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Staying in Business

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Last week I had an amazingly bad customer service experience with Sunlife Financial.  It was probably the worst overall experience I have had with any company during my entire life.  Enough to make  me think I should to sell all my Sunlife shares.

A simple Question

The amount paid by my group medical drug claim plan administered by Sunlife, for a drug I have been taking for years, changed.  Not by much but you figure there has to be a reason.  The pharmacist (who auto processes the claims) had no idea but did indicate Sunlife had recently outsourced their group benefit claims processing to a third party, I should contact Sunlife.

My Incredible Journey

First I tried using Sunlife’s on-line chat to request an explanation, the AI transferred me to a service rep. who indicated they could not help and would transfer my chat.

The chat was dropped and I tried again, same steps, dropped again.  The third try I complained and the rep. stayed with the transfer till it was complete.  Unfortunately I was transferred to the wrong rep., they tried another transfer and of course, dropped again.

So I phoned.  After being transferred four  times, with my identity checked on each transfer, I got a service representative but in this case the title was an oxymoron as she refused to provide service, insisted I fax my receipt and they would get back to me in a couple of weeks.   I did this but have not heard anything yet.

Not Giving Up

So I tried a secure email, in which I pointed out the BMO group plan rules and how they had not been followed in the case.  My response (finally) explained how the calculation was done.  Although it was clearly in violation of the plan claim payment rules outlined in the BMO benefit booklet, this fact was ignored.

Keep on trying

So now I am following up with BMO the group plan holder.  My question, do you care Sunlfe is not following your stated benefit payment rules?  I guess it will be interesting to find out what happens next but I at this point I do not expect much.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Your parcel has been redirected to the recipients new address

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On Friday I was waiting for delivery of an expensive item shipped via Canada Post Express.  The shipper promised expediated delivery in two days.

The order was placed and accepted on-line.  Order confirmation  was received Nov 27th.  Two days later (not) on Dec 9th we were actively monitoring the Canada Post tracking number for the long awaited but finally expected delivery.

And Surprise

The tracking updates showed the package landed in Edmonton at around 2:00 and the local sorting facility at approximately 6:30 am.  Out for delivery at 11:00 am.  All is looking good.

Alas, by 5:00 pm the package has still not arrived and then, the big surprise.  Checking the tracking number at 5:30 we notice the status has changed to “Your parcel has been redirected to the recipients new address.”

And Panic

Was the item in the process of going missing.  Afterall, we had been home waiting for the delivery since 11 a.m. and certainly we lived in the same place since at least then.  I am thinking it takes more than 4 hours to relocate your home.

So I called Canada Post.  Getting a live person on the line is a test, like a real I.Q. test requiring probably an I.Q. of more than 160 – but I figured it out.

A complete waste of time of course, the only advice being I needed to contact the shipper, Canada Post would do nothing and even if the shipper followed up immediately, it would take a week or more to investigate anyway.

So much for promised 2 day delivery, that had already taken 2 weeks.

Long story short, the shipper was little help but magically the parcel showed up Saturday morning at around 10.

Shopping Online

Interesting summary to this story is the fact my wife and I are avid and high volume on-line shoppers, for years. To date though very few, almost none of the items have been delivered by Canada Post and delivery is always as expected.

My advise to on-line retailers out there, give Canada Post a pass, there are lots of other cost effective options and Canada Post is just giving you a bad name.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

How hard is it to check a bag with Air Canada?

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Took a trip recently.

I am quite impressed with the “on-time” record for the last few flights I have flown with Air Canada., however, on the way home from this last trip I experienced a surprise.   Interestingly my daughter had the same experience in August.

As had become the norm in this age of the internet I checked in electronically well before the flight, but not having a printer at hand (nor using a smart phone) I selected to print the boarding pass at the airport kiosk.  I had to do this anyway to print my bag tag.

On arrival at the airport I printed boarding passes for both myself and my wife, but my baggage tag would not print – the message on the machine directed me to check in assistance.

It took 30 minutes to get through the line at check in assistance for my 30 second transaction to tag my bag (remember I had already checked in).  The Air Canada agent jokingly advised I had broken the machine, I guess she could read my stress level.  Basically, there was no explanation as to why I had to seek check-in assistance and given the average time with the agent for those ahead of me in the line was 5 to 10 minutes generally they did need some assistance.  It is  too bad they could not tell me why I was rejected for automatic bag check because I would definitely like to avoid this situation in the future.

Because my bag check in took much longer than expected my plan to meet my wife at the security gate got mixed up.   As one would expect, she did not anticipate my bag check could take more than 30 minutes and thought we got our wires crossed on the meeting place.  It all worked out in the end but was very frustrating.

Not as bad as my daughter’s case

In August my daughter, son-in-law and grandchild experienced the same problem at the same airport.  Unfortunately for them the more than 30 minute line-up at check in assistance resulted in missing their flights and having to be booked on later ones.  Given I was massively frustrated I cannot imagine how my daughter and her husband felt.  (I don’t think they will be sending Air Canada any Christmas cards).

And the point!

The main differentiation for domestic air travel providers is service.  Things like a smooth check-in really matter and given two cases at the same airport just a month apart I suspect there are many others.  These unsatisfied customers move to WestJet and other providers, and ultimately Air Canada’s business will suffer.  I sold my Air Canada shares a couple of months ago (for a  good profit) and I am kind of glad I did.