Customer Service Madness

Here's a little personal anecdote I just had to share:

I'm switching health insurance companies as of February 1st. When I completed the paperwork, I indicated my primary care physician's name and address on the forms. The health insurance company sent me a letter, correctly identifying my primary care physician by name, but indicated that before they could activate my account, they had to know his ID number.

That would be the ID number that the insurance company assigned to him.

They're asking ME for it.

Because apparently, I know better than they do what provider number they assigned to my doctor.

I looked up the number...on their Web site, mind you...and called their call center.

To give them the number.

Their number that they assigned to my doctor.

Next week, I'm going to anticipate a call from my bank asking me what their check clearing policies are. I'll be sure to keep a copy of the bank's customer service manual around so I can tell them when they ask.

It's enough to make you wonder whether anyone in Corporate America has even half a brain turned on nowadays.

TES