I’ve had this one brewing in me for a while, but Visa just sent me over the top.

I travel a lot. Sometimes, when I charge for things in strange places, the credit card company calls to make sure someone didn’t steal my card. “Yes, we have a 217$ charge to spankme.com, in Vegas. Was that you? Thanks, just checking.” This is a great service, but then again I wouldn’t expect anything less from them.

Well, Visa just called me to “announce” they have this “revolutionary new service”, where they’ll call me when I make a purchase that’s out of the ordinary, to make sure I’m not being defrauded. I can adhere to this for 49$ a year.

Now, I’ve been getting this service for free, for like, ever. They know it and I know it. Can’t they just come out and say they are now charging for it? Do I look that stupid? Besides, this is something I get for free from their competitors, and it’s definitely in their interest to provide such a service.

Still, this episode wasn’t so bad.

A while back, T went to La Maison Sony to buy a CD player. When he asked if he could hear how the thing sounded, the salesguy said, very vaguely, “uh… no, no… I uh… don’t think so”. Translation: I don’t feel like plugging it in. Then he added unconvincingly, “…but you know, it really does sound good”. So T crossed the street, went to Future Shop, tried the same model to his heart’s content, and bought it there.

Not that Future Shop’s that much better. I feel like a T-Bone in a piranha tank every time I go there. We were actually once caught in a fight between two salespeople, and had to decide (in front of them) who had provided the most help, to determine who would get the commission. Talk about a pressure-free shopping environment.

How many times have you asked for extra information about a scanner or something, and the kid there grabs the box, and reads it to you. “Uh, well, this one’s got more DPUs than this one, but it’s more expensive”. Well, DUH!!!

Maybe I’m the only one who thinks this, but I’m willing to pay slightly more, and I’ll definitely return if I get some semblance of useful service. You don’t have to serve me tea on a doily, but earn my business.

As a post-scriptum to this, I guess I should relate one example of outstanding service. This happened to me at the Tristan boutique in the Eaton center. I’d just bought a skirt there, and couldn’t find any top in the store to go with it. The salesgirl says to me, “there’s a boutique right around the corner, that has just the thing. Hang on, I’ll go on break now and go with you”.

Then again, it’s entirely possible I’m just being grouchy…