2013 Top 11 Agent CX Success Stories
AGENT AWARD WINNING CX STORY
Recognizing an Opportunity to Make all the Difference for the Customer“I realized that I could turn what could have been a call I would want to forget into one that would help me define myself as a representative who is truly focused on customer care.”
Sometimes in customer service it can feel a little easy to forget the impact we can have on the lives of our callers. In our day to day quest to resolve their concerns, we must always stop to remind ourselves of the influence we have and what can sometimes be the lifeline role we hold for our customers. Early in my Sun Life career I was presented with that moment of truth, where I realized that I could turn what could have been a call I would want to forget into one that would help me define myself as a representative who is truly focused on customer care.
The call came from a plan member whose plan had terminated recently. He had been to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription that ended up not being covered. Assuming we had made an error, he called the CCC very angry and more upset than one would initially expect for the situation. In fact, he was so angry at the outset that he threw down his phone and just could not talk about it. I sensed there had to be more to this story. I hoped he would return to the line and so I waited patiently. Luckily, his wife returned to the line and apologized for her husband. Their stress was palpable. Through empathy and reassurance, the story began to unfold and I came to understand. I also recognized my opportunity to relieve their stress.
The story was not an uncommon one. The company our client was working for had forced him into early retirement and he and his wife were left emotionally and financially unprepared for the challenges this upheaval would bring. They were under the impression they had a little more coverage time on their plan and were shocked when I told them that the plan had indeed been terminated. The husband being unable to talk, the conversation continued with our client’s wife. In probing for understanding and seeking possible solutions, I asked her if she had any coverage of her own. She did not think she did, but low and behold I found an active plan under her name. They had never thought to see if her plan was still active because her husband’s plan had always covered everything for them. The olive branch was found. Now the relief was palpable.
It did not end there. Upon reviewing their new-found coverage, we were nearing the end of our conversation when she mentioned they were hoping to figure things out on an upcoming trip to Cuba. We went through the travel insurance under her plan and I informed her she would need proof of coverage to enter Cuba. She did not have access to a computer with which she could print the card, so I asked her when they were leaving, to see if I would have enough time to mail a card to them. As it turns out, they were leaving the very next day. Well, I did not give up. I asked her if there was anyone she could go visit that day with a computer who could print the card with her. Fearful, she said her daughter was already at work and she would not be able to get to her house before their departure the next day. I asked her for her daughter’s phone number and together with her on the line we called her daughter to explain the situation. Unfortunately, her daughter was out for lunch and unable to access a computer. The barriers seemed to keep coming. My determination was steadfast. I was not letting this go until they were helped; pure and simple. I asked for her daughter’s fax number and told them that I would fax over the medipass during my lunch hour and that I would then call her back to make sure that she had received it. Finally, a resolution.
Although we are an inbound call centre I felt it was necessary, after I faxed the medipass, that I call the couple back to make sure everything had been received. The wife answered and while talking to her, her husband actually came back on the phone and apologized for his earlier behaviour. He broke down explaining how hard the early retirement was on them. He had always been the provider for the family and now he felt helpless and insecure about their future. Now I knew there was even more we could do. I explained to him the guidance our Advisors can provide and asked if he’d like to be contacted by one of our Sun Life Advisors after their trip. He took me up on the offer immediately, with gratitude and happiness in his voice. Lost with this new life change, they finally felt that knowledgeable help was on the way and they were not alone to find their way. I was very grateful that I was given this chance to be of service and make such a difference. When the conversation was over, I was exhausted. So much had happened, but I was very relieved that I could help them and proud of myself for my caring, perseverance, and out of the box thinking. From the very start and all the way through our initial discussion, this call could have taken a very different path with unfortunate results.
As a CCR it can sometimes be challenging to not react to those negative emotions that land on us with our first hello. We just have to remember that everyone calling us has a story, and that we do not know what has led them to this level of distress, and to this phone call. We do not always get to know the story but making the extra effort to find it out will always give us the opportunity, if we seize it, to be that person who made all the difference. I remember that call vividly and proudly, and strive every day to be the person that my callers will fondly recall the next time they think about Sun Life Financial. It is a privilege and great responsibility to have such an opportunity to touch so many lives daily.
Tara Gray – Sun Life Financial
Creative Thinking Saved the Day for a Customer
“Aidan ran with the idea and executed it perfectly.”
