Have you ever had a good friend leave, knowing that you most likely will never see him/her again? Have you felt that emptiness in your gut, even if you just finished your lunch and you're stuffed? Well, I just learned that one of my favorite bloggers is hanging up his shingle for good. The funny thing is, I had never met him. I found his blog through somebody else's blog. And yet I feel like I know him. His postings were funny yet insightful and I found myself constantly relating to his experiences. The last I saw, his post had garnered 90 comments and the day is only half over. So even though I was one of those commentors, I just have to write on my own blog - Normal Mormon Husband, you will truly be missed!

MetLife Scores A Big "0" For Service

With so many experts decryin' the sad state of customer service in this country and so many seminars, articles, classes and blogs a'teachin' what good service is about, it is incomprehensible to me how any company, especially a bigger one, would continue to perpetrate such ridiculously poor customer service practices as what happened to us recently. (Did I jest say all that?)

It all began when we wanted to make an online payment of our mortgage. We had just refinanced and ended up as customers of MetLife. Mammy went online to make the payment and found that they were agonna charge us an additional $11 for the transaction. I was dumbfounded! How could any self-respectin', modern company charge for conductin' business online? Not only is it more convenient for customers but it is cheaper and takes less time and resources for a company to accept online transactions - at least it should be.

But, hold on to your britches because we're just a'gettin' warmed up. Mammy and I both filled out and submitted their online form with our comments about this issue. I specifically requested a non-automated response, hopin' beyond hope that the person readin' the email would take some initiative. Was I to be rewarded for my effort? Here is the response we both received.

Dear (Left blank to protect the innocent - or somethin' like that.),

Thank you for writing to MetLife Bank Online and allowing me to be of
assistance.

For assistance on an existing mortgage or home equity loan please call
MetLife Home Loans at 1-888-638-6964.

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Rick
MetLife Bank Online Customer Service

Not only did they ignore our concerns, the automated response was for someone with questions about a home mortgage or equity loan. It was soooo impersonal yet they had the gall to sign it "Rick", thinkin' we might be fooled into thinkin' there was a real person involved. Can you believe that?! Pathetic is all I have left to say about them. Just pathetic.

It's been so long since I blogged here, I think I almost fergot how to do it. I jist want share somethin' that's been on my mind lately. Ya know how all kinds a people been predictin' how bad the recession is gonna be? Well, is it better to be optimistic with economic forecasts or to be realistic (what some people would call pessimistic in today’s economic climate)? Does either one have the potential to lead to a self-fulfillin' prophecy? Meanin', if people continue to be pessimistic in their forecasts, will that cause additional cutbacks and restraint, thus deepenin' the recession? Or, if more forecasters are optimistic, will that lead more people to breathe a sigh of relief and begin a'thinkin' about expandin' their purchases again, thus liftin' the economy? What are your thoughts? I can tell you I am choosin' to be optimistic 'cuz I believe (say hallelujah!) in the power of self-fulfillin' prophecies (sing praises!) so I'm a'gonna do my part to help the economy. (say "amen!")

Sorry about the stuff in parenthesis - it's just a tribute to "the Bible Brothers", Billy Bob and Buford from the Church of the Whited Seplechure. If you don't know what I'm a'talkin' about, you missed out and that's just too bad.