HOLDING TIME IS LESS THAN YOU THINK

Holding time is what you get from some customer service calls.

It usually comes with some weak jazz music that cuts out and starts over.

You’ll get your hopes up in the extra moment it starts over like ‘finally someone is answering.’

But no, more wait time jazz.

I bring this up based on my recent experience with quick books.

They have a company policy when it comes to refunding money, in this case holding the money for up to one hundred and eighty days.

It may not be the same for everyone, but it is for me.

So I called and checked, got past the holding time, and finally got someone to ask questions.

I’m not the guy who waits and waits, and waits some more, and gets angry.

I understand the game, and there are other options available.

Would I like a call back? Would I like to chat on their website? Text? Email?

No thanks, I’ll wait.

I’m also not the guy who blows up after waiting it out only to have someone on the other end with a good grip on the English language, but still learning.

It’s not ideal for the hard of hearing, not ideal when it’s on speaker either.

To avoid cutting out and losing my line, I did everything to keep going.

In other words, I wanted my money back. It’s been long enough.

But that’s just my opinion.

 

Score For The Win

Since I’m not the squeaky wheel, just a customer with a question, I don’t expect results from pitching a fit.

I am assuming everyone is trying their best to find a suitable solution, like giving me my money back.

Here’s what happened:

We hired a bookkeeper with dreams of moving up the business ladder.

Maybe they wanted to an accountant, a CPA, a banker? I don’t know.

What I do know is they had a plan that didn’t work out: Automation.

They used one tenant as a trial and set up the process.

He sent a check to quick books from his bank to my bank.

It didn’t make it to my bank, didn’t go back to his bank.

After one long holding time after another from February until yesterday I still haven’t seen progress.

I did learn quick books has an action team on the job for just such situations.

The woman I spoke to said it was an ongoing case. Very ongoing.

 

Holding Time Goes Off The Tracks

With too many questions, the bookkeeper said it was out of their hands, the tenant said it wasn’t his fault, we took things at face value, meaning everyone is telling the truth.

But the bookkeeper was adamant and started blaming the old people.

All we’ve done is run a business that’s been doing fine for decades.

The changes to automation threw a wrench into it.

Since the bookkeeper didn’t keep books for us the way we asked, they found someone else to automate.

We went along with the whole plan until the end, even signed up for a quick books account.

I understand how things might have taken a turn for the worse because we unsigned up on quick books and got a refund before we ever used the service.

But not before the trial case auto-pay rent went squirrelly.

The helpful customer service rep kept calling me “Mr. David,” and I liked it.

Using all my manners and polite talk, nothing changed after an hour and a half.

I got assurances that the case was still open, even got assigned a new case number for the ‘Action Team.’

What more could I ask for?

 

Me: So I understand, you are holding my money until the action team releases it?

Customer Service: Yes.

Me: And you don’t have a date yet for the release.

CS: That is correct.

Me: And it’s been over one hundred and twenty days. 

CS: Yes.

Me: Will I receive interest in the refund when it does happen?

CS: No.

Me: Will quick books take out any money for working on the case so hard?

CS: No.

Me: Is there anyone else who can help me?

CS: We have the action team on the job.

Me: Can you expedite this?

CS: I can only expedite each case once.

Me: Have you done that?

CS: Yes.

Me: Could I talk to them?

CS: I am your contact.

Me: Will you be my contact tomorrow when I call, and the next day? I’d like to finish this.

CS: You will receive an email when we finish.

Me: I’m looking forward to that.

CS: Thank you, Mr. David.

 

It’s a similar experience with other companies.

You call, answer questions by pushing buttons on the phone, then slide into the holding time until someone picks up.

It’s an automated call center way of doing business, which is fine, but who holds money so long?

It casts a poor light on what seems to be a good company, Intuit Quick Books.

After I hung up I was left wondering what more I could have done.

That’s no comfort for anyone, especially Mr. David.