For those of you who have Providian Credit Cards....

Why??? Why did you get a Providian Credit card? I hate Providian!!!

Okay, I'll explain. I'm a Providian Credit Card Activator. When you call in and have to talk to that annoying salesman, that salesman is me (well, you have a chance of getting me, even if it is one in like 500.) The thing is, I don't like being annoying. I like being employed. I just get so tired of people getting mad at me because I can't let them off the phone until I've rebuttaled twice. That means I have to hear you say 'no' three times. And no you can't go, no, no, and no anymore because if I let you off the phone and I haven't argued with you twice I'll get fired.

And the reason I sound like a recording is because I have done that stupid script a billion and a half times so that I say it in my sleep at night when I go to bed....

Oh and here's the most fun part: if I don't get at least 15% of my calls to be a sale I'm going to get fired and right now, things aren't looking very good for me... (Because I try and focus on Customer Service, not sales. My average rating for customer service is 93% out of 100 and it is impossible to get both sales and CS...)

So here are some basic rules of advice:

1. Don't gripe at me for sounding like a recorder. I can't help it if they have programmed me to be a mindless atomotom to do their bidding (at the cost of my soul).

2. Don't call me and then when I go into my sale's pitch say you don't have time to talk OR that you are calling from work. For Pete's sake don't call if you don't have the time. It will take you on average 30 minutes to activate your card, no kidding. (My calls last anywhere from 2-20 minutes and you still have to go through an automated system BEFORE you get to me.)

3. Don't get mad at me when I persist in trying to sell you a stupid program. I told you before I HAVE to argue with you two times before I let you off the phone. It's better if you hang up on me, seriously.

4. Don't call the activation center if you need your balance information. In fact if you are activating your card, don't bother to even ASK for your balance info. I swear if I don't say this every call I am a monkey's uncle: "I'm sorry, I don't have that much access to your account information, please call the Customer Service Number that is listed on the back of your credit card." All I have in front of me is your name, phone number, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and I can't even change it if you wanted me to.

5. Don't gripe at me if your account information doesn't pull up. It isn't my fault you waited more than 2 weeks to activate your card...

6. I am partially dislexic so if I ask for your phone number or address five or six times please have patience with me. I can't help it if I've typed it in backwards and have not noticed it...

7. And for God's sake don't put off activating your card until the end of the month. I go through an entire month of being VTOed and MTOed (sent home) because we're not getting enough call volume, and then, bam! at the end of the month EVERYONE calls at ONCE!!! At the end of July I took more than 400 calls in one week! THAT'S USUALLY MORE THAN I TAKE IN A MONTH!!!



Oh, and if you can't understand the person you are talking to, it is most likely that they've routed the call through the India call center (yes, there is a Providian Activation Center in India.) Due to cheeper labor, India takes 9/10s of all the calls that come in. DAMN CHEEP LABOR!!!! The result is often even worse customer service...





*Sarcasm*Isn't it nice to know that your credit card company cares about you?*End Sarcasm*



*End Ranting*

 

That's why I don't use credit cards of any kind.

 

Hey Lady, I sympathize with you. I was a bill collector for a bank and it sucked calling people. In fact I was fired too. Went back to school and got a better job. All in all look for another job while you have the chance. That way you can give them two weeks and you will have more sucess looking for a job.

 

The rules:

1. You're a salesperson. I dont' care how many times you've said your speech. If you want to sell me something, at least sound like it interests you and that the customer is valuable.

2-7. I agree with those. There are idiots in the world.

Hang in there. You've got a job. *hugz*

 

I know and I am trying.

Getting a job in Utah when the Unemployment rate is at least 10% or higher of the population is a hard thing to do...

EDIT: Thanks FlamingSword. It is just kinda hard when they have little variety. As an example at least 90% of what comes up to sell all day is Premium Points and that program SUCKS! It's like getting a 1% discount....

 

Do you live with your parents and do you need this job that bad? Could you go back to school instead if possible?

 

*sigh*

My parents went bankrupt in April and lost their house. I kicked my dad out of the house (he being the problem) and my mom and sister are living with me... Currently I am the only one employed (except for my mom being on welfare) and I bring in most the money and pay the bills...

 

Thats alot for a girl at your age to be going thru right now. I really feel for you. Remember this, It is easier to get a job while you have one? Remember this you are young and have many talents. Use your experiences and talents to head in a different direction. Just because you have experience on the phone doesnt mean you stay on the phone. Expand your Opportunities. Every job gives you something in which to use in another job or life itself. Trust your feelings. If you dont like a job interview or a company dont apply or take the job. If you have one job already it will help you out.

 

Thanks, beezel, it has been a tough year... (tough life...)

But I suppose that in which does not kill you makes you strong...

Actually I have more experience in Retail, almost 2 years.

