"I'm never shopping THERE again!" Share your story!

[LadyClaire]

I guess I will figure out this detail on my own.

You could ask eHell, people here are pretty clever when it comes to all sorts of things.

My never shopping there isn't so much a company as one person I will not deal with again at our bank.  He'd already messed up my savings account a couple of years ago but I went in to do something I'd been led to believe was a fairly quick switch "How bad can it be?" I thought to myself.  Every question I asked he directed the answer at DH, he tried to put incorrect information in our application telling us "it doesn't really matter", then he tried to get DH to sign a document which had some clauses which didn't make any sense "Just cross that bit out" he said, he didn't look too happy when I asked him to initial where he'd crossed out and give us a copy.  He's clearly of the opinion that women don't know what's going on because he put DH as the main name on the account which had he asked we would have told him not to do because I deal with it all.  He's going to get a heck of a shock when he finds out that silly woman who asked all those pesky questions has lodged a complaint against him for mis-selling us a product (I suspect to get his commission).

I once had a bank branch manager tell me to have my Dad call him about what to do with the money in my savings acount (a little over $11k). I'd saved that money for a car and wanted to transfer it over to my checking account since I was going to go buy the car later in the week. I was also 25 years old, the account was in my name only, and that money was entirely my own..every penny had come from my job. No contribution from my parents, and besides that, my father was so bad with money that I wouldn't trust him with $5, let alone $11k. The bank manager was arguing that I needed to leave the $11k in the bank and finance the car entirely through them.

A pity for him that I was also a secret shopper for that bank. I wrote a very negative report about my experience. The next time I went in, he was no longer employed there.

[RegionMom]

The travel agent story reminded me of the last time I used an agent--DH received a travel voucher/coupon for a work anniversary, that had to include airfare, and be booked by this one company.

before calling the agent, I researched and chose the city and even the flights and possible tours we wanted, and with combined deals, had a nice combo package.  All I needed was a hotel with breakfast provided in a nearby location to selected events.

Well, the agent claimed that her flight deals were better, with the same airline, but her prices were higher and her times were worse.  (kids were at camp so had limited time)  She claimed she could not get package deals.

I finally got her permission to book everything myself, I did all the work, but because of the company voucher deal that I had to "use it or lose it", she still got a decent "cut" and received payment for nothing.

And since she was basically the owner, no one I could report to. 

DH no longer works for the company that gives away anniversary vouchers, but I heard similar tales from a friend who received the same voucher from the same company.  She did not take the time to do her own research, and afterwards found that the family spent about 2k to "use" their 1k voucher.  yikes!

With my on-line shopping and deals, we almost pennied out to 1k.  And had a great time without the kids! 

Admittedly, the friend took her whole family on a longer trip, further away...but I am sure she could have saved more doing her own work.

I, too, will avoid travel agents in the future.


As for banks, there are many many reasons I really like my credit union.
For one, both my teens have accounts there, and they have always been treated with respect.

[CakeBeret]

An insurance agent.

I called to get a quote for insurance on my car. For the sake of simplicity I wanted to get a quote on my car only, with me as the only driver. The agent asked my husband's name. I said "His name is Frank, but I want the quote in my name only. He won't be driving the car." She said "Okay, that's fine. What is his driver's license number?" I replied, "I don't know. I don't want him on the quote. I want the quote in my name only." She said okay and faxed me the quote.

The quote was for auto insurance for Mr. Frank Smith. I didn't find my name until halfway down the page, listed as a secondary driver. I was furious, threw the quote in the trash and started calling the other insurance agents on my list.

[Diane AKA Traska]

An insurance agent.

I called to get a quote for insurance on my car. For the sake of simplicity I wanted to get a quote on my car only, with me as the only driver. The agent asked my husband's name. I said "His name is Frank, but I want the quote in my name only. He won't be driving the car." She said "Okay, that's fine. What is his driver's license number?" I replied, "I don't know. I don't want him on the quote. I want the quote in my name only." She said okay and faxed me the quote.

