Me vs. Royal Bank (Score 3)

Hi there, This is my first time on here, so please forgive any errors in posting. A friend referred me here to tell my story about fighting the Royal Bank over breech of privacy to telemarketers. If the text doesn't append properly to this message, write to me at [e-mail] and I'll put the entire text file on a server for anyone who wants it. If anyone has advice, feel free to email me as well... Regards, Greg Currie [e-mail] Hey guys, Thought you might get a chuckle out of this one... I've dealt with the Royal Bank for around 15 years now as a client and have had enough of their cutting back services and abusing their clients. Last year they closed down my branch and relocated my account to the downtown location here in London. So, now I have to drive further to deal with the Royal Bank and when I get there I have to PAY to park... Yes, I have to PAY to deal with my bank. When I get there, if I require a teller I usually end up in line for 30 to 40 minutes as they have three tellers active on average. Customer oriented? I don't think so... When I started my business account this year I was originally going to go with St. Willy's here in town for their wonderful customer-oriented philosophy. However, since I already had my personal account at the Royal Bank I decided to start my business account there. While starting my business account I also ordered company cheques through the bank. Sitting in my chair while we arranged all of this, I can remember a large proudly displayed and framed privacy and confidentiality policy regarding customer information. A few days after setting up my account I get a message on our business line from some unfamiliar company requesting that I call them back. When I finally get a hold of this company, I find out that they are a 3rd party to the Royal Bank who prints their business cheques and literature. First came the thin excuse for their call that they wished to confirm my information. Ok... I had already verified the information with the account manager at the bank and signed off that the information was correct, so why was I being called again? Fine. Then they go on to telemarket me their other products and services. "No... I saw your other services listed when I was at the Royal Bank and I chose only what I require..." Why these people were wasting my production time for unsolicited telemarketing because I had started a business account with the Royal Bank was beyond me... It just so happened that both the Royal Bank and St. Willy's were both presenting to a group of new business owners (including myself) at the London Community Small Business Centre a little later on. Before the entire group I sincerely brought up my concerns about the Royal Bank closing their branches, lacking parking for customers at their main location downtown, and allowing 3rd parties to telemarket me by providing my personal information to them. She stammered a bit and then stated that "that's just the way it is..." I was floored, she was telling me, her client, that the Royal Bank did not care about their clients' needs for service or desire for security over their personal information... After a pause, another new business owner stated that she felt the concerns were valid and deserved a better response. After the meeting, I approached the Royal Bank representative to press the matter and she promised to look into it if I called her with more information. After a lengthy period of time passed, she called me back apologizing for the delay and said that she had escalated the concern through their company's protocol for such matters. She assured me that the 3rd party was bound by a confidentiality agreement not to pass on my information and further and that they were likely just offering valuable services to myself. I informed her that that was not the point, that the Royal had given my personal information to this third party and that I had been telemarketed because of that. She agreed that it was not a very good answer from the Royal, but that it was all that they were going to do. My unfounded suspicion is that they must make money dealing with the company and don't want to lose the revenue. While closing the conversation with her, I informed her that I bill out at $250/hr for my time as a web designer and that I would, in the future, bill for my wasted time if I received unsolicited telemarketing because of the Royal Bank. This morning I received a phone call around 10:30am from a telemarketer representing the Royal Bank. I asked, "Does this have anything to do directly with my account?" "No." "Are you a telemarketing company?" "Yes." "What is your company name?" "Box Data" I then got the individual's name, the company phone number, and the fact that they were trying to sell my telephone and internet banking services (a service that I already have). Needless to say I was not very happy at wasting my time on this telemarketer. I called my Royal Bank account manager and presented my unhappiness at being telemarketed by a 3rd party company a second time due to their company. I also reminded her of my hourly billing rate and that I would be charging for my time by the whole hour. She promptly asked for my account number and had me removed from the company's telemarketing list. That very evening... In the middle of dinner... I get a phone call from a telemarketing company representing the Royal Bank wanting to sell me even more features. Again: "What is your company name?" "Box Data" I confirmed their contact information and the agent's name and informed him that I would be billing my hourly rate of $250 if he wished to continue. He decided to continue and try to sell me the services. I patiently listened, declined his offer, thanked him, and hung up. I then brought up my invoicing screen and made out two invoices for $250 and GST for each of the calls using my account manager's name as a purchase order number and dropped them into the mail. I wonder if the Royal Bank will just pay them? I doubt... I've seen how much they value profits over customer service... But I put a 30 days notice on the invoices and will send a second letter if the invoices are not paid. If my second letter does not result in payment then I will either forward the delinquent account to a collection agency or take the Royal Bank to small claims court. Both parties were informed of my billing rate and policy, and I consider that a legally binding verbal contract that I am willing to pursue in court. So, if I get paid I'll take my spouse out for a nice dinner compliments of the Royal Bank. If I don't get paid even after going to court, then I will at least have stood up for my personal right to privacy against a large profit-driven corporation. Regards, Greg.