I'm not crazy ok? I'm just overwhelmed...

Saw 2 clients today. Both were talking in great detail but not necessarily in linear sequence either... There were times when they repeated themselves and i dun think it was because i did not paraphrase them enough to let them know i got what they were saying. In the end, i had to become very structured and let them know which direction to go.

I think this is something that happens to most people. When we are overwhelmed, we tend to talk in circles, constantly rehashing the same content over and over again. I can talk about 1 particular topic for hours on end, sometimes repeating the same content over and over again. Ask M , he'll know...

I met a secondary school friend today and she didn't seem to recognise me even though we had met abt 3 weeks ago. (it could be due to my contact lenses but i dunno... ;-)) So anyway, i called her name and we started talking. Found out she was working in a bank and as i just had a very bad experience with a particular bank, i started complaining to her.

Basically, i had took on a computer loan on behalf of a friend when i was still studying in uni. So when i graduated, this particular bank, D**, sent me a letter to repay for the loan. As usual, i told my friend then promptly forgot about it soon after. 1 year later, i got another letter asking me to repay the loan, this time with more amount to repay as i had accumulated a year worth of interest. So, this time, i contacted my friend again and we tried to settle the issue. However, there were loads of problems and waiting (coz i forgot...Heh.) and it dragged on for months.

Early last week, i started getting many missed calls and as there wasn't any number left, i couldn't return the call. The worst part is, the "ringing" of my phone never lasted beyond 5 rings so couldn't really pick up in time anyway... When i was finally quick enough to pick up the phone, the person on the other side identified herself as calling from D** and asked me when i wanted to settle the loan. I let her know the situation and that i couldn't confirm it now as i had to ask my friend how much he was willing to pay. Then she told me that i had to do it quickly or else D** might not approve the monthly instalment plan. I was super upset lor... It sounded like she was threatening me. So i told her that i can't help it as things are not really within my control and if D** can't approve my repayment plan, then i also cannot help it. Then, she said she'd take note of this.

I, then, called my friend and we arranged to meet on Saturday to settle this issue.

I received more missed calls in the following few days... Then i got super pissed off when the person from D** called my house on Friday and told my mother about the loan and all. My mum doesn't know about this coz i know she's really against things like these. The staff then left a number and my mum called me, semi-upset about this whole issue. So i called back, let her know that i was going down to D** to settle this on Saturday. However, she still insisted on knowing how much i was going to pay. I told her once again that this was dependent on my friend and she had the cheek to tell me to call my friend, ask him, and then call her back to let her know. Now, my friend is a super busy person. i don't want to trouble him. SO WHAT THE F**K IS SHE TRYING TO DO????????? TMD... So i told her off and said that since i'm going down to the bank TOMORROW, i will settle it TOMORROW! She then told me that she'd leave a note for her colleague.

So you thought end of matter right? NOOOOOOOOOO......

I went to D** and then tried to settle the repayment thingy. The lady at the counter then told me that i have to use MY bank account to deduct the money from. I was puzzled... I had checked with the person when i put in the application for the computer loan if my guarantor could use his account to repay the loan. Answer was affirmative. A few months ago, i checked it out once again with another branch. They said ok and even told me how to fill up the form for this. AND NOW AT THIS STUPID BRANCH THEY TELL ME CANNOT?!?! F**K!!

She then directed me to her manager who also nicely told me that the bank policy says cannot. So all those other officers who told me otherwise are idiots?? The worst part is, she asked me why i did not settle the repayment plan at the other bank then. Of course i would if i could la!!! i explained to her the reason and then vented part of my frustration at her (still using very nice words...) and said i would like to lodge a complaint then.

Her stand then changed.

She said she would help me to check if they could make it an exception and went into the office to check. She came back shortly with a TYPED letter of authorisation of 3rd party repayment scheme or something to that effect and said they would make it an exception. F**K!

Firstly, the letter was TYPED. It tells me that the bank has had such a policy, jus that she didn't know.
Secondly, I had checked with another branch. How come they could tell me the procedure for doing something like this if there wasn't such a policy in the first place?
Thirdly, her stand changed only when i said i wanted to complain. Wah.. so that means if i dun complain then i get such crap la?

So anyway, i gave her some face la... pretended to be relieved and all (which i actually was, to a certain extent) and she proceded to help me get a queue number so that another staff could help me process this and my friend also had not arrived then.

The worst was yet to come: While i was waiting for my turn, my phone rang again. This time, it was the lady who had been bugging me for the past week. I told her that i was at the bank already and i'm waiting for my friend to arrive so that we could settle this. SHE WAS STILL ASKING ME HOW MUCH I WAS WILLING TO PAY!!!!

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THESE PEOPLE ARE IMBECILES!! i understand that loans have to be repayed. I also understand that loans that have been dragged on for so long need to really be chased after... But this? i think my blood pressure shot up so high that i might have gotten high blood pressure then. I told her that my friend will settle this when he comes and that I AM ALREADY IN THE BANK!! STOP BUGGING ME!!!!!! and i also let her know that i don't want her to call me ever again! So my friend arrived and we settled everything and then spent the next 2 hours at BK talking about the frustrations of staying in Singapore and the imbeciles that we've met...

Sigh... then found out from this friend i met today that actually those who "chase" after the people for repayment actually get paid on a commission basis so that probably explains the persistence... But still? i swore never to utilise their services ever again... NEVER!! YOU HEAR ME???

So yeah... That was the stupidest thing that has happened to me in recent month... yups, thanks for listening to me vent my frustrations... do share other similar experiences that you've had with banks or other financial institutes ok? hee...

And, btw, i am not crazy ok? just overwhelmed....