to you how angry I've been feeling all afternoon. Jack thought he could get away with telling the silly little lady, essentially, lies (!!) and patted me on the head and sent me on my way. He didn't have the courtesy to even put me on hold for a minute, ask a co-worker or superior for the correct answer, and tell me what I needed to know.
For me, the moral of this story is that in order to get anything done in the business world, you can't be nice. You have to be pushy and demanding. Unfortunately, that kind of behavior is a stretch for me. As a woman, I am conditioned to be nice. Demanding for service and threatening to take away my business feels so unpleasant! Anyone else have a story like this?
3 comments:
yeah, i hate having to be mean and pushy in order to get the right service. i hope all will go smoothly for the closing in few days. we chose to go with the loan officer that our realtor recommended, who was in turn recommended by our friends and their family members. because of these connections, i think the dude tried hard to do his job well for us. and it's also helped to have a real estate lawyer we can trust. in mass, you have to have a lawyer in all transactions. we actually had an acquaintance from church, so he actually helped in preventing the bank from using a loophole for their favor. LONG story. in the end, it all worked out, but with good help from the attorney.
this process is sooooooo stressful, and it's harder when you're the one who has to make all these difficult phone calls with a toddler who's demanding your attention at all their waking hours. gosh, how i know!
hope that you'll be all moved in within a few days. i'll be keeping you in my prayers. look forward to hearing all about it soon.
Hi, my name is RBK, and I'm an AAL. You've heard my "I feel like I've been treated like a dishonest little girl story."
Can't wait to hear all about the fun weekend after the anger has subsided.
dude. i hear you. i work in a boys club industry. a pm for aeo asked me to step away (from the 5 men that were there.. contractors, millworkers, engineers, my fellow architect) b/c he had a story that wasn't for women's ears. everyone was dumbfounded but did not say anything. typical locker room reaction.. don't say anything that will make you uncool. apparently, he told a story about how some employees were having sex about the bathroom where the hot water heater was located. my coworker felt so bad that he didn't stick up for me that i got the deluxe room and treated me to lots of drinks and a big meal. (we were on a site vist in austin.)
i think i've learned that if i need something, i need it. i'd just say i need something and if i don't get a satisfactory answer, i actually ask if they can double check (or talk to someone else) and have them call me back by the end of the day. f-you very much. my mom taught me this.
yes.. i do want to hear about your weekend!
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