Well, for most of you that have read my posts in the past, I'm proud to say that my closing date is just around the corner (actually Thursday of this week). We're all packed and ready to go. While the process of packing and coordinating everything is quite tumultuous itself (when you have a husband like me who wants to throw out everything and a wife who still claims to be using it causes the most stress), it gets finished in the end.
I do have one "request" with a complaint that I hope all realtors can somehow streamline in the future. In short, I received a nice pamphlet in the mail after I received a sales contract and accepted it on my home. I am using a Coldwell Banker agent and the pamphlet came from Coldwell Banker. It described how all my needs could be handled via CB including homeowners insurance, moving, and setting up utilities at my new home. The documentation pointed me to this website at www.coldwellbankerconnect.com. I thought I would check it out.
After getting several phone calls from a company called NRT regarding homeowners insurance (sorry, I have my own agent) and looking at the various moving companies they offered (found one with a much lower cost and good reputation), I checked out the utility section.
Let me clarify all of this. I love technology and use anything and everything that allows me to avoid the endless waiting for a customer service rep from a utility company. Thus, I gave it a try. I was throughly impressed on how it could take my new address and display the availability of services at the location. A database, web-driven application at its finest. So, I figured why not give it a try.
In 30 minutes, I had Internet, Phone, cable, electric, and gas all set up. Well, at least I thought I did. I completed the setup back on May 2nd and got confirmations that these were all "accepted" by the carriers. I kept checking online and still everything said "accepted". Being a pessimistic person and one who always tries to be proactive, I called ColdwellBankerConnect.com's customer service line just to make sure I was ready to go. Quickly, I found out that the real company was one called WhiteFence.com. Whatever, just give me someone to talk to.
After 53 minutes being on hold (and listening to their phone system playing Pink Floyd's "The Wall"), I got a customer service representative. I told her I wanted to confirm my orders and she said, "Hold on, let me transfer you..". I get transferred to a guy asking me if I want to reset my username and password. I tell him I'm just trying to confirm my orders. He says, "Well, they must have mistakenly sent you to me, I'll transfer you back...". Knowing I would just start over in the waiting queue (just like starting over on an amoritization after a refinance), I quickly remark, "Sir, I've been waiting for 53 minutes...can you please transfer me directly to someone and not your phone system?" He says, "Sure...one second, I have an open representative waiting for you.."
After his comment, I get back in the queue (which is now on the song "The Show Must Go On" on "The Wall" soundtrack) and wait for another 40 minutes (yes, I was at work so I just kept on speaker phone waiting..and waiting..etc). Finally, I give up and decide to call the utility companies directly. Instead of "The Wall", I am greeted by some soothing Muzak.
I first called my gas company at my new address and inform them of placing an order on WhiteFence.com. I give them the order number and hear, "What? What number is that? We don't use that type of numbering for orders.." Okay, I tell them my name and my new address and eventually hear, "Sorry Sir, I do not show any order for that address." I tell them I need service and they establish service for the specified date. Unfortunately, the same thing happened with the electric company and continued with the phone/internet/cable company.
Had I not called to confirm, I would have gotten to my new home and nothing would have been set up. I would've had to call and start everything over. Thankfully, the utility companies (which I only waited for a total of 3 minutes for each call) got me all set up.
I think this type of service offered by realty companies is great. Unfortunately, agents and their offices have no control over this service and thus consumers, like me, are held in a waiting game (and phone queue). I think its a great service, but it once again clarifies that technology doesnt always work over a simple phone call and speaking with a real person.
In the end, everything is fine (at least I hope). At least I got refreshed on the "The Wall" lyrics and only threw my phone once...my work phone which I dont pay for...
This makes me ponder the idea of how sellers (and buyers) would even want to remotely work with an online company in selling/buying a home. I just hope that if anyone uses RedFin's services, at least they would be so kind to answer a call after a few minutes and play Tony Bennett...
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