Sometimes a little creative thinking can help make a difference and leave a positive, lasting impression. Such was the case last May when Aidan Lyall, a CRCC representative, saved the day for a customer who had run into a problem we have probably all faced once or twice. The customer had rushed to attend a meeting in downtown Toronto and parked his car in one of the many downtown lots. Hours later he went back to collect the car and realized he could not remember where he parked.
The customer called CTFS and Aidan, who had only been on the job a few weeks, took the call. The customer asked if there was a way to tell where his credit card had been used that day. Aidan ran with the idea and executed it perfectly. She not only searched through the customer’s transactions and retrieved the postal code for the most recent one; she then used this information to find the location of the parking lot using Google tools. Once that was established, Aidan asked the customer for his current location and gave him walking directions back to his car. Needless to say the customer was extremely thankful, which is reflected in the customer’s comments.
The customer called back just to say thank you for the help Aidan offered today. He was so happy that Aidan was able to tell him where he had parked his car so he was able to find it. He had lots of good things to say about Aidan and all the great help she provided and felt it was necessary to call back. As he said, “people only call back to complain, but rarely call back to say thank you and I wanted to make sure Aidan was thanked again for the service she provided me this morning. Great job!”
Aidan Lyall – Canadian Tire Financial Services
Customer Treated like Family
“The steps Jo-Ann took next set her apart as a World Class representative, particularly as the call moved from a very typical situation toward one that required quick thinking, compassion and extreme service.”
It was late on an August evening when Jo-Ann (an experienced representative in our Roadside Assistance division) received a call from a young, new driver. The customer was visiting Toronto and was involved in a minor accident on a ramp of the QEW (one of Ontario’s busiest highway that sees approximately 200,000 cars per day on some sections). The customer was very nervous and upset. Jo-Ann displayed great composure as she asked the customer important questions to help determine what happened and exactly where she was located. The steps Jo-Ann took next set her apart as a World Class representative, particularly as the call moved from a very typical situation toward one that required quick thinking, compassion and extreme service. First, noticing the customer was young in age, Jo-Ann offered to get in contact with the customer’s parents. The quick thinking teen, however, had already spoken to her parents who advised her to contact Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance, because she had coverage with our plan. While on the call, a non-contracted tow truck driver arrived and started to hook up her car, which created additional anxiety for our customer as this tow truck driver expected cash payment and she did not have enough money to cover this expensive demand. Jo-Ann provided excellent guidance and direction to the customer helping her maintain control of the situation and coached her on what to say to the tow truck driver. Meanwhile, Jo-Ann followed up directly with our contracted tow truck driver to have the vehicle towed off the ramp safely, and have the long distance tow covered. She then made arrangements for the customer to receive a ride home and followed up with her later to make sure everything was okay. The next day, the customer’s mother called to commend Jo-Ann for her amazing service. She was genuinely appreciative for the level of compassion Jo-Ann demonstrated, saying she treated her daughter like her own family.
Jo-Ann Topolinsky – Canadian Tire Financial Services
Conferencing a Member’s Call to Obtain First Call Resolution
“Joslyn decided not to transfer him, and instead decided to conference the call to obtain First Call Resolution.”
Building a great rapport with our members is one of our top priorities. Josyln received a call from a member who wanted to gain a better understanding of his healthcare product and services that were rendered. In the beginning of the call, the member expressed his confusion about how his medical and prescription claims were processed. However, with Joslyn’s pleasant tone and thorough explanation, the member was able to comprehend how the claims were processed. Joslyn gave the member all of the requested information and the amount that went towards his deductible.
Joslyn’s excellent customer service did not stop there; after giving the member a detailed explanation of his medical plan, the member had additional questions concerning his prescription product and wanted an explanation on how his prescription claims were processed. Although Joslyn does not handle prescription calls and is limited to the specific prescription data, Joslyn decided not to transfer his call and decided to conference the call to obtain First Call Resolution. Joslyn was able to speak with our Pharmacy Vendor and gave them a brief overview of the issue/concern which allowed the member not to repeat himself.
Joslyn stayed on the line with the member and our Pharmacy Vendor until the member confirmed his understanding of how the prescription claims were processed. A deductible audit was performed and mailed out to the member. Joslyn followed up with the member to ensure all requests, needs, and issues were resolved/addressed. The member stated how grateful he was to have experienced great customer service by Joslyn.
