It was a nightmare. Always has been. This was the third time that this effin' bank has done this to me. It's a sickness they cannot cure. Annoying and never fails to make me so infuriated that I would want to put a bomb in their office and blow them up to pieces. But hey... this is Philippines. It's supposed to happen.
I know everything not ought to be perfect. Now, Banco de Oro, that effin' bank institution, always finds its way to ruin a day. Especially for paydays. Yes. I was one of the unfortunate people whose company's payroll is enrolled under. I wish I have the power to tell the company's higher ups these words, "What the hell is the matter with you? This freaking bank is ruining our life and takes our own money away from us. Why not go change to BPI or PS Bank?" But I don't. I may have a position but I don't have that special power.
Here's the situation. It's a payday, as I said. before the first day of the following month, I always make it an effort to pay my gym membership in Fitness First (who has been giving me an awesome service for a year now). It was November 30, 2011. A Wednesday. Regular people (people who don't work in Call Centers) take their extra day off because it's Andress Bonifacio day. Meaning, it's not a banking day. NOT A BANKING DAY.
According to my failing 26-year old memory, I still have more than 5 thousand bucks in my BDO ATM Card. So, why in the world would I have to go to an ATM and get cash when I can just have it swiped at Fitness First POS Terminal. So I did. The beautiful Miss Yssa at the reception (Fitness First Megamall) told me politely if I have another card. Bell rings. If a person who swiped your card asks you if you have any other card, it's has been declined. I thought, "Maybe I only had less than two thousand in my account, but that's impossible. It's probably a system glitch because my card is as old as I am with my current company. 4 years"
"Miss Yssa, ATM Debit po yan, baka po kailangan gamitan ng Pin-Based terminal." me speaking because I work for a financial account. So, the beautiful Miss Yssa tried to swipe me and I pinned my security numbers. Error message says I have insufficient funds. I was so disappointed that I left the line immediately to give way to other members for their payments and told Yssa that I will just go back to check on my balance. And I did, when I checked it on an ATM, balance registered P2,400.00 and let me let you know that my monthly payment for Fitness First is P2,750.00 so it was clearly debited.
I was so disappointed that I decided not to workout because of that feeling. You know the feeling that you were on the mood to do something and is so excited about it but something happens and ruins that excitement and turns it into something frustrating. So I went home. I checked my online account, and there it was. P2,750.00 deducted out of my account. I withdrawn the full amount from my account and paid Fitness First in Cash.
Here's the best part. I contacted BDO's phone customer support and was disconnected twice. On the third time, I was able to reach Mack. As usual, I explained my situation. My account was debited and all. Placed me on hold, the usual doings of a BDO customer service and then goes back to me with a bad news saying, I apologize sir, we will have to do an investigation and it would take 45 BANKING DAYS. What???!!! My blood pressure was rising high up to the moon. 45 banking days, that was like more than a couple of months! I have no money. What would I eat in the next few days? How would I go to the office? I don't have any money at all!
This was the very first time that I got angry over the phone. I want to curse but I cannot because I can still hold my anger but I know I am angry. They were wanting me to fax a letter. I said to them straight that I don't to fax anything cause I don't have a fax machine. That was the time that I found some customer's spiel useful (I take escalated calls in my work, so...).
I asked for a supervisor. What would an angry customer do, right? She then tells me the same thing. But she did something different. Her name is Melissa, by the way. She said she will put an urgency into this and assured me that 45 banking days is just a maximum time frame so it would be possible that it could be credited back sooner. I sarcastically said, "What... 44 banking days". I begged but still, the process prevails.
BDO is a nightmare. I already learned my lesson because this was the fourth time. I was not able to realize that it was a payday the day before. Why it came out of my mind, I don't know. It never fails. Try to use your BDO ATM Debit Card during paydays. Have them swiped and you could possibly experience one of the worst things that could happen. NEVER USE YOUR CARD TO SWIPE FOR A TRANSACTION ON A PAYDAY. ESPECIALLY IF IT IS BDO. AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, DO NOT USE BDO. NEVER EVER USE BDO. IF YOU ARE WORKING ON A COMPANY, TRY TO TALK TO WHOEVER PROCESSES THE PAYROLL TO HAVE THEM CHANGE YOUR PAYROLL BANK TO ANY OTHER BANK ASIDE FROM BDO.
BDO, we find ways. BDO finds ways to ruin your life. BDO finds ways to hold your money and make interest out of it for 45 days and make up different stories to make you believe it's not their fault. BDO will finds ways to not dispense cash out of the ATM when you try to withdraw money, you dispute it and nothing will be done. BDO is a greedy piece of shit. BDO is bull crap. They make money by stealing people's money.
OK, back to the story. I contacted Fitness First for hopes that a miracle could happen. Thankfully, their customer service was superior. The manager on desk even asked if I was using a cellphone so he could call me back. Kudos to you Miss Ice and Sir Jojo of Fitness First Megamall for showing what real customer service it. So, Sir Jojo contacted me back on my cellphone. He talked to BDO and got the same response but told me it could take 5-10 banking days. I gladly thanked him for doing everything for me.
As for BDO, fuck you all.
