I Needed To Phone My Bank Yesterday About A Block They'd Put On My Debit Card.

[sandyRoe]

When I gave my date of birth the tone of the woman I was talking with changed. It was condescending, as though she was talking to an idiot.
Anyone else experience this?

[Bobbisox1]

To be fair Sandy I think people are now looking for faults in Customer Service with this Lockdown, to answer you though, No, I haven't experienced this at all

[dannyk13]

Nor me.

[anneasquith]

Maybe she was being more respectful sandy to a senior customer ?

[aelmpvw]

some people get confused if you say any dob year below thirty . . .

[AuntPollyGrey]

Sandy, surely the person would already know your dob, she would be asking you to verify it for security purposes.

[barry1010]

Maybe you what 'pardon' once too often, or she heard a feeble waver in your voice. Maybe she heard the matron ask you if you needed your incontinence pad changing. Maybe she was just trying to be nice :D

[calmck]

When I had to have a phone consult with my investment banker I was asked if I needed to have someone else on my end to explain anything I might be confused with. I replied that I might be older than him but I had full possession of my mental capacity an no thank you. Stunned silence followed!!

[bhg481]

calmck - now that you've made that clear to him (probably recorded) you can't go back and blame him if any of your investments go wrong. He's not asking for your benefit, he's covering his back.

[dannyk13]

In all cases where I have been asked to give my D.O.B I have never had anyone ask if I needed assistance, nor found that the person I was talking to had a change of attitude towards me.

[Apc2604]

I phoned a company who specialises in disability aids regarding getting myself a tub style, door opening bath installed for myself. They asked if I had a partner. When I said I did they said they needed to talk to him as well to make sure he approved! When I asked the reason, they said because it involved making changes to our home. Needless to say, I told them what I thought of them.

I bought a bath from a different supplier after doing research, ordered it and then made all the plumbing arrangements. Noone queried it.

Apparently, all these big companies that install new bathroom fittings for the disabled ask the same question and charge a small fortune. I got it done for half the price!

And I am always being old I sound very young on the phone!

[barry1010]

Those specialist companies are always far more expensive. It makes my blood boil

[allenlondon]

How old are you, Sandy?

[Apc2604]

I agree Barry. So did the small company I eventually bought the bath from and the plumber who installed it. OH is now doing the rest of the work and he comes cheap! At present bathroom floor tiles are being laid and fitted cupboards constructed. Wish I was as fit as him!

[Barmaid]

I'm laughing at APC saying Mr APC is cheap! ;)

[jno]

it hasn't happened to me, sandy: I suspect you were just unlucky. Did she give her age?

[Mamyalynne]

The only time I allow anyone to address me like a doddery little old lady (which I'm not) is if it is to my advantage.

[gness]

Interesting one, Sandy. I've had a good relationship with my UK bank for over forty years. Dave and I have solo accounts in the same UK and Irish banks.
Because of the problems Brexit will bring we both decided last week to move the same large amounts from the UK to Ireland via online banking. Dave's transaction went through immediately but my attempt resulted in a call from the fraud department.
I was more than happy with that to begin with. I went through all the security questions and answers. Then it became personal. Was I sure nobody had phoned me to move this money. Was anyone in the house with me persuading me to do so. Why was I moving this money. What were my plans for spending it. This took a very long time.
I remained polite and answered to be told they were still not happy and wouldn't let me take money from my account til I had visited a UK branch in person. When I said I couldn't do that they said that I would have to wait for another phone call from a different department.
It didn't come so I phoned them and the whole questioning started again both security and personal.
The longer we spoke the more convinced that I was being profiled as a dotty old lady.
Eventually, after I had said I would rather move my entire savings than go through this again, they agreed to let me access my own money but had wasted so much time I had missed the transfer window for the day.
So, Sandy....could be worse if you were a female! :-)

[Barsel]

I've had people say things like, ' Do you know someone who could send an email for you? ' and other questions to do with computing. I always say I'm quite capable of doing these things myself, they always seem surprised. They seem to think anyone over 70 isn't capable.

[bobbinwales]

Yes, company's now have to be carefull with peopel who could be regarded as vunerable customers. If anything go's wrong the company can be found at fault even if its realy the customers fault unless the company took extra steps. So some try to hard when someone could possably be considered as vunerable, which is sometimes younger than we like to think.

[Apc2604]

//I'm laughing at APC saying Mr APC is cheap! //

The trouble is Barmaid that in 50 years of married life we have rarely had to employ a tradesman to do any work and that includes virtually rebuilding a house and adding an extension. So now I tend to forget that Mr APC is now in his mid 70s and am horrified at what plumbers, electricians, etc charge. I have spent a great deal of time as a builders labourer during our marriage. We are both cheap!