HSBC Has Failed Me

Disappointment is too light of a word to use of how HSBC has let me down as a client. I was at first mesmerized at how exclusive it is to be an HSBC Premier Client where you have to have at least $100,000 in funds and assets or a minimum of $500,000 mortgage with them. You would expect that with these requirements, that you can expect superb customer service.

My troubles all started when I tried to deposit $1600 in the ATM machine. To my dismay the machine said “Transaction Cancelled” and it literally took my money and reversed the deposit on my personal chequing account. I quickly called customer service who was quick to dismiss my concern and said that “Oh that’s normal, there’s always a hold on the account”. This lady was from a call centre from the Philippines so I have her the benefit of a doubt that it was merely a case of miscommunication. Alas, when I clarified that the ATM took my money and did not have any receipts that the transaction even occurred in the first place. I urged her to check my account so that she can know exactly what happened. To my dismay, she did not even check my account before throwing out a routine, scripted answer to all of the concerns that goes her way. She mentions that my account had a restriction and she can not access it and can no longer help me. She mentions that I need to go to a branch and provide 2 pieces of ID to lift the restriction. A restriction that she cannot talk to me about as she does not know why there is a restriction. I directed her to take my concern seriously and that she should email my Premier Relations Manager and the branch manager of the faulty ATM so that there will be a record of this conversation. I instructed her to CC me in the emails, which of course did not happen.

Fast forward the next morning, I call my Premier Relations Manager who does not see any restrictions but did receive the email. She mentions that it will take 4 business days until the ATM contents are opened and reconciliations take place and the money will be credited to my account. I did mention that I will be on vacation soon so I would like an explanation of why the ATM malfunctioned and why a restriction was placed on my account. She says that she will have her branch manager follow-up as she will be on vacation as well.

Moving forward to the fourth day. I call the service centre who proceeds to tell me that they cannot help me as my account is restricted. My jaw dropped as to how an international bank is able to drop the ball like this. The gentleman who I spoke to was excellent. He listened and actually said sorry for the grave experience that I am enduring. I go to the HSBC branch in a different province as I am on vacation. After checking my IDs, asking several verification questions, and even comparing my signature, she was quick to say that the restriction has been lifted. I ask her to escalate my concerns about my missing money, but she basically told me that it doesn’t matter what we’re discussed in the past but she can help me by letting the branch manager of my home branch know of these concerns.

The branch manager was very good at her follow-ups but I dislike how all HSBC managers tend to assume and provide excuses that does not make sense if they only took the time to take a deeper dive into what happened and what they could do better in the future.

The last straw was when I tried to make a payment from my joint account and of course there is a restriction to it. I call the branch manager who told me that she called the lady who helped me in Mississauga, ON and that I just need to come to the branch again and this magical restriction will be lifted. To my great dismay, I was told that my partner needs to be with me to lift the restriction despite the joint account being a “and/or” account. I proceeded to call my partner who tells me that he has already went to an HSBC branch recently to lift the restriction and he was told that it has been lifted.

So here I am heading to New York, with no access to my funds because HSBC has decided to freeze my account with no explanation as to why. Well my answer is, once I get home I will close my HSBC account as I definitely do not matter to them.

Their Customer Complaint department is a joke as well, I have not received any phone calls from them.

HSBC, the WORST bank ever!

Open Letter to Home Depot Canada

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To the Home Depot Customer Care Team:

