Double The Charge For Half The Effort

(I am having trouble with a company’s website and absentmindedly place an order for “regular” shipping instead of expedited shipping. As it is for a product that I need the next day, I call the company’s tech support to see if they could upgrade the shipping. They cannot. I authorize them to cancel the order so that I can reorder. I am assured that my credit card will not be charged and the item will not be shipped. I then reorder the same item with expedited shipping and I receive it the next day. However, a week later, I receive the order I had placed originally and check my credit card to see that I have been charged for the ‘canceled’ order. I phone billing/shipping for that same company and explain the issue.)

Agent #1: “Sorry, miss. You need to speak to tech support since it’s regarding a computer product. I will transfer your call.”

Agent #2: “Hi. My name is [Agent #2]. Can you please provide me with the computer model?”

Me: “Hi. The computer number doesn’t matter.” *explains issues*

Agent #2: “Sorry, ma’am, but you need to speak with billing. Would you mind if I transfer your call?”

Me: “… That’s fine.”

Agent #3: “Hi. My name is [Agent #3]. How can I help you?”

Me: *explains issue*

Agent #3: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but there is no way we can refund the money since you received the product.”

Me: “I called and was assured that I would not be charged for it.”

Agent #3: “Well, looking at your order, it appears that your card was not charged.”

Me: “That’s untrue. I’m sitting here with my credit card statement in front of me showing two charges. The first charge for [amount] that I was not supposed to be charged for and the second [much larger amount] that’s appropriate.”

Agent #3: “I’m not sure what you would like me to do, ma’am.”

Me: “Get me your supervisor, please.”

Agent #3: “The supervisor is unavailable.”

Me: “Then I will wait.”

(Miraculously, he was suddenly able to find a supervisor.)

Supervisor #1: “Hi. My name is [Supervisor #1]. How can I help?”

Me: “By this point, I have been on the phone with your company for 30 minutes. I have been transferred several times. I am trying to get [smaller charge] refunded to me since I was ASSURED by your company that the charge was not going to occur. I want the charge reversed and instructions on how to send this product that I do not need back to your company!”

Supervisor #1: “Ma’am, my records show that your credit card was never charged.”

Me: “And yet somehow my credit card shows the charge? That’s not possible. I want the [smaller amount] refunded!”

Supervisor #1: “Well, you need to speak with tech support. Let me transfer you to tech support.”

(Realizing that I’m getting nowhere with this supervisor, I agree.)

Agent #4: “Hi. My name is [Agent #4]. Can I get your computer model number?”

Me: *explains the issue again*

Agent #4: “I’m sorry, ,ma’am. That’s an issue for billing.” *transfers me to billing*

Agent #5: “Hi. My name is [Agent #5]. How can I help you?”

Me: “I need to speak with your supervisor.”

Agent #5: “I’m sorry, ma’am. He’s unavailable. Perhaps I can help?”

Me: “You’re the sixth person who I have spoken to. I’ve been on the phone for over an hour to fix a SIMPLE issue. Please. Just get me your supervisor. I’ll wait.”

(I get transferred to the second supervisor and go through the same argument with him. He again informs me that my credit card was never billed.)

Me: *trying my best to remain calm* Okay. Let me put this another way. At this point, you’ve wrongfully charged my credit card. I’m calling to dispute [smaller amount] not the [larger amount]. I fully intend on sending you these disks back, too. I’m trying to do the right thing here. I could have just called my credit card company and filed a report with them from the beginning. I’m trying to give [Company] the chance to remedy this. If you don’t refund the [smaller amount], then I’m left with no choice but to go to my credit card company. At this point, you’re the seventh person I’ve spoken to. I have a list of every last one of their names, if you don’t believe me. I also intend to use those names if I have to file a separate complaint with the Better Business Bureau. You call this customer service? I’ve been on the phone for over an hour over [smaller amount]!”

Supervisor #2: “Ma’am, I’m sorry for all your troubles. I’ll reverse the charge for you and you will see the amount returned to your account within three business days.”

Me: “Thank you.”

(The amount was not refunded to my account within three days. I waited two weeks and the day before I was planning on going to bank to dispute the credit card charge, I received a survey from the company about my ‘recent customer service experience.’ I went into details, included names, order numbers, and a full explanation of the situation. Funny thing: I checked my credit card and the money was refunded the next day.)