Wednesday, March 11, 2009

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.

2 comments:

Lyle said...

Doesn't MetLife own Vonage?

Hartless in Utah said...

I would think during these economic times customer service would be at its highest, but I too have found this to be untrue. I think customer service has gone down in most places.