On September 6, 2017 I ordered a Samsung Refrigerator Water Filter and the Order Number is ***********. For some strange reason, this disposable filter was considered as an appliance and I was charged $49.98 for the delivery of this “appliance”. I shrugged because this must be a mistake and I decided to call your customer support line. I first called 1-800-628-0525 and I was on hold for 10-15 minutes. Someone picked up and asked for my order number yada yada, only to be told that she couldn’t help me because this was an Appliances Department issue and she has no access to their files/records as they are a complete different entity despite me purchasing the water filter and a furnace filter on the same website, HomeDepot.ca. After a big sigh, I decided to call 1-800-759-2054 which is the appliances department apparently. Waited another 15 minutes while the automated recording kept providing me false reassurance that my phone call is important (yeah right). I decided to use another phone to dial in and after 10 minutes of waiting on that line I actually got a hold of someone first on that line and decided to hang up on the first phone that I was calling from. This irritates me because I could have been on the other line and would have been waiting while other callers can go through another agent, while I’m still waiting for like an eternity. This unhelpful lady, who sounded like she hates her job said she couldn’t help me and gave me a number (which I now forgot) and asked me to dial the extension 4. So it was the same recordings as the Appliance Department. I pressed 4 and to my disappointment, it was the project support line, basically the appliance delivery team.

This may seem to be an ongoing rant on how horrible my experience was with being bounced off from one customer service representative to another who does not have a clue of how they should do their jobs nor did they take ownership of helping me with my issue. However, my experience turned around for the better when I was connected with Patrick. Patrick was very calm, polite, and went above and beyond to help me de-escalate and actually solve my problem. I expressed my frustrations with Patrick of the Project Supports Team, Appliance Delivery division (I believe that’s what he said). You see, unlike the 2 ladies who bounced me around, Patrick was honest and said that he hasn’t encountered this problem before. This isn’t the right department that I should be talking to as this is the delivery department and not the order processing department. Patrick understood my frustration and empathized that I shouldn’t be bounced to another department that might not know the answer as well. Patrick showed great dedication and offered to make the call for me to the other line so that I don’t have to wait and have to start all over again: what’s my order number, what’s my name and address, what is my problem, etc. Patrick didn’t know the answer but helped me find that answer. Patrick explained why there was a delivery cost of $49 (special courier fee) and offered to work around the delivery fee. Patrick did provide another option, where I can just pick this item up in a local Home Depot store as a special order. I thanked Patrick and asked him to just cancel my order. Patrick apologized because I had to call a different department to cancel my online order. I spend 2 hours on the phone and Patrick understood that no customer should waste their time on the phone to be speaking to random individuals who may or may not be able to help you. Patrick, as super that he is, called the appropriate department on my behalf and cancelled my order and informed me that I will get my refund in X-number of days.

Home Depot, my online shopping experience has been horrendous, but my frustrations were quickly replaced with relief because of employees like Patrick who goes above and beyond their duty to make things right. I wanted to speak to Patrick’s supervisor to commend him for such an excellent job but the supervisor was busy with another escalation. Your employees are what makes or breaks a company, and Patrick is a model employee that all your other employees should follow as a role model. It is quite rare to find someone like Patrick. Please extend my gratitude to him and let this be a shining recommendation for his future performance appraisal.

Samsung Water Filter Guy

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UPDATE: Home Depot actually responded and thanked me for the feedback and is making sure that Patrick recieves the praise and recognition that he deserves.

Assuming a New Role: Case Manager

Change is terrifying. I already have a fixed routine and I know what my role as a Registered Nurse is and I know what is expected of me. I know that the warm and cozy space that I currently have will be sought out by others, but I need a change. I like to do more and practice my full scope as a Registered Nurse and I want to be able to make changes in patient care in a wider level.

Hence I applied to be a Case Manager and lucky enough, I got hired! I honestly have no faint clue as to what my day to day schedule and activity is but here is my job description: 

Case Managers coordinate the placement, on-going assessment, care planning and delivery of professional and personal care services to residents. Case Managers are also responsible for resident engagement, monitoring and evaluating care and outcomes, formal reassessment and disengagement. Case Managers facilitate the achievement of resident-based goals and applicable standards, and assists site-based nursing and support services teams through excellent communication, leadership, interpersonal and conflict resolution skills. Case Managers ensure collaboration within the site nursing team, the residents and their families. Case Managers function as leaders, advocates, educators, and stewards of resources and rely extensively on clinical information systems and computer technology to complete assigned tasks.

 I am scared, real scared... but I guess actually taking a small step towards change is one way to show courage. I want to make a difference and I want to have a meaningful career and this is one way that I can do to achieve that.

