One morning I found someone’s ATM card on the sidewalk. It was only a few blocks out of my way, so walked to one of the branch offices of the bank that issued the card. I tried to give it to one of the platform officers who was standing at the printer. I said: “I found this on the sidewalk on 16th Street.”
With a look of exasperation she said, “Well, actually, you should . . .” but she didn’t complete that thought. Instead she made a pivot and said, “I’ll take it.”
I wonder if this is an example of a growing trend that only pre-defined problems can be addressed. If something out of the ordinary happens, it automatically splits into two problems. Whatever the customer thinks is a problem, plus the obstacle that the customer service person doesn’t want to deal with it. (In my case, I’m not even the customer, so perhaps that makes for a third obstacle: No obligation if you’re not a customer?)
I tried to ask what the correct procedure should have been by prompting: “If you want me to do something else, I will.”
With a tone of weary defeat in her voice, she only repeated: “I’ll take it.”
To be fair, this particular branch is a wonderful corporate member of my neighborhood community. They host in their courtyard the annual holiday tree presented by the merchant’s association. The corner of their building has a faux balcony about 3 feet off the ground. They have never challenged the long-standing community practice of posting memorials on the balcony rail of community friends who have passed away.
Also to be fair, I may have interrupted at a bad time. Heaven knows that when a printer is acting up, the last thing I want is someone interrupting me (LOL).