Another Day, Another Complaint

I think I have an extra level of frustration when I am blindsided by something that on the surface appears to be an easy task.

Today I had to FedEx something to a client. I had been thinking last night that it had been a long time since I overnighted something, but didn't think anything beyond that. When you call FedEx to arrange a pick up, you say your account number and talk to an automated voice. It's always been easy to do.

I got the envelope ready, placed the call, only to be told that I have no account. The perky voice suggested we try by using my phone number. Again, no luck. Then I was told if I said "Representative" I could talk to a person.

Ok, "Representative."

I was told my account was "purged" and this woman arranged for a pick up. Being older and wiser, I went that extra step and said, "OK, is my account reinstated?" and she said yes. And I said "And this will be billed to my American Express?"

All of a sudden Miss Representative takes on this quasi-nasty tone, informing me in this superior voice that "there is no credit card attached to this account."

So how would billing work? I asked, and got as a reply, "Would you like to attach a credit card to this account?"

Uh, yeah.

I have to press PAUSE here and say I am so glad I asked that question. I could see no pickup, or the package floating around somewhere, or making the client/recipient pay or holding the package or something.

I'm transferred to another representative who I have to say is nice -- I even complained about the previous representative and she apologized half a dozen times. I told her all information is the same except I probably had to update the expiration date on my credit card, but no, that was current. I feel as if FedEx was a bit quick to purge me, having had this account for 20 years.

This is the frustration -- what should have been a 45-second phone call turns into this 10-minute ordeal.