The quote was for auto insurance for Mr. Frank Smith. I didn't find my name until halfway down the page, listed as a secondary driver. I was furious, threw the quote in the trash and started calling the other insurance agents on my list.

::Ka-blink::

Wow.  I think that's the most dismissive thing I've heard of a company doing.

[Midge]

An insurance agent.

I called to get a quote for insurance on my car. For the sake of simplicity I wanted to get a quote on my car only, with me as the only driver. The agent asked my husband's name. I said "His name is Frank, but I want the quote in my name only. He won't be driving the car." She said "Okay, that's fine. What is his driver's license number?" I replied, "I don't know. I don't want him on the quote. I want the quote in my name only." She said okay and faxed me the quote.

The quote was for auto insurance for Mr. Frank Smith. I didn't find my name until halfway down the page, listed as a secondary driver. I was furious, threw the quote in the trash and started calling the other insurance agents on my list.

::Ka-blink::

Wow.  I think that's the most dismissive thing I've heard of a company doing.

No kidding! What year is this?

[DottyG]

Dang, are single women not able to get insurance from this place?  It looks as if that might be the case with that attitude.

[TurtleDove]

Dang, are single women not able to get insurance from this place?  It looks as if that might be the case with that attitude.

In 2011, my husband killed himself.  When tax time came, I went to Tax Place because I wanted to be sure I was doing his and my taxes correctly.  For some reason, despite the fact that my husband was dead and made literally 1/20 of the money I made, they insisted that he had to be listed as Head of Household and I would be listed as Surviving Spouse.  Various things were screwed up on the returns and the company continually called me asking to speak to my dead husband and refusing to speak to me because they needed to speak with the Head of Household.  At the time I still suffered from PTSD relating to his death and this was quite traumatic for me. At one point, after three calls in two days asking to speak to my dead husband and the callers simply not grasping that they never would be able to, I told them to go to h#ll and they could talk to him there.  The calls stopped after that.  Yes, I know I should have kept my temper in check.  I blame the PTSD. 

Anyway, things finally resolved.  I thought.  This year I went back to the same place (it's right by my work and very convenient) bringing my tax stuff with me (I had made an appointment).  They told me I was not in their system.  Eventually they discover that I am in their system - as the Surviving Spouse of my deceased husband.  They cannot figure out how to do my taxes unless my dead husband approves various changes, they said.  I will admit I lost it.  I still have not finished my taxes, but really, it is not that rare for a surviving spouse to file taxes.  Why on earth did they screw this up so horribly?  And two years in a row??? I am getting a panic attack even typing this post!

[Library Dragon]

We'd stop shopping there if we could, but...

FedEx has delivered another package beyond reasonably damaged.  I've taken plenty of pictures of the damage, so maybe I could post a few a bit later, but...

I'm with you on this.  I wish I could stop any and all FedEx deliveries.  When I attend seminars that laud them as examples of customer service I want to scream. 

Incident 1:
The library's main server went down causing us to stop all circulation (I will cut out the Dell problems and problems with the mailbox store folks).  Our new server has all our patron account information on it and is being FedEx-ed to us.  We pay extra for super speedy, before noon delivery. 

Our business manager's husband works at the local jetplex and calls her at 6 am to say the FedEx plane landed and he checked to see that our server was there.  He sends her a photo of the box!  Great!  Noon rolls by and no server.  I start calling the local office.  I'm first told that it was still in Memphis.  No, the tracking number has it arriving that morning and we've had visual confirmation that was 26 miles away.  No, it was delayed because of weather. 

1pm rolls by and I call again.  Oh, it's arrived and is on the truck for delivery.  It will be there after all the other packages in Our City are delivered.  Why?  We know it was at the airport at 6am and we paid for super speedy delivery.  "I'm sorry, there's no guarantee now because of the weather delay." 

At 4pm we hear a big thump behind the library.  The delivery woman rolled the box off the end of the truck.  She drags through wet puddles into the building.  The box had huge, wet holes in it.  Do I need to say I was unhappy? 

