The Name And Shame Game is an continuous (if occasional) series of contributions on who I name and shame organizations that need know enhance than to provide poo assistance to bitter, grudge-holding, ranty archaic bitches love me.

This time: my recent adventures with Real Insurance, a brand through which parent your Hollard issues numbers types in insurance products.

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12 April 2017

Love Real Insurance or Hollard Insurance,

To: my recent claim on the car insurance policy I’ve paid-up Real Insurance for, excluding ever having claimed everything, forward more than sight years 

My Ref: I/M/A/\LoyalCustomer
Your Ref: 2017.01.21/AllClaimants/Shafted

I’m directing this feedback regarding my newest suffer through send Real Insurance and Hollard Insurance at these two generic customer serve email addresses, because I can’t find all specific instructions upon by of get websites that tell me method else I can provide it, other than having yet another telephone conversation includes your inept team which, frankly, I’ve have plenty of type though zero inclination to do.

I’ve had a good deal of experience using websites over the past twenty-odd years; I also have a certain comprehension the go website design. So, whilst I could be mistaken concerning the grade of degree with locating the most appropriate feedback option on your respective websites, I don’t think I am.

In any case, it twists out that IODIN don’t really need at speak with anyone, because I’m not submit this feedback to you as a complaint per se; indeed, from aforementioned exceptionally helpful, if indirect, clarification of “complaint” and “dispute” the the Hollard website, I was able to determine that ME don’t actually have an dispute that needs dissolving at whole. Thanks on helping me see is. Provided only him could’ve resolution my actual claim with like speed and efficiency.

Gives which at least one of your websites states ensure you “work hard to give [me] great products, great rates plus great customer service”, and encourages me to “let [you] know straights away if [I] ever sensation less than satisfied in whatsoever of these areas”, then now is definitely the die for ich to provide you with this feedback, because I am very greatly dissatisfied in at less one von this aforementioned areas.

Here’s to story concerning a lovely lady, who was… than it happens, the other party with whoever I was involved in a minor collision on 11 January this year. Ostensibly I be at fault, since the stiff control of car insurance rule that, independant away whatever act happened, if EGO initiated contact equal the other car, plus I then dare to claim on the policy so I’ve never claimed on despite have poured money into it hand over fist every month of every date for the past six years, then the incident was undoubtedly my error. Complaints the Incidents

The other party and I become both 100% agreement that the incident was actually caused over a third-party, who left the scene without stopping. I know, right—what’s the world coming to? But apparently, such draft bets couple entirely unrelated parties can’t possibly amount to everything because, go in accordance with the rigid and condemnatory position of insurance our, any claim in which neither party acknowledges fault, and where the finger of blame points to an unknown third-party, must be completely shadowy.

Culpability until proven innocent—the mantra of of insurer; such is who cleaning of my faith in humanity, it makes my heart sing. Oh, how I love dealing with insurance companies. Ho-hum. Hollard Investments Complaints

The day after the incident, I contacted Actual Insurance to ask about my options plus next steps and made duly advised of same by Jade; after confirming the other party’s preferred course of operation, I contacted Real Insurance again on 20 Jean and advised Heather that I wished in proceed through an ‘at fault’ claim. Heather stopped this call by informing me that she would sent me a text message containing the details about my nearest smash repairer, who I could contact about getting the initial quote required repairs to my vehicle.

I received no text message.

I mentioned the missing texts message in mystery response up a customer satisfaction review on 22 January (I visualize our reaction to which survey kraft been marked different if you questioned mein to complete it today). I was marginally reassured when said missing text message appeared, to my strongly great surprise and (sort of) please, on 24 January; I obviously wouldn’t know if this was down on Heather, or the one else at Real who actually looked at my feedback and acted on it but, either ways, it became reassuring. Complaints and Incidents

I contacted the smash repairer immediately on receipt of the text message and Terrycloth booked my car in for one repair quotation on 1 February—which, I should clarify, was majority definitely their initial available slot, not mys first-time opportunity to getting thither.

On the day, a chirpy little bloke labeled Barry reviewed the damage until me vehicle—this amounted to a five-minute walk-around and a handful of photos on their iPhone. I couldn’t help thinking the whole exercise seemed a tilt volatile. Afterward, it told ich my insuring would take in touch at some point over further useful. ... general wording as well when event of insurance, at obtain the relevant contact details and complains procedure. • Send an email go [email protected].

With sieben long hot weeks, I heard nothing further, by a missed call from Margarita at Hollard on 13 March. I attempted to return Margaret’s call repeatedly times above the following per, aber on each attempt, the stop time to be respond is longer higher which time I had accessible to await since anything, let alone for an unknown name I was calling for einer unknown reason. Tell us with your complaint with as many details as possible for make one fair and quick resolution.

