Sadly Fees-able That He Would Use That Language

(I have to schedule a flight. I use my bank’s travel website to book through, since the terms of use claim to include free cancelation. I pay and receive an email which includes my confirmation number and a copy of the same terms of use. Due to a miscommunication between me and the people I’m visiting, I scheduled the wrong dates and need to change the booking. It would be best to cancel, get refunded, and schedule a new flight, due to the price differences. I have called the bank’s travel support phone number, which is the only way to cancel bookings.)

Agent #1: “[Bank] Travel, how can I help you?”

Me: “I need to cancel my flight.”

(He collects the appropriate information from me and mentions the disclosure about the call being recorded.)

Agent #1: “Okay, I can cancel this. There is a cancelation fee of $25; is that okay?”

Me: “Actually, that’s not okay, because [Bank] says cancelations are free.”

Agent #1: “Well, I’m not [Bank], I’m [Bank] Travel. The charge is $25.”

Me: *mocking laugh* “No, it ain’t, and I won’t pay it. I have an email from [Bank] saying that cancelation is free, and I can see that on [Bank] Travel’s website, it also says cancelations are free. Get me your manager.”

Agent #1: *argumentative and fussy* “Well, my manager is going to say the same thing! Why don’t you just agree and save us all some time?”

Me: “If your manager can’t do it, then get me your manager’s manager. I’ve worked in a call center, my dude, and I know my rights as a consumer. [Bank] Travel advertised free cancelation. I am canceling my booking. I am entitled to you refunding me in full. Period.”

Agent #1: *angry growl and sigh* “Please hold.”

(As he’s, presumably, attempting to mute his microphone, he mumbles a sexist slur which translates to “female dog.”)

Me: *laughs out of surprise* “I heard that, and I know you can hear me, and I know your recording system heard it, too.”

(He hangs up on me, so I call back and get an agent who is a woman.)

Agent #2: “[Bank] Travel, how can I help you?”

Me: “Can your system locate a previous call’s recording from using the caller’s phone number as a reference?”

Agent #2: *understandably baffled* “Uh, yes, usually there is no problem with that.”

Me: “Please have your manager review the call recording prior to my call with you. I can wait as long as it takes without any hassle.”

Agent #2: “Uh, okay, this may take a few minutes. Excuse me for a moment while I place you on hold.”

(Roughly ten minutes pass.)

Agent #2: “Hello again. My manager reviewed the call and would like to speak to you about your—” *paused for a moment* “—experience. May I transfer you to her?”

Me: “Thanks so much. Please do.”

Manager: *nervous and confused* “Hello, [My Name]. I just wanted to say that I am so sorry about this situation. I have no idea why… why that happened. Everyone here knows there is no fee for your reservation method, and even if there had been fees on your account, the agents on the phone would never have any reason for making sure fees are billed to [Bank] customers. Not to mention, his behavior was unacceptable and I’m so sorry about this.”

Me: “I don’t need you to apologize to me. I appreciate it, but when a person is wrong they should directly apologize to the person they’ve wronged. On that note, I doubt that he would, so we can skip it. About my flight?”

Manager: “Cancelled with absolutely no charges or fees; a full refund will appear on [Bank] website within 24 hours.”

Me: “And about the first agent I spoke with… I’m sure [Bank] would want to reconsider a rep like him, right? I’d hate for him to verbally abuse someone who, say, is in a worse mental place.”

Manager: “He has been taken out of the call system for the moment, and is unable to take further calls today. He will not represent [Bank] in any position that faces customers, but any other punishments aren’t up to me. Please excuse me. Have a nice day.”

(The call was politely disconnected. I got a full refund and booked the cheaper flight without further drama. If it’s “female dog” behavior to make a company abide by the contracts they use, then I will gladly continue to be a female dog.)