I take photos of the box, print all the tracking information, and have statements from the jetplex cargo folks attesting the box arrived by 6am.  I send it all to the local and national offices of FedEx.  The ultimate response was, "Sorry, it was a weather delay and we're not responsible."   

Incident 2:
We have ordered new shelving and the owner of the library shelving company has come himself from 100 miles away.  He wants to introduce a new assistant.  Assistant accidentally leaves his portfolio binder here with all his client contact in it.  Assistant calls and says that FedEx will be picking up the binder.  Fine, we box it up and it gets picked up. 

Two weeks later the assistant calls and asks about his binder.  We explain that it was picked up two weeks ago and we don't have it.  A month later FedEx brings me a box.  Yes, you guessed it--the poor assistant's binder is delivered.  The delivery address is clearly in the city 100 miles away.  Ours is the pickup address.  Where it has been the entire time is a mystery.  I take it to the post office and send it with a return receipt.  Two days later assistant has it in hand. 

Please don't send me anything via FedEx! 

[Tabby Uprising]

Dang, are single women not able to get insurance from this place?  It looks as if that might be the case with that attitude.

In 2011, my husband killed himself.  When tax time came, I went to Tax Place because I wanted to be sure I was doing his and my taxes correctly.  For some reason, despite the fact that my husband was dead and made literally 1/20 of the money I made, they insisted that he had to be listed as Head of Household and I would be listed as Surviving Spouse.  Various things were screwed up on the returns and the company continually called me asking to speak to my dead husband and refusing to speak to me because they needed to speak with the Head of Household.  At the time I still suffered from PTSD relating to his death and this was quite traumatic for me. At one point, after three calls in two days asking to speak to my dead husband and the callers simply not grasping that they never would be able to, I told them to go to h#ll and they could talk to him there.  The calls stopped after that.  Yes, I know I should have kept my temper in check.  I blame the PTSD. 

Anyway, things finally resolved.  I thought.  This year I went back to the same place (it's right by my work and very convenient) bringing my tax stuff with me (I had made an appointment).  They told me I was not in their system.  Eventually they discover that I am in their system - as the Surviving Spouse of my deceased husband.  They cannot figure out how to do my taxes unless my dead husband approves various changes, they said.  I will admit I lost it.  I still have not finished my taxes, but really, it is not that rare for a surviving spouse to file taxes.  Why on earth did they screw this up so horribly?  And two years in a row??? I am getting a panic attack even typing this post!

That is absolutely appalling!  I'm bristling on your behalf.  I think anyone would struggle to maintain their composure under those circumstances.  I just hope you don't have any further issues going forward.  Grrr!

[magicdomino]

Dang, are single women not able to get insurance from this place?  It looks as if that might be the case with that attitude.

In 2011, my husband killed himself.  When tax time came, I went to Tax Place because I wanted to be sure I was doing his and my taxes correctly.  For some reason, despite the fact that my husband was dead and made literally 1/20 of the money I made, they insisted that he had to be listed as Head of Household and I would be listed as Surviving Spouse.  Various things were screwed up on the returns and the company continually called me asking to speak to my dead husband and refusing to speak to me because they needed to speak with the Head of Household.  At the time I still suffered from PTSD relating to his death and this was quite traumatic for me. At one point, after three calls in two days asking to speak to my dead husband and the callers simply not grasping that they never would be able to, I told them to go to h#ll and they could talk to him there.  The calls stopped after that.  Yes, I know I should have kept my temper in check.  I blame the PTSD. 

Anyway, things finally resolved.  I thought.  This year I went back to the same place (it's right by my work and very convenient) bringing my tax stuff with me (I had made an appointment).  They told me I was not in their system.  Eventually they discover that I am in their system - as the Surviving Spouse of my deceased husband.  They cannot figure out how to do my taxes unless my dead husband approves various changes, they said.  I will admit I lost it.  I still have not finished my taxes, but really, it is not that rare for a surviving spouse to file taxes.  Why on earth did they screw this up so horribly?  And two years in a row??? I am getting a panic attack even typing this post!

