I hope you just read Bruce Blacks column “Banks” before you read this. His is an excellent article; one I wish I had written myself. Then again, that has been true of all of Bruce’s columns so far. Great writer, and I am pleased as punch to have him here. (Pleased as punch? I never talk like that “in real life” so why do I here? Of course, in real life, I would have said, “Having Bruce at MyMac.com is awesome. Anyway, banks. Bruce made some really great points, as is his usual. There are a few more personal observations I just HAD to make after reading his column.
Credit Unions seem to me the last refuse for good customer service in the banking world. Banks HATE the credit unions, and have for years been trying to get legislation passed to cripple their business. It has not worked yet, which tells me either our elected officials are not completely stupid or they themselves belong to credit unions. I think the later is the case.
There is a new bank around my area now. It is called “Fifth/Third Bank.” Excuse me, but what the fuck does THAT mean? Fifth/Third? Are you kidding me? What the hell is that shit? Some little marketing prick probably spent a million dollars of the banks money to come up with that name, with all the case studies and other garbage to support his name choice. And then the same idiot sold this idea, somehow, to a bunch of dip-shits. “Gee, Gary, that is a fine name! That will defiantly garner some brand recognition for us! Good work!”
Me? I refuse to ever bank there for that reason alone. If you name your bank a dumb-ass name like that, you don’t deserve to treat me rudely when I come in. I mean, you don’t deserve me as a customer. Oh, wait, those are the same things. Sorry.
But I think Bruce’s column has more meaning than just banks. I won’t sit here and analyze his column, but rather tell you what I think the meaning is. (Or at least what I got from it.)
People are sheep. People don’t question ANYTHING anymore. Crap service. Insulting advertising. Dumb-ass names. No one really cares, because they figure they can’t do anything to change it anyway, so why put forth the effort. Oh, sure, you may bitch about it to your family and friends, but you won’t DO anything about it. When was the last time you went to the “insert-fast-food-restaurant-name-here” drive-thru, only to get home and find you did not get what you ordered? Did you call the place back? Did you get back in your car and demand they fulfill the order correctly? Or did you simply eat the food, pissed off, vowing never to go there again? But you will. And when you do, you will excuse your own inaction from the last time they messed up your order one way or another. “They were really busy. Mistakes happen. Could have been someone’s first day on the job. Forgive and forget. They don’t get paid much, so what should I really expect?”
When it comes right down to it, the bank teller is not the problem. The idiot who runs the bank is not the problem. The moron who named it “Fifth/Third” is not the problem. (Although I do think he should be legally forced to change his legal name to Idiot Moron the First) Hell, it is not even Idiot Drive Thru guys fault. It is YOUR fault. Yes, it is YOURS. YOU let this happen.
I call the restaurant back. I yell at them. Well, sometimes I am nice about it, but I CALL or DRIVE back. I paid for what I wanted, and I WILL get what I ordered.
It is the people who turn a blinds eye that lets this crap continue. The same morons who don’t vote, EVER, and then complain when the government officials turn out to be dumb-shits who can’t do anything right. Well, duh! He is a product from our society, so what do you expect?
Sorry. I just had to get that off my chest. And if I offended you, sorry. Well, no, not really. If I offended you, too bad. Send me an email and bitch at me. Hey, I would if I was offended! In fact, if this DOES offend you, I INSIST that you let me know. Otherwise, you prove my point for me. People get mad, frustrated, and DO NOTHING about ANYTHING. (Unless what is making them mad interferes with sleep or threatens the paint job on their car.)
Sleep well tonight. And remember, change is up to YOU.
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