My parents are 90 and 82 and they recently asked me to manage their bill-paying with the on-line service of their bank. Last night I attempted to log in and was locked out after entering the wrong combination of ID and login more than allowed. This is a common experience for me since I have logins and passwords multiplying like kudzu so I just wasn’t up to the process last night. I waited until today to get the account reset and because there were easier things on my task list I waited until late afternoon near the end of business hours. Before calling the bank and explaining in some way that felt less goofy for locking myself out again I attempted one last password retrieval. Worth a try to get back in since I was using a different computer than I used last night. No joy! I had to face the piper in the form of customer service for the online banking.
I was rapidly frustrated because I found all sorts of numbers but that one. I finally called the deposit counselor who usually assists us at the bank. That actually took a couple of attempts because I dialed the FAX number instead of the desk number but I did reach someone 1 who provided the correct number. I dialed correctly and immediately reached a perky and willing customer support person who unlocked the account for me. She then told me she was setting up a separate online account just for me. During my request I had explained that I am on the bank account but the online account is in my father’s name and that I also have my account with the bank. To this she replied, “You have an account here with us?”
“Yes, with the Give Us Your Money Bank but here where I live in northern Arkansas.
Laughing she said, “You should open an account with us. Pause and lull.
I replied, wondering how many times I might need to explain this to the nice perky woman, “I do have an account of my own at Give Us Your Money Bank.”
“You mean We Want Your Money Also Bank ?”
No, I mean. . . No, OH NO!” , flush, red face, lame apology for wasting her time, and a sincere thank you.
Yes, I had gone to MY bank site and attempted to log in with my parent’s bank site information. After explaining my mistake we completed our exchange and ended the call. I still had one bank account to unlock, a red face and another example of the mistakes this otherwise intelligent woman makes regularly. With a couple of hours distance it is funny to me and I can laugh at it. However, since I am a few days into my ADHD meds I envision a future week free of such daft wastes of time.
- not our friendly deposit counselor ↩