CHROME--Customer Service Rave

For my previous rant on customer service I find it only fare to give credit where credit is due. My newest favorite company, Chrome based out of San Francisco. They make some of the coolest messenger bags, ever!!!

So let’s start with a small story. Most people know that follow my blog or know me personally know I have recently (in the past 6 months) been adopted by a Bernese Mtn Dog/ Australian Sheppard mix doggy. If you know anything about herding dogs, they need to be mentally and physically challenged all.the.time. She needs constant exercise and constant games and puzzles to keep her mind busy. If she does not get this she becomes naughty. Well one day she took her naughtiness out on my new Chrome messenger bag I got as a gift for Christmas. She decided to chew a strap and the stabilizer clip…Not to mention I had only used the bag less than half a dozen times. I was crushed. I decided to call Chrome and see if they would by chance send me a new strap and I could use my sewing skills to repair my bag. Not only did I get to talk to a customer service representative, I am pretty sure the man I spoke to is the owner or president of the company. Not only did he say they had extra straps and clips, but if I mailed the bag back to them, they would repair it. No cost to me.

I asked “Are you serious?—Free? I don’t have to pay for return shipping or anything?”

Chrome Guy (CG) replied: “nope, we’ll take care of you, it may take 10 business days but we’ll fix it”

I replied “Wow! That is awesome!!!”

I did have to wait about 14 business days to get my bag back, but it looks good as new and had some stickers in the box also. (Also, rumor has it the folks at Chrome LOVE dark chocolate, if you send them a note with a dark chocolate candy bar, they will thank you!)

If your ever in the market for a VERY cool messenger bag and want ot shop form a VERY cool company. I highly recommend Chrome

And just because I love it, I gotta show off my ultra-bright, awesome-tastic bag!!!

Customer Service Rant + a small revenge

Whatever happened to customer service? Especially in the banking industry. It used to be you could go to your bank and talk to a banker easily about anything, savings, checking, business accounts, investments…anything with money.

I remember I opened my first business checking account when I was 16 years old, or was I 17? Regardless, I had a business account before a personal checking account if that tells you what kind of teenager I was. Well when I wasn’t skipping school and doing things you can only get away with when your 16-17 years old.

I had a situation a couple of weeks ago when I asked a question to the teller and she replied "I don't know, you'll have to talk to a banker"--I just looked at her and said "aren't I?---I'm in a bank, your handling my money, I hope you’re a banker". I got a blank stare back. I guess my comment was a little above her comprehension. Boy, let me tell you how confident that made me feel. Note to self. Start moving money from this bank to my credit union.

My frustration with my bank has been building over the past few years. Finally yesterday I got my small revenge.

I have been saving change for approximately the past 10 years. Why? Who knows, I have always been a change hoarder. Recently I decided I would use my change collection to offset the cost of my new mountain bike. I have been rolling the change and stashing it in closets and shoeboxes around my house, as I waiting for the cable guy to come to my house yesterday I unrolled all the change and dumped it in a beach bag. I remember the last time I took change into a bank they advised me to unroll it all first so they could put it through their change machine. Well I guess this was the wrong thing to do.

First, I took the change to my small local branch. I felt bad as the teller I walked up to appeared to be new. I wanted a seasoned teller that had previously irritated me. This teller was very nice and said I should have left it rolled because they didn’t have a change machine and I should go to the main branch office on south 8th street. Since it was at the main branch I had one of my most frustrating experiences a couple of years ago. They lost a deposit and it took nearly 2 months for us to clear that fiasco up. I was glad to go there and have them cash out my change.

I walked into the lobby and noticed three tellers, one I recognized from my other branch and two I did not. I went to the lady I recognized and said “before anything I need to apologize, I need to cash in some change” at this time I have set down my 50 pound beach bag at my feet. She said “ I don’t’ know if we can cash in change at this time” then hollered over to a much younger, snottier acting lady and said “can we cash in coin?” . The young snotty acting girl said “yes we can, why?”. This is where I piped in and heaved my beach bag onto the counter as I said “because I have lots to cash in...should be $500 or so”. Both ladies just stopped and looked at the bag, then looked at me. The original teller said “this may take us a while”. “Take your time” I responded. For the next 10 minutes I waited as I heard the change being eaten by some machine in the back room. While I was waiting there was an argument in the maid lobby with the bank manager and an obviously upset customer. The customer was telling the bank manager he lied to him and he was not happy. This convinced me more I am not the only person that is frustrated with key bank lately. Highlight note to self, actively start moving my business to my credit union.

In case you were wondering, THIS is what $509.78 looks like in change.