I am calling a customer because he is several months overdue on their credit card payments and has ignored our letters and emails. I have surprised him by calling from an alternative number, and since I have him on the phone, he’s agreed to go through the security questions.
Me: “Okay. Now, sir, you are almost four months behind on your credit card payments. Would you be in a position to make a payment today, or is there a financing plan that would—”
Customer: “I’m not in a position! I’m in the hospital!”
I can hear the TV in the background and a dog barking fairly close by, but I give him the benefit of the doubt.
Me: “Oh, I am sorry to hear that, sir. In that case, I was about to talk about our financing that—”
Customer: “I’ll be in the hospital for months! I’ll call you back when I am out!”
Me: “Again, I am sorry to hear that you’re in the hospital, sir, but I do need to resolve this issue with you. Could I call you back later today, or tomorrow if that’s more convenient?”
Customer: “I won’t be able to pick up later! I won’t have any arms!”
Me: “Uh…”
Customer: “They’re being amputated! And I’ll also be in a coma! For months!”
Me: “Sir, I… will put a note of that on your account. I will try again tomorrow, just in case.”
Customer: “I can’t come to the phone tomorrow! They’re amputating my legs!”
Me: “…as well as your arms?”
Customer: “…” *Click*
I put a note on the system. I checked back on his account a few weeks later and someone had spoken to him again. This time, he couldn’t talk to us because he had been drafted and was about to go to war for “many months, maybe years.”
I wish our bank would stop giving everyone credit cards!