Customer Service

Ahh, today is one of those days to compare, contrast, and appreciate that customer service is still alive and kicking in some (non-Parisian) corners of the world.

Before we left Toronto I went into the bank and asked them to change my account to a low-fee option as of December 1. When I noticed in December that I was still getting charged the regular rate, I sent them an email asking again to have it changed. This is the reply I found when I logged on to the account this morning:

Dear Ms. J:

We are happy that you have contacted us with your second request to change the account package. We apologize that we did not receive your initial request according to our e-mail history archives.

We have removed the Flat Fee Option Medium from your account effective immediately. Now your account will be charged service fees on a per-transaction basis.

You will receive a letter confirming this change in the mail.

For more information on the fees associated with your account, you may wish to visit:

www.royalbank.com/products/deposits/everyday_fnf.html

Since your initial request did not get processed, I have requested a service charge reversal request for the $6 monthly fee which was charged to your account on Deecember 8, 2005. The funds from the service charge will be put back into your account within the next few business days.

Thank you for your patience. We apologize for any inconvenience our delay in responding to your message may have caused. Please do not hesitate to contact us again through this message centre or by phone at 1-800-769-2555 if we may be of further assistance.

For detailed information on how to contact us by telephone from outside of North America, please visit:

www.royalbank.com/online/faqindex.html#Countries

Sincerely,

Jeffrey

Season's Greetings from RBC Royal Bank!

What a treat it was to know that in some places banking problems can be solved quickly and easily. I was so happy I sent a reply to Jeffrey thanking him for being so helpful.

Now its time for the contrast. Erik deposited an international cheque a couple of weeks ago, and was told that it would take a week, and would be free. Of course due to the past difficulties we've had with SG, Erik took the tellers buisness card, just in case. A week later, when the cheque still hasn't cleared, Erik gives her a call. Not surprisingly, she gave him someone elses card. And it doesn't take a week, it takes two. We're into week three now, waiting for this cheque, and again Erik makes the call to the bank. Wouldn't you know it, but they're closed on Mondays. Sigh.

My big job today was to get a work permit. I discovered last week that I actually need a permit to work, and to get this permit I need a letter from both of my employers stating the exact details of the job I will be doing. I then need to take these letters to the local DDTEFP (don't ask me what it means). I got one letter on Saturday, and the other one this morning, and was feeling quite confident that I'd be out of this whole mess by lunchtime. I had looked up the DDTEFP online, and gotten the address. I walk into the building around 12:30 and ask at the accueil (welcome) desk about a work permit. The gentleman hands me a green slip of paper that says 1) the office to get a work permit is actually at another location and 2) is only open from 9-11:00 daily. I should have been suspicious when things seemed too simple! It makes you wonder why they don't post the other address online if they have enough people coming to this location that they need to have it printed up on a special paper! Another sigh.

Anyway, other than that we are quickly adjusting to our life without visitors. I think today is the first day in awhile that I haven't had at least one full meal of cheese. I'm not sure yet if that is a good thing or a bad thing...

Erik and I shared a mini-galette for dessert. No tile in it, I guess when it's meant for one, they don't do it. Erik enjoyed it, but I found it to have too much pastry, and too little filling. I guess that's my sweet tooth talking :)

It was a beautiful day today (I think it was up to 6 degrees!), and Erik and I are now debating our housing options. We can have the one place we looked at if we want it (the one without an oven or laundry, but good location and nice building), or we can keep looking by exploring other agencies that will likely charge us a fee. What do you think we should do?