Monday, November 10, 2008

Ask.... Dont forget to ask

Yesterday I decided to spend $35.00 on myself. I was talking to my DH about it and he started telling me about a feature that cc#2 has in order to make purchases online. They will issue another number to your card so that if you are unsure of the reliability of a web site you are not compromising your personal information. Great idea I thought. I use my bank debit card for everything, but this site was new to me and I was not feeling that it was all that secure. But I don't like to use my credit cards for anything but carrying a balance. No new charges keeps my debt load the same. Its a control issue. BUT.... Security is a bigger issue I am willing to transfer funds to pay off the purchase now in order to maintain my identity. Issue #1 I have never activated the card. Okay that is first.... Dial the number and activate card. Because of the length of time it has been since I rc'd card and activating it I got a customer Service person on the phone. He verified my info and activated it. He then asked me a strange question... "Is there anything I can do to keep you happy as a customer?" To which I immediately replied. Sure. Lower my interest rate. Thinking Yeah right he wont do it. I have tried this with other banks and they pass you around till you are sick of the service and give up or they finally tell you no. But this card has the highest interest rate of all the cards where I carry a balance. (I have other higher rates but I paid off CC#1 and the other cards have transfer balances of 4% & 5%) It is not a big deal for some of the cards because if you are not going to make any new purchases who cares what the interest is. I want to pay off the debt. That is my #1 focus. I will not shift it until it is done. So then he says.... I can lower the rate to 9.9. DONE I replied. Wow That was easy. (The rate was 15.99) We will see if that effects the balances I am currently carrying. If it does apply to other balances and not just new purchases I will refocus on another card to pay off first, which has a 12.99% interest rate. There is no need to give the banks MORE then they need to and if they are willing to give me a lower interest rate I am so willing to take it! Lets hear it for positive action steps. Oh yes and Issue #2 was I had not yet changed my name... So the Customer service rep went ahead and made that change for me too. Go team. I have to say they did a great job on their customer service and I think a LOT higher of this card for that reason. I have worked with a lot of banks both professionally and personally and I have to say it was a lovely experience getting a friendly person on the line who was able to accommodate me with such ease. Way to go CC#2 and me for asking for what I wanted.

I am not a financial professional. If you are looking for financial advise you should seek it elsewhere. If you would like to join me on the journey, walk with me for a while and be my friend......

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