At least my mother's experience with Sears had the excuse that it was the mid-1960's.  It's bad enough dealing with a husband's death, but all of this other carp too?  You need a different tax company.  This company may be near your office, but it sure as heck isn't convenient.  TurboTax could do a better job.  Heck, my mother could do a better job if she was still alive (She took tax classes just so she could do her own taxes.)

[Diane AKA Traska]

Dang, are single women not able to get insurance from this place?  It looks as if that might be the case with that attitude.

In 2011, my husband killed himself.  When tax time came, I went to Tax Place because I wanted to be sure I was doing his and my taxes correctly.  For some reason, despite the fact that my husband was dead and made literally 1/20 of the money I made, they insisted that he had to be listed as Head of Household and I would be listed as Surviving Spouse.  Various things were screwed up on the returns and the company continually called me asking to speak to my dead husband and refusing to speak to me because they needed to speak with the Head of Household.  At the time I still suffered from PTSD relating to his death and this was quite traumatic for me. At one point, after three calls in two days asking to speak to my dead husband and the callers simply not grasping that they never would be able to, I told them to go to h#ll and they could talk to him there.  The calls stopped after that.  Yes, I know I should have kept my temper in check.  I blame the PTSD. 

Anyway, things finally resolved.  I thought.  This year I went back to the same place (it's right by my work and very convenient) bringing my tax stuff with me (I had made an appointment).  They told me I was not in their system.  Eventually they discover that I am in their system - as the Surviving Spouse of my deceased husband.  They cannot figure out how to do my taxes unless my dead husband approves various changes, they said.  I will admit I lost it.  I still have not finished my taxes, but really, it is not that rare for a surviving spouse to file taxes.  Why on earth did they screw this up so horribly?  And two years in a row??? I am getting a panic attack even typing this post!

I would have gone quite eHell unapproved.  And I'm a lot more shy in person than I am here!  I would have likely said something to the effect of "Look at our earnings, comparably.  Does it *really* look like he was the head of household?!"

[TurtleDove]

I would have gone quite eHell unapproved.  And I'm a lot more shy in person than I am here!  I would have likely said something to the effect of "Look at our earnings, comparably.  Does it *really* look like he was the head of household?!"

I have spoken with quite a few people at the place about the entire situation. One of them told me that some of their tax preparers are older and simply always list the man as head of household.  They also told me that since I am not married this year I cannot be head of household as a single woman.  I guess my 4.5 year old is?  But wait, she's a single girl too! 

[Snooks]

I would have gone quite eHell unapproved.  And I'm a lot more shy in person than I am here!  I would have likely said something to the effect of "Look at our earnings, comparably.  Does it *really* look like he was the head of household?!"

I have spoken with quite a few people at the place about the entire situation. One of them told me that some of their tax preparers are older and simply always list the man as head of household.  They also told me that since I am not married this year I cannot be head of household as a single woman.  I guess my 4.5 year old is?  But wait, she's a single girl too! 

I'm guessing she'd do a better job of your taxes than those jokers!

[Diane AKA Traska]

I would have gone quite eHell unapproved.  And I'm a lot more shy in person than I am here!  I would have likely said something to the effect of "Look at our earnings, comparably.  Does it *really* look like he was the head of household?!"

I have spoken with quite a few people at the place about the entire situation. One of them told me that some of their tax preparers are older and simply always list the man as head of household.  They also told me that since I am not married this year I cannot be head of household as a single woman.  I guess my 4.5 year old is?  But wait, she's a single girl too! 

My local supermarket sells the most lovely fish, whole fish for $10 a pound.  I want to take a $150 fish and beat them upside the head with it.

[DottyG]

TurtleDove, your story makes me angry on your behalf.  But there's also a part of me that almost laughed at the absurdity of it.  SERIOUSLY?!  You want to talk to my DEAD husband?!  And this makes sense to you people?!  I swear that would be a good submission to Not Always Working.