Letter to a bank employee

Andrea Reynolds

359 Geneva Street, Suite 401

St. Catharines Ontario L2N 2G5

www.AndreaReynolds.com

info@AndreaReynolds.com

905-XXX-XXXX

November 16, 2007

XXXX XXXXXXXXX

Toronto-Dominion Bank

Scott Street

St. Catharines Ontario LXX XXX

XXXX,

I have an appointment with you on Wed. the 21^st at 1:00 PM. However, I am troubled by what I observed about your behavior. One of my business services is to observe how businesses treat customers… do they demonstrate empathy for the people they serve? I am hired by corporations to address this issue with employees and staff and I speak to business associations.  

Here is what I observed yesterday:

1.  You laughed out loud when I said I had been in hiding for 8 years in order to save my life. If you find humor in my decision to stay alive rather than be killed by a deranged stalker, then how can I expect you to ever take my financial matters seriously?

2. When I said I was in the bank to support a friend and neighbor you started speaking about the details of her situation. You didn’t know me and my neighbor was not present, so the conversation was, in my opinion, inappropriate. If you can discuss your customer’s private matters with strangers, then I don’t feel my financial matters will be kept confidential. 

3. I didn’t realize when I was speaking to you that you were the one who told my neighbor the day before there was nothing your bank would do to resolve her problem. Your statement added considerably to my neighbor’s distress and upset. She is the reason I was in your bank: to help her get resolution to a serious problem that you failed to assist her with. That’s not a kind or professional way to treat an 80 year-old woman who has been a good customer.

Because of these 3 reasons I’m not going to keep my appointment with you. 

Andrea Reynolds

Update, Dec. 1, 2007:  The bank manager called me to apologize and say that a meeting had been called and they were still deciding what to do about it. This bank said it is making a major effort to show kindness, warmth and empathy and of course, my letter caused them some discomfort. I had sent the letter privately to the person, but she, strangely enough, shared the letter with her boss and department. I thought she might keep the letter private and contact me herself with an apology and a plan to make changes in her behavior, but she did the opposite. The bank manager did the right thing. I'd be interested to know what else transpires with the bank employees.

PS At the time, I didn't tell anyone that I'd written and sent this letter including my friend/neighbor.

Letter to a poor quality "mister fix-it" in St. Catharines Ontario I paid to replace a kitchen faucet which I could have done on my own.

Len Ilton,

Return to me half ($12.50) of the $25.00 I paid you, for these reasons:

1. You left the job unfinished: the sink still needs to be caulked and was left without screwing it down, and I’ll have to do it.

2. I asked you to show me how to put the faucet in so I could see how best to do it for others; you didn’t.

3. You put a kink in the copper pipe for the cold water and I’ll have to fix this.

4. You connected the pipes so the hose for the spray was caught on something and doesn’t pull out as it should.

5. You flooded my kitchen floor and didn’t even notice.

6. You never returned with caulk so I went out and bought it within an hour of your leaving.

7. You promised to return on Saturday of Labour Day weekend to finish, but you didn’t show up then or ever.

8. You told me I needed to buy a connector for the dish washer which I did, but it was unnecessary. The connector I showed you worked just fine. You didn’t see that because you didn’t try it on the faucet, only on the dishwasher hose. (All I had to do was reverse the connector.)

9. I’ll have to spend more money buying a proper wrench to finish the work.

10. I paid you for a full job, which you didn’t complete.

11. I will have to undo your work to do it properly.

12. I understand that you think sitting in your van in the parking lot doing puzzles is more important than earning a good reputation for doing good work when you say you want to find paying work.

13. I give everyone a second chance. You blew that one too.

14. You stated your philosophy is “doing it right the first time.” You don’t honor your words and don’t stand behind your work.

15. I was testing you to see if you had the professionalism for me to recommend you to others through my business, HandyAnde.com.  You failed the test too many times.

I’m not giving you any more chances. Please put $12.50 in cash in an envelope and leave it in the milk box for  #401. That’s the gentlemanly thing to do.

Andrea Reynolds,  #401  Sept. 11, 2007.

St. Catharines Ontario

Update, Nov. 6, 2007:  I put this letter under the door of his parents' apartment where Len was staying. I see him around the building and he plainly ignores and avoids me. Of course, he hasn't had the good manners to talk to me or refund half of the money. Not a gentleman. I paid someone else $30 to undo the work and do it properly with the right tools. And of course, I'll tell my neighbors of my experience and I will never offer him work through my other company. 

The reason I hired him was to quickly get my condo in the best shape possible so I could sell it... and he was having trouble getting work to earn an income. While I didn't need to hire him, I did so he would have an opportunity to do good work and have a testimonial from me to show prospective clients. 

Would you hire this guy?