Good times with WU

[saccade]

Earlier I decided to use the online WU rather than going to the shop.
Signed up an account, made payment with "faster payments" transfer.

I accidentally typo'd the receiver name and didn't realise til too late.
After using the online chat, was told, "You're talking to the US dept. call the UK guys on 0800 833 833".

NP, I said, TYVM.

Called those guys, went thru the automated system - spoke to a girl who changed the typo for me and validated the transfer so it could be picked up immediately.
Everything's cushty, I thought - no probs at all.

About 30 mins later I get a call from a German number, +49 69 2000 1059, didn't recognise it but answered it anyway.

A woman spoke up, asking a few moments of my time and wanted to discuss my recent transaction.

Thought, oh shit, here we go... Confirmed my name and she said she needed to discuss...

At this point, I interrupted her and explained the chain of events that had lead up to me needing to call them.
She said, "yes, that's why I am calling...", so I interrupted again and said, "It's OK - I've already spoken with the receiver to tell them about the mix-up, that it's all sorted out and they'll be picking it up on Monday, no rush".

The WU woman wanted to confirm the receiver's name as [she can't really pronounce the name drabahgks fhakgbewj?] - and this is where I think it's important to note - I have a few mates from / in Eastern Euro countries and I can speak some Russian, so I think I was lucky - pronounced the name correctly! (or at least, better than she could)
As soon as the woman heard me say the name, she suddenly changed from interrogative to "ok there's no problem here".

She was very polite, so was I. She said thanks a lot, so did I. She said sorry to take up my time, I said no problem.
Maybe there was no problem and it was just a "confirmation call" anyway, but I didn't give her chance to question me about anything.

I was expecting to get grilled and have an awkward moment where the payment was refused or whatever. Especially after having read the stories in here...

But, I think that taking the lead in the conversation, being confident like "It's already gone through and we're just confirming that fact" and knowing how to say the person's name in a "native" way defused the situation before it even started.

I think she was a bit surprised to be treated with good manners, courtesy and respect to be honest - She even finished the call by giving me a promo code for free transfer fees next time!

Based on the experience today - Online WU bank transfer to cash - 5/5 would use again.

 

[Def_Starr]

def good to know how to have a good tongue, especially when it comes to respecting our EURO friends, so yah the russian came in handy since the words you have to pronounce them with HARDNESS with some countries, none of that soft tone.....when you grow up around EURO's from dif countries, you pick it up quick

i been using it online too, the only time i had a prob was when i had to send to India, i would have to call and answer dumb questions

 

[Back2Good]

Funny but true - I've only ever managed ONE successful online transfer to a friend South of the border - I almost fell out of my chair in shock when it went through and emailed me a receipt. On top of all of my other memberships (AARP, AUSA, The Order or the Bayonet Association, The Order of Saint George's Association, etc., etc., ad nauseum), I'm a card carrying Western Union Gold Card member (for 14 years now), so it really vexes me that I have to go to the local grocery store's customer service counter and fill out a form to send to the same receiver WU online wouldn't send to, with no problem - Primarily, of course, since I have to use cash or a debit card instead of a credit card, as one can online.

So, knowing it wouldn't work, I tried an online transfer last night (simply because the receiver was located in a different state and city than the usual one used by our friends), and of course, no dice.   So my wife suggested Waffle House for lunch today (I hate Waffle House - With my heart and lung conditions the only thing on their menu I can have is a salad). and lo and behold, they've built a Walgreen's next to the Waffle House.  Having used the Walgreen's WU kiosk successfully a couple of weeks ago, I walked over to the new store, asked if they had the WU kiosks, and the lady pointed me to a row of three of them next to the photo counter.  I whipped out my phone, opened up the VPN app, opened up Protonmail, found the receiver information, entered everything, and presto - Less than three minutes later the screen told me to go to the photo counter and pay.  I gave the photo counter clerk my phone number, ran my debit card, she pressed a button, and out of her register streamed three feet of paper, the longest receipt I've ever seen.  Every detail of the completed transaction.

To the same receiver that WU wouldn't send to online last night.

None of it makes any sense, and I refuse to speculate - I have better things to speculate upon.  Well, more interesting things to speculate upon, in any event.

Best,

- b2g

 

[saccade]

Well @Back2Good - at least you can treat your wife to a Waffle House every time you want to make a payment

Even if it does mean rabbit food for you...

 

[Back2Good]

Now here's something convenient that may not last long (it has to be a glitch, and WU will fix it eventually), but I tried two donations this morning using the WU website, NO-GO, as I knew it would be, I just didn't want to go to the grocery store on the 4th of July and stand in line at customer service.  So grumbling and cursing I ended up doing so anyhow, filling out "the forms", and handing them to the agent...NO-GO.  No explanation, just "Cain't he'p ya with them partner, WU computer won't put 'em through".

Drove back home grumbling and cursing even more, and had a bright idea - Downloaded the WU app for iOS, signed in with my gold card #, filled out the info, selected a credit card on file, and within 90 seconds had two email receipts for completed transactions in my email - to the same receiver they wouldn't process online or at the agent location.

This is too good to be true, there's no way it will last - Jump on it before they fix the app, it is clearly more interested in making money than WU is.  And Skynet smiles...

- Your grumpy old neighborhood b2g, signing off of this net for the remainder.