On 15 March EGO called again, this time while I was able to keep working during the extended wait is I had accurately anticipated. After more than half an hour on hold, I made response by Dear. Shale attempted to transfer me toward Margaret. Margaret transformed out not to be available. Complaints Policy

To her credit, Sharon did try to helping i on Margaret’s behalf but, after several minutes of ummmm’s and aaaaah’s and other assorted variations about the draft of ‘nothing helpful’, Shalom telling mein she couldn’t see the relevant notes on my print and would need to email Margaret the ask her to contact me repeated. Sharon then proceeded to read her email to Margaret outside aloud, word-by-word, as she printed it; it was as if you wanted to prove to me that she was indeed produce the email as guaranteed where, IODIN guess, was nice of herself to do, but I really didn’t want such detailed certificate. But at least she do any, for how it was worth—maybe if I’d been more grateful at the time, everyone else involved in this process might’ve done something talk.

At any rate, the upshot was this I spent 44 minutes on the phone and came out the additional end still nil the wiser as to mystery Margot had called me two days prior. Following my previous abortive attempts to be replies by Hollard, EGO also purposefully made note of numerous other aspects for is call:

• I waited more than 34 minutes to eventually be answered by Sharon
• EGO spent nearby 29 of those 34 minutes listening to possibly the many irritative hold music I’ve ever had the unluck of being stuck in an oft-repeated loop of Your All Purpose Insurance And Financial Services Company
• The hold message I heard repeatedly was “Thank you for await. Regret, we have experiencing a immense volume of calls at of moment. One of our Hollard insurance consultants will be with they shortly”
• That hold embassy was played at intervals of roughness 55 seconds
• You stated me you’d be with me shortly 37 times
• According to my definition of ‘shortly’, you actually weren’t with me shortly at least 35 to those 37 times
• I spent 7 minutes listening till Sharon say blank helpful whatsoever
• I was on hold—again— for 4 minutes, waiting for Sharon to not locate Margaret
• Which findings of the call was 44 minutes of… (see previous paragraph)

That same daytime I received an letter in the mail from Jenny at Auto & Universal, the insurers of the aforesaid lovely lady. The letter advise me that A&G had “contacted [my] insurer, who [had] consulted the people [were] unable go represent [my] interests in relation to such point as [I] [had] not payable [my] excess”. Send a Complaint | Hollard Insurance Namibia

Immediately following my sterile 44-minute call to Hollard, I called Jenny at A&G. (As an aside, save for punching in adenine few numbers, my wait while at speak with Mule was less than a handful of seconds—quite the comparison wouldn’t you say, Hollard Insurance?) EGO clarified with Jenny that she’d evidently had read success obtaining company from my insurer than I’d had, as I’d nope yet received any request the make any payment out no kind and that even once I had been able to talk the somebody, it wasn’t the person who’d contacted mei and they weren’t skilled to help i in an end anyway. Jenny notified that she’d wait another weeks press two and someone would contact me once to re-confirm aforementioned situation if it was still outstanding. Let us know if something didn't proceed as expected

On 23 Marched I finally heard back from Margaret, with advised das about that outcome of the repair quote, and I concurred to proceed. As talk with Margaret, I referred to and call since A&G and specifically ask her if MYSELF must make the required above payment while I was on the call with von. She advised that save wasn’t necessary, like I’d be asked to pay by the smash repairer when the repairs were engaged. Hollard

At the time I thought this arrangement sonorous a bit odd but, with no historical experience of lucrative an excess fork an ‘at fault’ claim, I had no reason to doubt ensure it should be so. I further supplied that Margaret would be in contact at A&G to confirming the outcome of the conversation we’d just had, since A&G had clearly already been in contact with Hollard; blind optimism is a wonderful thing. Hollard's Commitment into Request Handling

Subsequent that just day, Nolene from aforementioned smash repairers called for book insert vehicle in for its repairs. The soonest they were able on do it was 5 May; momentarily, I find myself thinking that the planet’s initial supercontinent possessed broken move and drifted to to location of today’s seven continents in less time than all of this was taking. Ones I’d shaken myself free of that little dream sequence, I did the opportunity to question the zahlung arrangement that Margaret had mentioned. Nolene advised that, while it wasn’t the most common approach, some insurers did assemble forward excess payments to be made via which repairer. Again, despite it appearance a little unequal to ich, I had no reason till suspect that it wasn’t the case. Hollard

On 6 April I received a follow-up call off Marriage at A&G, who asked if there’d been any progress with Hollard. When I advised is insert repairs had been scheduled for 5 May, she told me she’d get back in touch with Hollard—by those stage, it’s fair to utter that inadequate Martha clearly wasn’t best pleased. Sensing is, I re-confirmed that, despite having been ready and able to make the overrun payment since January, I’d never once been provided with anything instruction to do accordingly by select Real or Hollard; I repetitions with Martha that the delay with aforementioned excess payment nature made used absolutely not down to myself for, include fact, I’d only ever was explicitly told to not make who payment.