*** Picture taken from www.ideachampions.com

Working in the Healthcare Field

We've all heard horror stories from people working in healthcare. However, when you speak to people who have been working in the healthcare field, there's one common thread: They find their jobs rewarding. They know they are making an important difference in the lives of their patients and clients, often when they need it the most. If this is a field you're interested in but you've been hesitating about taking the leap into a new career, here are a few reasons that might help convince you:

You WILL Make A Difference

Healthcare is a field where every worker is important. Whether you want to become a nurse, a personal support worker, or a massage therapist, you will be making a difference in the lives of those you work with. The vital services you offer might provide relief from pain, offer comfort, or preserve the dignity of the patient.

Job Growth and Security

There will always be a need for healthcare workers in various capacities. Hospital patients need tending and many of our elderly need people to care for them. As long as our population continues to grow and age, there will always be jobs for compassionate healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals also enjoy competitive wages due to high demand.

You Can Work Anywhere

Working in healthcare means being able to find employment opportunities wherever you go. Unlike some industries in which jobs are concentrated in certain areas of the country, you won't have to move to find a job in healthcare. Hospitals, long-term care facilities, and retirement facilities exist across the country. Healthcare is a career that can take you anywhere.

Variety and Lifelong Learning

Throughout your career, you'll see and experience new things. You'll meet new people and might have the chance to get to know interesting patients. New techniques and practices are constantly being perfected and you'll learn new things throughout your career.

Our healthcare system could not operate without the dedication and caring of healthcare workers in dozens of specialized fields. This is a career path that you can truly feel proud of!

On Travelling

I don't want to call myself a "jet-setter" but I have always been flying off to somewhere or going to a long drive to a distant city and there are some things that I have come to a realization with. These are just my own thoughts and I haven't really researched anything for facts or anything of the sort.

1) It's always better to travel with a friend/special someone - I am the type of person that will never go explore a city unless I have someone with me. I always have to have things planned out and organized. I have always been a "home-body" so there has to be that extra motivation to go and explore. There is also safety in numbers when travelling to an unknown city. It's also good to have a second person to actually decide on what to do or to problem solve - like figuring out how to take the metro or locate a point of interest. Sure there's always the GPS but sometimes the GPS likes to take you to the wrong places or at least mislead you in some way. Be careful with who you tag along with you though because although travelling together with someone is a way to bond and form special memories it could also tarnish relationships, especially when adrenaline and patience runs low when you're lost and driving/walking around for hours.

2) Bringing a smartphone and purchasing a data plan - My beloved Samsung Galaxy Note 2 has saved me several times and Google Maps is definitely a must. I purchased a sim card from Roam Mobility when I travelled to the states because I saved at least $200 on my roaming bill and I only paid $50 for 2 GB data and unlimited call/text anywhere in the US/Canada while in the states. Although a friend also mentioned purchasing a Sprint sim card and it only costs $3 for unlimited call/text/data. Having a phone with you is like having your own personal tour guide and you can always book hotels, cars, etc online.

3) If reliable public transportation is available then don't rent a car - Well I learned this one the hard way. I drove around New York City and the drive was a nightmare, finding parking was close to impossible, plus I scratched my rental car. Although it is convenient to have your own car, it would be cheaper plus your sanity would be intact if you just let other people take care of the driving. 

4) There is no place like home - I have loved the cities that I have been to and enjoyed the company of the people I travelled with. There will always be something that another city would have that my beloved Deadmonton wouldn't, but there are just some things that another city can't provide. Going to a different city and seeing the different lifestyles (both lavish and also the lifestyle with great inconvenience) made me appreciate my home. I may have to deal with freezing weather and huge piles of snow but I am comfortable and happy with where I live.

In my travels I have met different types of people. Some of them I met just by coincidence but have become good friends. I am surprised by the great generosity of people, the kindness, and the warmth that they would show to travellers and it gives me hope for humanity once again.

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Image from hunafaatravel.com