Joslyn Knight Cherry – CareFirst
Efforts Rewarded by Gaining a New Customer
“This caller did not have any previous dealings with our company in the past, and I could tell she wanted more personal service. This was an opportunity to make a lasting impression.”
I originally took this job at the call center to help people. As time went on, I felt I was just going through the motions. Most calls seemed so alike to me. My customer feedback was middle of the road. Last year my organization modified our Quality program, shifting an increased focus on the end to end customer experience. When I participated in workshops to put the message into action, I was shaken out of my daze. I now understood that every level of my organization from my company president all the way down to my supervisor said that making customers happy is what our organization should be about. By focusing on each customer and not just what I had to do for my job, I felt invigorated. I was SQM certified with World Class Calls for the first time in my life. Each call was different because each client was different. Each interaction with a customer was an opportunity for me to shine.
One such chance came while I was working the late shift. The caller was a potential customer interested in purchasing personal health insurance. Our process is to direct the caller to a licensed advisor, who will call them back in a few business days. If the caller wanted to speak with an advisor right away, I could transfer to a financial center. Unfortunately, because it was so late at night, the financial centers in the client’s area were closed. There is also the option to purchase personal health insurance online. If the caller does not want to speak with an advisor, our normal process is to direct the caller to our website and leave it up to them. This caller did not have any previous dealings with our company in the past, and I could tell she wanted more personal service. This was an opportunity to make a lasting impression.
Using effective probing, I found out that she wanted insurance for herself and for her daughter right away. She was not sure how to navigate our website, so I opened up a browser window and walked her through step by step. She then had questions about certain plans that normally would be answered by our personal health department. Unfortunately that department was closed. I felt it was my duty to try and help this potential client as much as I could, so I diligently tried to research the answers to her questions. The caller was concerned about security and did not want to provide her credit card information online. I knew this was a make or break moment for whether she would choose our company for health insurance. Although this was not a part of the website that I am overly familiar with, I quickly located other payment option details for the client. I provided her with the location of a PDF form so she could fax us her banking information to have the payments taken directly from her bank account. The client was happy that she did not need to provide us with her banking information online. I let the client know that she could buy the insurance online and follow up with the personal health insurance tomorrow to find out how quickly her policy would be in effect.
The caller was so thankful that I was able to assist her with this urgent request. I was so happy to see that my efforts were rewarded by this client choosing to do business with Sun Life. I felt I had gone above and beyond to deliver superior customer service to this potential client. I work in the life insurance area and I often get calls from customers needing assistance with products that I do not handle. If something is not my area of expertise, I am confident that no matter where I direct the customer to, the next employee has the same mandate to put the needs of the customer first. It is really empowering to know I am really helping people and my company is behind me all the way. That is why I am proud to represent Sun Life Financial.
Lynn Desouza – Sun Life Financial
Going the Extra Mile for a Customer in Need
“Normally this process could take a month, but through perseverance Max was able to get the approval within a few hours.”
Max received a call from a nurse case manager who was reviewing a prior approval request for a customer’s knee surgery. The surgery had been scheduled for eight months but the customer was new to her insurance plan so the prior approval needed to be completed in an expedited fashion. Unfortunately, the member had a waiting period for pre-existing conditions on her policy that happened to be the only thing that hindered her surgery from being approved. A waiting period like this was only applied to a customer when they did not have any previous coverage, but the customer stated she had been on another carrier’s policy for over a year but had not realized she needed to let the insurance company know. The solution was simple: obtain proof of previous insurance from her old carrier. The problem? The process to get such proof can take weeks; the surgery was scheduled for Monday, and it was Thursday morning.
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Max sprung to action. With the member on the line he obtained the phone number for her previous insurance carrier and made a conference call to obtain the proof of coverage. After the other insurance representative verified the customer’s information, he informed them that her policy was still active. The member had not paid her premiums and assumed the policy would be automatically cancelled but the carrier needed to be informed before the policy was officially terminated. The representative said he could take the cancellation over the phone, but it would take up to two weeks to process and then another week to generate a proof of cancellation. Max did not want to give up, so pressing the matter he asked if there was anything else that the representative could do. The representative informed Max that this member’s policy was a COBRA policy and that his company was a third party administrator for the insurance carrier that had held the original policy through the customer’s previous employer. He informed them the original carrier would be the only one that could generate a proof of coverage. Even though they had already been on the phone for over forty-five minutes, Max did not want to give up. Asking the representative to connect them to the original carrier, he made another conference call to ensure this proof of coverage could be obtained. When Max and the customer finally obtained someone that could assist them, the new representative told them the only thing he could do was mail the proof of coverage and the customer would receive it in two weeks, or fax the proof of coverage directly to the customer. The customer did not have a fax but she did know someone who did. The three formed a plan: the representative would fax the proof of coverage to the member, the member would forward it to Max’s attention, and Max would then make sure it was reviewed to remove the waiting period from the member’s policy.
