Banks

Customer Service � you are doing it right!

Wow, another chance to write a non-ranty blog post! I love it!

With Miss 7 at home on school holidays, I�ve been running some errands with her in tow. Today I had two great examples of customer service from the most unlikely of places � the Family Assistance Office and Westpac bank!

1 � Insider tips from the Family Assistance Office

After submitting a Medicare refund claim in person, I popped across the room to talk to someone about a Family Assistance claim I�d submitted a month ago. The actual submit process was great � it was all done online and, �as I�m already a client, they�ve got all of my details on file already. No need to visit a service centre. But while I was in the neighbourhood, I just thought I�d check up on it. Robyn at Strathpine confirmed that it was in the system waiting for someone at their end to action it, and I didn�t need to do anything else. She said if I hadn�t heard within 2 weeks, to phone them. And then she leaned forward and gave me an inside tip �Phone the call centre & leave your mobile number for a callback, don�t sit on hold in the queue. Don�t let your phone leave your side for the next 24-48hrs. When you see a Blocked number calling, answer it. Our number is always blocked & we don�t call back a second time if you miss us. That will save you having to come back in here on the school holidays with your daughter.�

Customer service according to your bank

I�ve had two reasons on two seperate days to�actually step foot inside a bank branch. This is most unusual, being an electronic payment kind of girl. The customer service I received has been rattling around in my brain as a blog post and refuses to let me get any sleep until I unleash it. I don�t think it�s going to sway your opinion about banks in general, but from a customer service point of view it is kind of interesting to put it under a microscope and analyse it.Branch�1: The cheque and the change of PIN number

Dear Mr Bank Manager (aka the ballad of the self-employed)

On most days I love being self-employed.� I like the control I have over how my business operates.� Whilst we�re still only a �micro business� (read: no other �team members� but us), it could be classed by some as a job.� However, I get to set my own salary, my own hours, my own work location, what products & services I offer, how I market & advertise and which customers I will (or won�t) deal with.