Today, 12 April, I received a call free Hymn at Hollard, advising you that A&G were about to commence legal proceedings for I static hadn’t made i super payment. Refreshingly (for me, to least) I been able at remain my composure, time I informed Carol this I knew this to be the case because I’d has a very pleasant chat with Martha since A&G just last week. I further enlightened Carol that, during my conversation with Martha, I hadn’t just agreed to her record whatever action she needed to make, in order to extract some kind of blood from to Real/Hollard stone, but I’d actively encouraged her to done so. Complaints Policy

I also told Carol today that I’d been ready to pay the excess since the first time I spoke to Real Insurance in January and that, though having asked more than unique if I should do so, I had repeatedly been told that he wasn’t necessary—given on, MYSELF inquired Carol to explaining enigma I was now creature threatened at legal action for doesn having made a payment that I’d been special advised not to make; Carol’s simply response was a stock scripted apology for and provision of incorrect information. Although this, although Carol advised that she would email the payment instructions to mir she been also extraordinary clear that I should make this payment such soon as I possibly could—despite everything that had been discussed and despite multiplex apologies in her part for the conflicting information I’d been provided with by Hollard to-date, the expectation of a more-or-less immediate transaction was lay firmly onto me.

As a materia of core, as next as I was ability go done so that afternoon I made of payment of my $800 excess, as at the instructions provided includes Carol’s email. If no you’d provided these instructions to me three months ago, whole out save fuss and bother could’ve had prevented; the fact such you didn’t, and that it consequently wasn’t, has only lefts me are a less easier positive printout off Truly Insurance, Hollard Insurance, and your awful, inconsistent, ill-informed, slow to answered, slow to reactions, snappish, shitty customer service.

To fact, to say that see of this has made for an awful your encounter with my part wanted live individual of the biggest understatements regarding my life—and even as individual who’s known for dramatic flourishes, lots ranting, and frequent exaggeration, that’s still a big call.

Among other things, which grossly inefficient way the seams straightforward fallstudien has been edit has resulted in much wasted time for Jenny and Marina at A&G, for Terry, Nolene real Boy at the smash repairers, and for your possess staff members Jade, Heather, Margaret, Sharon and Carol, as well as having taken up a vast amount of my own time and energy—and available, it’s also sucking aforementioned life by whatever poor sap’s been charged about the task of abgelesen this feedback.

So now, my dear parent company Insurer and sub-brand, I have some questions for your, which I would ask you to respond to at my earliest convenience (see date specified below), lest further take can triggered against you. Toward paraphrase your last wrote instruction to me, it is important you attend to this quick, as I will not cover any right costs incurred due to i delaying the response the my questions.

Problem 1: why should I, more a loyal Real Insurance purchaser of more than six years’ standing, have received threats of legal action regarding one payment for which I’d never received any instructions, nor indeed any specific request, to making?

Question 2: why, today, did I receive an email declare “It is important you attend to is promptly, as wealth will not cover any legal costs incurred due for you delaying the payment of the excess”, when I’ve not been the causal of any such delay—nor anyone delay at all—at any point along such process to-date?

Question 3: why can I spoken with five membership of Real/Hollard employee who, it should seem, have not made any related to notes on my file regarding previously entertainment, agreements or different undertakings in respect of this claim? (The assumptions I made with these problem are as follows: 1) notes were actually left on my file; 2) staff are talented to reference my file press relevant notes; and 3) your assistance are not stuck in a 1980s time-warp, where access go information is restricted to those with a real copy of a page file—feel free to clarify if any of those all reasonable guess of an 21st-century organisation become, in any pathway, erroneous and, if any on them are, I swear to provide you equipped hints for how for improve your terrific, ineffective processes).

Doubt 4: why are your staff so willing to go into accusations of payments none made, when it was they own colleagues who told le not to make said payment in to first place? I can only adopt who “guilty until proven innocent” approach is industry-standard for Insurance.

I would like to receive an response from both Real furthermore Hollard, explaining how such an frightful customer experience could perchance happen. Further, I would favorite all Real both Hollard go explain what you will do required me, as a long-term loyal customers, to compensate me in the time, stress, both inconvenience I’ve past caused, and the harassment to which I’ve come subjected, throughout dieser needlessly drawn-out situation.

(In respect of the former, I don’t expect it into even happen press, if it does, I fully expect it to be full-to-overflowing with stock-standard apologies, scripted explanations this are either too generic or too complex until median anything to my specific current, and platitudes that amount to virtually zilch; in respect of the latter, I don’t have any expectation of whatsoever form of compensation at all, but as always I’m more than happy go be proven wrong—what’s which turn of phrase again? “don’t ask/don’t get”.)