After almost two hours on the phone, Max disconnected the call and waited for the fax. After two hours and constantly checking, the fax finally arrived. It was exactly what they needed. He quickly scanned the document and contacted the department that could remove the waiting period. After everything was finalized, he called the nurse case manager who was able to approve the authorization so the member could have her surgery. Normally this process could take a month, but through perseverance Max was able to get the approval within a few hours. The customer was able to have her surgery that Monday without any further issue.
Max Tardie – BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont
The Member Needed More Than a Hand – He Needed a Friend
“I did not know him and that was my first time talking to him, but I knew I had to be strong for him.”
As a Customer Service Advocate, I try to go above and beyond on all my calls, but there is this one call in particular that stands out from all others. In late summer 2013, I received a call that was life-changing. I usually take my calls personally and extend every helping hand possible. But it was clear to me that this caller needed more than a hand, he needed a friend. For his privacy, we will call him Mr. Doe.
There was an elderly man in his seventies who maintained employee/spouse coverage with BlueCross BlueShield Small Group and his coverage included Medical, Life, and Dependent Coverage. He was calm and quiet as we discussed hospital claims and his responsibility for the claims. As I began doing my research, I noticed the claims in question were not for him, but rather, for his wife. I explained to Mr. Doe that we did not have authorization on file and I would not be able to assist him, but I gave him options so that he could get the assistance that he needed. I said that if I could speak with his wife for verbal consent, then I could assist him. This man became extremely quiet at this point. It did not cross my mind that anything was wrong. After a 30-40 second pause, he said his wife died from cancer. My heart melted. I did not know him and that was my first time talking to him, but I knew I had to be strong for him. I gave him a few minutes to gather his thoughts. He went on, saying they married young and that she was his friend, his love, his life, and he missed her. Of course at this time, my eyes became very teary, but I stayed focused. He then said he stayed by his wife’s side during her illness. She had terminal cancer and he took full responsibility by staying home to care for the love of his life. He seemed tired and lost, as if he did not know where to start. He was unable to retain the information I was giving him. It was almost as if he was still appalled or numb from losing someone so dear.
My eyes were tearing more and more as he poured his heart out, but I managed to hold it together during the call. I knew there had to be other options for such a delicate case, and as he explained how he used money set aside to pay property taxes for his wife’s medical bills, I was trying to think of other options. He said he was counting on his wife’s life insurance policy to pay for the property taxes and funeral. I was concerned and afraid that he may not be eligible for the medical or life benefits which he desperately needed. There were many roadblocks. From no HIPPA on file, to the hospital, funeral home and others pushing for payments, I can only imagine how distraught he must have been. I know how it feels to care for an ill loved one. To be fully responsible for another life and take care of your personal business as well can be a struggle. I was determined to ensure he received the assistance he needed.
Through gentle, leading questions, I was able to determine that he worked for a company for many years and had accumulated leave and sick pay which likely covered most of the time he took off to care for his wife. I called the company to confirm the accumulated leave time and advised the company to reference this in the event there were any questions about him being actively at work and his eligibility for benefits. I also advised them that they should explain he was using leave accumulated over the years. With his approval, I was able to conference call one of his daughters and receive an email address so I could forward the life claim form to him with instructions on next steps. His daughter confirmed that she would help her father with this process. I told him that we would need legal documents to show he was his wife’s personal representative so we could share the medical claims information with him. I explained to his daughter that we could answer yes or no regarding EOBs, if they had one in their possession. I continued to follow up with one to two calls per week for the next three to four weeks with him. I offered my support by checking on the status of the completed documents and nudging him (or his daughter) to follow through so he could receive the life insurance claim benefits and get the medical bill resolved. I also called Companion Life for additional information regarding the filed life claim and to assist if possible. Knowing his state of mind, I was not comfortable with his ability to complete documents accurately. He was relieved to hear my voice on each and every call and it gave him time to share more about his loss. He seemed to need that and it genuinely seemed to comfort him. I did not need to have the constant communication with him after this call was completed, but I care for my callers and I understood that this was not just a caller, but a person with great loss who needed some additional assistance. I showed him that BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina cares about their members, not just as a number, but as a person.