What I'd love is a job in jewelry. I worked in jewelry for both Mervyn's and TJMaxx and I loved it!

Ahhh, for the good ol' days.

Oh yeah I need to apply at Sears... (They're hiring for jewelry I hear) I better do it now.

 

Anything to help a fellow jcer out. Hey that what I do. Heck I picked up Noggins from the airport last week. He came from Wales for a college exchange and he had to find his way to school apparently. well he told me thru the boards what time he was arriving and I showed up to greet him and ended up giving him a tour of Albany and driving him to his campus building. It was kinda fun.

 

Aw, man my computer froze as I was finishing up... but they ARE hiring over in Fashion Place Mall...

 

Oh, and if you can't understand the person you are talking to, it is most likely that they've routed the call through the India call center (yes, there is a Providian Activation Center in India.) Due to cheeper labor, India takes 9/10s of all the calls that come in. DAMN CHEEP LABOR!!!! The result is often even worse customer service...


I have gotten them idiots before.

No wonder why I did not pay them.


I have one piece of advise...if you liven up your sales pitch...you can most likely get more sales.

Have you seen "Boiler Room"...Giovanni Ribisi said it right at the breakfast table.

 

Nope, never seen it....

 

So, Lady Viskor, do you work at TPUSA?

 

EDIT: Yep, Darth Blob, I do. Do you?

Crap, I'm back at work and we are getting non-stop calls!


Oh and another side note about all this: One reason I sound like a machine is largely due to the scripting. ONLY RECENTLY have they given us the liberty to play around with the script and change a few things as long as we say pretty much the same thing. It is very hard to try and sound natural when you have to say sentences like this Verbaitum: "To activate Credit Protection you must be a member at the time of the event and within six months aftert the event begins we must receive a completed activation form to activate Credit Protection of your account, and of course while Credit Protection is activated we may periodically require you to send written acceptable proof that your event continues to exist..."

That is poor scripting if you ask me. For crying out loud, Credit Protection's script is three pages long, and most of it is rambling about the technical terms of the program! I still am unsure as to why it sells so well... (well, it is one of the BETTER programs...)

Anyway... I just thought I would rant....

 

remember, its your choice to work there. If its that bad, then work somewhere else - perhaps a job that does not require working with people.

 

Yup, up on the 3rd floor, for MSN

 

Could you be a dear and cancel my Providian card?

Thx.

 

I love when people say, "Just work somewhere else"
Like magic fairies are going to take care of your bills and you will stay in perfect health until you get a new job and the benefits kick in. If you get a new job right away.



Lady Viskor good luck getting the other job. Jobs in Utah are scarce. I remember when I was living there my friends got a job that paid pennies. 15 pennies for every tray of seeds they planted.

 

I love it when people constantly bitch about their jobs, but don't do anything about getting another one.

I don't suggest leaving a job until you have a new one (unless you have a lot of savings you are willing to use).

Why not ask about promotion at work ? Or perhaps some new responsibilities or challanges that might make your job more interesting. How about on the job training to expand your skills making you more valuable (IT classes, foreign languages classe, the options are endless).

Perhaps you could look to move into another department (admin or whatever) within the same company.

There are always options - have you explored them ?

 

Actually gundark, if you need to get it cancelled call the "Customer Service Number" on the back of your card. That number is '1-800-356-0011' but good luck getting anything other than a machine!

I wanted to apply for MSN but my manager told me I didn't need a resume'. Well it turns out I did and I got the application thrown right back in my face...

Yes, and I am keeping my job until I find a new one. Do you think I would have stayed here for 6 months if I had somewhere better to go. I kinda don't have a choice.

The problem is that people in Utah are picky. My boyfriend has worked in a book store for 2 years and when he applied at Barnes and Noble (they were opening a new store) they didn't even consider his application! I called them maybe 6 times and everytime they told me "Dont' call us, well call you..." Grr....

Edit: And Darth Blob, you wouldn't happen to be in Utah would you?

 

well, thats not good that you are stuck somewhere that you are not happy with. My honest suggestion would be to enquire about the availability of any personal development programs within your company. It could be anything, but its something great to add to your resume, increasing the chances of promotion or success at other job applications.

Even just asking your supervisor shows that you are interesting in developing your skills, which has to count for something.

 

If you had read all her posts malkie you would have read about her applying at other places and talking about the unemployment rate there. So you can see she wasn't complaining about her job and doing nothing to change it. Besides, if you read her first post she was trying to change it by informing us about the correct way to deal with her when you have to call.

 

OOH, someone just game me a Tootsie Pop!


Yes, I get paid commission in candy...

 

Providian is still in business? Wasn't there a couple of large lawsuits a few years ago that resulted in the company losing lots of money? Either way, as far as credit cards go, Providian is pretty much one of the worst providers out there.