One For the Little People

25 minutes and 49 seconds.

That's how long I was on hold today waiting to cancel a credit card. Flipping back and forth between continents and currencies we've got extra credit cards that now just sit around doing nothing. Several years ago I canceled one, Discover, since we couldn't ever use it outside of the US. It took about 6 minutes. On the slate for today, cancelling another that just sent a letter about a new annual fee.

I called up credit card from Big Bank X and had a pretty short wait time to talk to a real person, less than five minutes. We chatted about my credit card needs and why I wanted to cancel. So far pretty straightforward and it was at this point that Discover simply cancelled my card. However Big Bank X informed me that I needed to talk to a Customer Representative Manager and therefore would need to hold. OK, say I, they don't seem busy, my last hold time was short, and it's nice and quiet around here at my house since it's nap time. I'll hold. 25 minutes and 49 seconds later, after hearing "Please hold for the next available Customer Representative Manager" every 15 seconds, I got a real person.

I don't have a speaker phone. I wish I did. I could have been folding laundry. I did, however manage to do some one handed unpacking and am glad my phone is at least cordless. I'm glad I was able to use my land line and not use up nearly half an hour of shared family minutes on a pointless hold that I'm positive was banking psychological warfare intended to make me hang up so I wouldn't cancel my card.

Take that Big Bank. You're not paying for bonuses out an annual fee from ME this year! ;)