Ok... So... After spending a better part of the afternoon trying to get ahold of the Pacific Coast offices of Alliance One, I was finally able to get through and treated like crap.
Let me go back first.
I got a ticket in my town. I didn't have the money to pay it asap - which I totally understand is MY RESPONSIBILITY. It went to collections: Alliance One.
Now, they were GREAT! Very nice on the phone, didn't hassle me about payment, nothing! That is, until I PAID IT.
Now, my license is suspended... Which is perfectly understandable. I have been taking the bus to avoid getting further in trouble and debt. Now that my debt is paid, however, I would like to be able to drive again. So I call Alliance One to verify that they have notified whoever it is they need to notify so I can get my license reinstated. I get through finally, and a nice young man tells me that it was processed and notification was sent out... To Olympia (where the Department of Licensing headquarters is). So I call DOL. They say that they don't get stuff like that there; if they did, they'd send it back. I need to call the municipal court in my area. Ok.
So I call the mun. Court in my area: They haven't received notification. Ok.
So I call Alliance One back. I finally get through and begin trying to explain my need to a woman named Trudy. She tells me that the city mun. Court was notified of my payment... I respond that I had just spoken with them and they have no record of notification. Trudy is clearly frustrated from the get go. She gets more frustrated as the call goes on. I tell Trudy there's no reason to be unkind, I just need some info. Clearly a bad idea... Trudy starts whining and being snarky. At this point, I figure I am not going to get any definitive info from Trudy; Trudy's too pissed off at the high call volume to treat me with general geniality or answer my questions. I request to speak with someone else. Then she REALLY gets whiny and rude. I get what info I can from her and ask to speak with her supervisor. Another bad idea. The gentleman who gets on the phone was even ruder than Trudy. He informs me that the notification to the mun. Court takes 3-5 days.interesting: Now I have 3 versions of what the heck has happened since I paid them. That's not the problem with this guy, though. Apparently, he believes that because they spend the day talking to people who are not so nice, that gives the people working there permission to be crappy to anyone who calls them. He explains that I am not their customer, the courts are. My brain is still trying to wrap around this. I am actually laughing at this point, so incredulous at this perspective. "I can treat you like crap because I don't actually serve you". Wow. I respond that if we go beyond the customer service aspect, one would think they would be kind to those who are kind to them. He doesn't agree; apparently because they get soooo stressed out during the day, they can talk to you in any manner which they choose. I think it's more a case of a little power gone to their head. These people are more than aware that they hold people's credit scores in their hands. This, in their minds, gives them leeway to act however they please.
In the end, the guy talked over me, interrupted me and ultimately hung up on me.
Because of that, I am going to complain to their corporate headquarters, and continue to call to verify if notification of my payment has ever been sent.
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