NOTE FROM PAM’S MANAGER: Pam was truly touched by this member and she has in turn taught her team to take time with their customers. She has taught them to look at each person that calls in as a person and not just an ID card number, and also to not be afraid to go that extra mile and offer additional assistance that may not be in the regular line of duty. The relationship Pam had with this caller will no doubt affect the customer’s relationship with BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. The next time he goes to select health insurance, he will remember how much Pam cared about him in his time of need and how she went the extra mile just to ensure he was OK. Pam is truly what a great Customer Service Advocate should be.
Pamela Cragin – BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Taking Ownership of the Situation to get Resolution
“Rachael immediately reassured the customer that she would do everything in her power.”
Rachael displays World Class Customer service with each and every call she takes. She consistently demonstrates an ability to prioritize and own an issue until she determines what is truly impacting her customer. In the first week of December, Rachael received a telephone call from a frantic customer. This customer was very apprehensive as she had injured herself while on vacation and did not qualify for employer paid benefits such as short term disability. She was going to take a chance and apply for government benefits. To receive these benefits, your employer must provide the government with the necessary paperwork, describing your past 12 months of income earnings. Due to the circumstances behind the request for the required paper work, our payroll department was unable to immediately release this paperwork to the government, causing delays for our customer. The customer was understandably upset; she had injured herself at the beginning of the most stressful 31 days of any year, December. She was also worried about the delay in the government receiving her paperwork. Rachael immediately reassured the customer, that she would do everything in her power to ensure that the paperwork would be released as soon as possible.
Rachael investigated the cause of the delay and discovered that we had not received the request to do so from the customer’s office. The customer stressed that she confirmed it was sent three times prior to speaking with Rachael. Rachael advised the customer that she would check her file throughout the day and update her as soon as the necessary paperwork was received. Her intent was to expedite the process once it was received, but the documents were not received that day, or the next. Rachael, knowing that there must be an additional reason the information had not arrived, and concerned for the customer’s situation, took ownership of the issue and reached out to her Resolution Specialist. She also sent an email to her Resolution Specialist’s office to discuss the situation and possible options. Rachael convinced her Resolution Specialist to contact the customer’s office directly to find out where the paperwork was sent. Their inquiry determined that the paperwork had been sent for approvals, and not for processing, due to the type of leave. Rachael and her Resolution Specialist were able to speak with the approver of the paperwork and received confirmation that it had been submitted for processing. Rachael was able to contact the customer and assure her that the issue was definitely being addressed and that the necessary paperwork was being created and processed. This reassured the customer and demonstrated that her issue was important.
Rachael made sure the customer was updated throughout the process and made numerous phone calls to her during this four-day period. Rachael has a remarkable ability to empathize with customers. She is the first person to put herself into another’s shoes and show them she truly understands. She understands that she is helping people like herself, with families and everyday problems and concerns; and she treats them the way she would like to be treated.
Rachael Clarke – TELUS Sourcing Solutions Inc.
Only One Call Needed by Member to Obtain Urgent Resolution
“I was committed to getting this taken care of before not only the holiday, but also before everyone left for the day.”
When asked to write a member experience story for 2013, it was hard to pin point just one, as taking the member out of the middle and ensuring first call resolution, has become so engrained in our call center; it is simply the way we do business. Thinking outside of the box and going above and beyond is just what we do. For example, it was the day before Christmas break and close to our close of business; most companies had already closed down for the holidays when I received a call from a frantic mom. She was understandably very upset; her son was sick and needed medication. She had gone to the pharmacy to obtain his medication and was told that she did not have coverage and would need to pay out of pocket for her son’s medication. This medication was very expensive and she could not afford the cost. She called our call center looking for assistance and resolution. I reviewed her membership and confirmed that her son had not yet been added to her group policy. I reassured her that I understood the urgency of the situation and told her not to worry; I was committed to getting this taken care of before not only the holiday, but also before everyone left for the day.
Five minutes prior to closing, I reached out to another department and asked them to expedite the load of this membership into our medical and pharmacy systems. This was completed in just a few minutes for this member. After getting the membership loaded into our systems, I called the pharmacy and had them process the member’s prescriptions to their benefits. I then called the member back and let her know that her prescriptions were all set to be picked up at the pharmacy. The member was extremely thankful that I had taken ownership of her issue and worked so quickly to have it resolved. She was able to pick up her son’s medication that day and she only had to make one call, something I feel very proud of.