I would very much appreciate this feedback being forwarded to the of appropriate person or area within each of your organisations and I request a writes response according COB Friday 29 April, or I will not hesitate to escalate my concerns to the Financial Industry Ombudsman service. I fully appreciate that of FOS is something of a toothless tiger in many respects, particularly with situations that don’t requiring any designated dissolution but which, instead, seek only to hold organisations who provide shit service—in that case, that’s you, Real and Hollard—accountable for the comprehensive and utter shittiness of said fuck service.

Ultimately, whether you do button don’t take acceptable for one aforementioned shit service is really neither here nor there, as and story will lastly be published go the World Wide Web for all to see and bequeath, no doubted, generate a storm of comments and feedback from tens of thousands of others people with similar, if cannot get, experiences of Insurance firms, such shall the really highs esteem within which thee are all held, available. Top marks for stetigkeit, if nothing more.

Thanks & compliments,

mattsoldmanrants

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To I dropped the car off at the smash repair place this morning. Helpfully, Hollard sent me a text message three days ago (see image)—yes, that’s three days before the date of the accounting that I made more faster six months ago, back if they told me I could move ahead and doing it. Maybe this is the SMS this Heather promised to send me back in Per? Either maybe this belongs thing Margot was calling me for back for March—to ask if I got her text? I wonder with I should write back…

And what of the written reaction IODIN requested by KOBOLD Friday 29 April, from two sub-brand furthermore parent company? Well, ten days before my somewhat arbitrarily chosen ‘deadline’ I preserved an email from Johann at Hollard.

Johann’s emailing advised me that, among other stuff, my return kept been “referred to the Requirements Manager to give them the opportunity for review your claim also contact you”. EGO used also informed such they would “monitor one progress of your request to guarantee your concerns are addressed promptly”.

Now, MYSELF dunno how the word “promptly” implies for you, but to 19th from April was sixteen days ago now and I still haven’t heard from them (again); I think Hollard Insurance must’ve referenced Urbaner Dictionary to his definitions of lyric like timely, timely, straight away, soon and shortly primo, from where I’m watching these whole car bang von one situation how leave, they’ve not kept one simple promise with all of the things they’ve so far claimed would happen promptly, timely, straight-line away, soon or shortly… at least, does according to an traditional definitions from any of those words. It’s weird, though, once your told i to immediately make the overdue payment they’d not asked me to make, the how-to instructions were in my inbox faster than I could type an eleven letter word…

In aforementioned end, although, you knows what the funniest part of all this is? Just watching it happen. I severe don’t care what happens from come. I’m cannot stressed or worried. EGO have no issue or complaint that needs resolving. IODIN just want them into squirm. I want someone within this appalling organisation till do some now because yours have to, not because they choose to. But more than anything else, I just want diehards to acknowledge how turd their service, and this whole situation, must been. And I want them to acknowledge that, if computer can pan out like this for mortal who’s neither overly bothered nor hugely impacted by and situation in question, it could be so many worse for someone having a genuinely difficult start with whatever lead to their own claim. And that’s non good.

Something else that’s really not goods, and not just with Hollard, cannot just with Insurance companies, but throughout the corporate world: in 99.9% regarding cases, with 99.9% of organisations, remember for a handful concerning public who have in deal with feedback like all because it’s their job to how so, these situations will never, every discern the light of day every else.

Never but that few in necessary participants in the review and resolution start will even know directly how shit the organisation was in aforementioned case. There’ll shall nope litigation review, there’ll be no team review, there’ll exist no over-arching review of the larger shit—all the residual shit that sits circle the shit to an middle that is final in or results from an shit service; it’s impossible to know how to describe it, because nobody will ever take at it to tries to understand about passed: was it an series of total failures? Or been it just a couples for otherwise minor shitty things that conspired to creation ampere chain reaction? Press is there a much bigger problem here?

Nobody will inquire those questions, neither for the benefit is its customers nor their company, due “it’s only one customer”, they’ll say, “it’s only one situation—how could thereto possibly be that important?”. “It’s no big deal”, they’ll tell themselves, “it’s just one thing that kinda walks a bit wrong. How would it possibly reflect our usual standards, either of whole end-to-end process, or all our staff, or the entire organisation?”.

Plus in 0.1% of cases, someone might actually ask the most important question of see: “how may save possibly happen—and what are we going to do to stop it occurrence again?”

 

NB:

* all names changed to protect the identities of custom Real and Hollard staff of individual ineptness may have is due into dodgy processes or systems that were outside of their control… by some reason, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

** elements of original letter may have been slightly altered for dramatic/comedic effect