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Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Old Jul 3rd 2006, 9:18 pm
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Default Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Big Rant on
I always thought that the US was the guiding light of customer service - nice joke I hear you say.
Since moving here I have encountered nothing but people whose job is to pass the buck, blame someone else, put you on hold or point blank refuse to help. Numerous expensive things have gone wrong (A/C, phone, fridge, etc) and basically no one gives a toss. I blame the minimum wage for a lot of the don't care' attitude.

My best experience to date was today at a place guaranteed to bring out the lows of customer service, yes the social security office. 7 weeks ago we had a beautiful baby girl, and signed all the papers in the hospital to get get her a social security number. Surprise, surprise, 7 weeks later; no social number. We did get a receipt from the SS office saying that a number had been applied for. I went to the SS office and waited 2 1/2 hours with a lot of very dubious people, only to be told that I didn't have proof of the baby's identity. I needed to have a notarized copy of the hospital immunization records. Only problem is that she hasn't had the shots yet. So I am stuck in a catch-22. I am told by the hospital that the discharge records MIGHT be sufficient. And no, the supervisor couldn't help, she would be breaking the law. So what did I have with me?
1. Official birth certificate (this is a record of birth not identity.... what the hell is the difference?)
2. Hospital record of birth (Not notarized)
3. Receipt from SS office showing SSN applied for (Not an official document, it was only issued by the Muppet's)
4. My GC (Not relevant)
5. My passport (" )"
6. Driving license (Not looked at)
7. Crying and pissed off baby (SS drone - "Yes sir, but this might not be the baby you are requesting a SSN for", me - "You've got me, this one was hired from babies 'r' us").

I give up sometimes, I have to admit I did lose it, not in a bad way but just stated that they were all a bunch of moronic drones who were there to put barriers in the way of the people who pay their wages. That went down well. I could see the security guard was starting to take an interest, so I just stormed out, but made a very public announcement that I had waited 2 1/2 hours and that these drones were morons who wouldn't be able to help. any of the people waiting. 4 people got up and followed me out!

Just had to rant, blood still boiling at the total lack of any concept of customer service. Even a "sorry you are having these problems" would have help, but it just isn't anyones fault anymore....

Rant off
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Old Jul 3rd 2006, 9:43 pm
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

PM..member mdyoung ain't nothing he don't know about the SS
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Old Jul 3rd 2006, 9:49 pm
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by Ray
PM..member mdyoung ain't nothing he don't know about the SS
Can he find a way to get them to fund a Jolly Boys outing to Florida for Gruff and I?
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Old Jul 3rd 2006, 9:51 pm
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by rushman
Can he find a way to get them to fund a Jolly Boys outing to Florida for Gruff and I?
Sorry NJ is closed ... you cannot get out .......
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Old Jul 3rd 2006, 9:56 pm
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by Ray
Sorry NJ is closed ... you cannot get out .......
I come from a country full of globe circumnavigators mate, I'll go round it
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Old Jul 3rd 2006, 9:58 pm
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by Ray
Sorry NJ is closed ... you cannot get out .......
Only the Lottery and the DMV at the moment, oh and road works. The Casinos and beaches on Wednesday, if they don't decide the budget tonight.
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Old Jul 3rd 2006, 10:00 pm
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by rushman
I come from a country full of globe circumnavigators mate, I'll go round it
You would be out of your depth after you drove thru Luton....
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Old Jul 3rd 2006, 10:32 pm
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

hehe...aye...well where the missus works, part of the incentive program for employee's is denying any credit corrections, not reducing rates and fee's...and in the HR dept, they get incentives for denying holiday and other benefits...

think the big bank of america and you've got the one...she don't care now though as she's finished with them this friday
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Old Jul 4th 2006, 12:25 am
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Hello Tim,
Sorry to hear about your crappy day. I can relate somewhat as have had similar experience at the USCIS office.
Anyway, forgive me if its a dumb question, but why do your need a social security number for you baby (congrats btw) so quickly?