Sarah Pollard – BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont
Quick Thinking to Re-Unite Member with his Wallet
“Thanks to Susan’s quick thinking we were able to help save our co-worker from a lot of anxiety and frustration.”
As a CSR at VSP Vision Care we talk to members, doctors and clients. Occasionally we get calls from members asking about dental coverage and sometimes we get calls about package delivery when they mistakenly think we are UPS. When a non-member called us, CSR Susan Elkins was not thrown off. The gentleman on the phone explained he had found a wallet on a hiking trail in Colorado belonging to one of our members. He went on to explain that the wallet held sensitive information such as a social security card. Susan felt she wanted to help locate this member and get him reunited with his wallet. She asked the caller if he would mind holding while she did some research. He said it was not a problem because he really would like to see the wallet returned. Susan contacted the member’s employer. She explained the situation. The employer was concerned about giving out the member’s address. The employer offered to contact the member and connect the member with the gentleman who found the wallet. Susan returned to her caller and asked if he would provide his phone number. He did. She told him that they were in the process of contacting the member and to expect a phone call. She thanked the gentleman for his good deed.
This member was a nurse vacationing in Colorado. When his employer contacted him he did not realize that he had even lost his wallet. He was so thankful for the Good Samaritan because he would have had great trouble returning home to Missouri without it. He was very lucky that the gentleman who found the wallet was smart enough to contact Susan at VSP who went way above her call handling requirements to get this member’s wallet returned. The employer sent this compliment to Susan: “I just wanted to give a shout out to Susan Elkins in your service department. Susan received a call from a stranger in Colorado who found the wallet of one of our employees vacationing in Colorado. The wallet had everything, including social security card in it. This gentleman is the first hero in this story! Susan kept the caller on the line while she called me to validate our employee’s information. She is the second hero! While I searched for a way to contact our co-worker, Susan got back on the line to let this Good Samaritan know we were working on a solution. We were able to get in touch with our co-worker. They both made contact and the wallet was safely returned. Thanks to Susan’s quick thinking we were able to help save our co-worker from a lot of anxiety and frustration. This is a perfect example of VSP going above and beyond the required service level. Just another reason why we love VSP!”
Susan Elkins – VSP Vision Care
Working Together to get to the Root of the Problem
“I had to do something. The family was stranded at a gas station a long way from home with no available credit.”
One evening a call was transferred to me through the security queue from another CSR because of a security block on the account. The callers were frantic – they were travelling home to Ontario from a Florida vacation and neither of the credit cards on their account was working. They, along with their young children, were relying on their credit cards to pay for accommodations, food, and fuel on the way home. They were considerably worried about their ability to pay for the trip home without the use of their cards. After listening to the situation, it was easy to empathize with them. I assured the customers that I was here to help and that we would work together to get to the root of the problem.
Upon viewing the account, I could see that in addition to the security flag that caused their account to be blocked, all of their available credit was used and the account would actually be over its limit once several new pending transactions were also posted. I followed our processes by first reviewing the transactions the system had flagged with its security block. Quickly I was able to determine that the primary card holder’s card had been counterfeited and used in another state. Unfortunately, even though our system had caught the fraudulent activity and blocked the account, the fraudulent transactions that had been processed exhausted all of their available credit. The transactions were all on the primary cardholder’s card so I was able to cancel that card and reissue, which also allowed me to remove the security block from the account. The second card on the account was then reactivated, but I knew the family would still have no available credit on their account until the fraudulent transactions were removed from the account, which can take some time.
I had to do something. The family was stranded at a gas station a long way from home, with no available credit to pay for their gas, food for their children, or accommodations for the night. My next step was to look for any credit limit increase offers that the account might qualify for. Luckily, there was one available so I explained the offer and by processing the limit increase, it gave them the funds needed to hold them over until the fraudulent transactions were removed. The couple was understandably frightened and upset when they realized that their card had been compromised, but I was able to put them at ease by explaining that the situation was certainly not their fault and that they would not be held responsible for the fraudulent transactions. By the end of the call, they were no longer stranded, the fraud investigation was well in progress, and they definitely had an interesting story to tell friends and family about their vacation.
Wendy Cleversey – Millennium1 Solutions