PSA for Citibank customers

The public service announcement is at the bottom, if you want to cut to the chase.

I have both a Citibank credit card and a Citimortgage. Plus, I've had Citicards in the past. I feel I can, therefore, say that Citibank is the worst offender I've ever known for sending jobs overseas and then pretending they didn't.

Like today, for instance (and this experience is only the most recent in a long line of similar events), I call and after the button pushing was over, a customer service rep comes on the line--Glenn, he said his name was.

Immediately, I can tell that it's the same old Citibank story. A person comes on the line and the English they speak sounds like those computers that turn text into speech--all stilted and such.

I find it infuriating!!!!!!! If a company is going to ship the call center overseas, at least have the b*lls to admit it. Your name is not freaking Glenn! No one with that heavy an accent is named Glenn freaking anywhere in the world! Your stilted, fake, and unsuccessful voice coaching does not fool me!

Here is an example of the many conversations I have had with Citibank Bangalore or where ever it is:

"This is [fake] Susan, how may I help you?"
"Hi, I have a question about payments made on my account"
"What is your question?"
"I received a call that you had not received my payment, but the money has been withdrawn from my account, and it also shows paid on your website. Will you tell me what your records show for this payment?"
"This is [fake] Susan, how may I help you?"

You can understand my frustration. So--at one point last winter, when I had finally gotten someone who was a practiced English speaker (and had a Midwestern accent) I snapped, and ranted and raved about how much I hated Citibank Bangalore.

She told me that there are 2 call centers over in (I can't remember where she said, so I'm calling it Bangalore) and one in Kansas City, MO. She said that which one your call gets routed to is random chance , so the next time I get Bangalore, hang up and try again.

So today I did--I just hung up on Glenn and redialed and got RUFUS in KANSAS CITY!

I've never been so happy in my whole damned life.