Last edited by Sarah; Jul 4th 2006 at 12:28 am. Reason: I can't spell
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Old Jul 4th 2006, 12:43 am
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by Sarah
Hello Tim,
Sorry to hear about your crappy day. I can relate somewhat as have had similar experience at the USCIS office.
Anyway, forgive me if its a dumb question, but why do your need a social security number for you baby (congrats btw) so quickly?
Thanks Sarah. I'm not trying to rush things, but in the normal, no cock-up world of the SS, it would take 2 weeks for a newborn SSN. As we all know, you are a no one until you have a SSN, so it needs to be sorted. My main rant is that no one really knows what to do in this situation, and just gives you the bums rush (to use the vernacular). When I finally got hold of someone at the hospital where she was born, they knew exactly what set of records they need to make certified copies of, as apparently it is a fairly common occurrence for the SS to screw up. Have to pay $15 for copies and then dick around for a few more hours in a smelly SS office. God that place it the pits. No doubt I'll get the same useless drone I got last time (they have 5 windows but only 1 person working in my experience of 4 trips there) and no doubt there will be some other hoop that I will have to jump through. I really thought I was going to burst a blood vessel, the BS I got today.....

- Tim
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Old Jul 4th 2006, 12:49 am
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by TimFountain
... No doubt I'll get the same useless drone I got last time (they have 5 windows but only 1 person working in my experience of 4 trips there) and no doubt there will be some other hoop that I will have to jump through. I really thought I was going to burst a blood vessel, the BS I got today.....
not able to go to another SS office then? might have more luck...
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Old Jul 4th 2006, 12:53 am
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by Bob
not able to go to another SS office then? might have more luck...

I for one still don't see what's the rush, seeing that they "did get a receipt from the SS office saying that a number had been applied for" (and presumably would arrive in due course).

I managed for nearly 4 years without a SSN. Granted, there were a few problems - when trying to open bank accounts and applying for credit cards, but other than that I managed just fine. So unless Ms Fountain urgently requires a bank account, she can probably manage without a SSN for a couple of weeks

As for:

"I went to the SS office and waited 2 1/2 hours with a lot of very dubious people"... I mean, words fail me...
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Old Jul 4th 2006, 1:31 am
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by TimFountain
Thanks Sarah. I'm not trying to rush things, but in the normal, no cock-up world of the SS, it would take 2 weeks for a newborn SSN. As we all know, you are a no one until you have a SSN, so it needs to be sorted. My main rant is that no one really knows what to do in this situation, and just gives you the bums rush (to use the vernacular). When I finally got hold of someone at the hospital where she was born, they knew exactly what set of records they need to make certified copies of, as apparently it is a fairly common occurrence for the SS to screw up. Have to pay $15 for copies and then dick around for a few more hours in a smelly SS office. God that place it the pits. No doubt I'll get the same useless drone I got last time (they have 5 windows but only 1 person working in my experience of 4 trips there) and no doubt there will be some other hoop that I will have to jump through. I really thought I was going to burst a blood vessel, the BS I got today.....

- Tim
This probably isn't an option for you, with a new baby and all, but a mate of mine suggested we not go to the normal social security office in our city and drive out to the boonies and go to one there instead. We kinda nodded but thought no more about it, but then the following weekend we had to drive up into the pocono mountains to visit my husbands relatives and we decided to go to the local SS office there. The whole place was about the size of my living room and I was in and out within 20 minutes. Now my friend from NYC actually drives 3 hours up to the same SS office and the local courthouse whenever he needs anything!!
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Old Jul 4th 2006, 5:15 am
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by TimFountain
As we all know, you are a no one until you have a SSN, so it needs to be sorted.
I agree, but a seven-week-old when it's not time for taxes?

You've enough on your plates without stressing unduly over this, though I do really sympathise having gone through the runaround getting my immigrant husband's SSNs. No cockups on my Austin-born children, but with #1 it wasn't a necessity to have an SSN at birth.

Is anyone refusing you anything due to the lack of SSN?
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Old Jul 4th 2006, 1:10 pm
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Default Re: Customer Service - A US Oxymoron

Originally Posted by snowbunny
Is anyone refusing you anything due to the lack of SSN?
The little girl has been denied her own credit card?
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