Helen Martin’s Blog

She knows who she is - and she is the first person I thought of after I hung up the phone a few seconds ago.

I was over charged for something on my credit card and was told that due to the inner workings of “their system” I would have wait and get a refund check through the mail. There was no way to void the charge. It wasn’t that much money and I decided to be understanding.

I called to check up on it and was told more uninformative facts regarding said “system” and was given a date far off in the future when I’d get my refund. It still wasn’t that much money, so I decided I’d be even more understanding.

I called today - over FOUR MONTHS since the original charge - and I couldn’t believe it when the woman said, “We’re trying as hard as we can to get refunds out but are unable to do so at this time.”

I decided to be like Lisa.

I said, in a very friendly and confident voice, “OK, how many more months will it be and how much interest will I receive?”

“Uh, will you hold on for a moment?”

Since I called already, they can go ahead and manually cut me a check.

*Oh, I see. If you call twice and assert yourself suddenly the omni-annoying system no longer stands between you and your $14.00. In fact, you can have your refund as soon as someone does a little more than write words and numbers on a piece of paper, moisten a stamp and place an envelope in the outgoing mail tray.*

I didn’t think of that reply at the time, just confirmed my addressed, got the woman’s name and said thank you.

Lisa might not have said anything more. But then again she might have. And if they had paid her interest, I would not have been surprised.