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When People AT PNC Mortgage Don't Know They Make Up A Story As They Go

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with KD Realty - 408.972.1822 CA DRE#01366594

When People AT PNC Mortgage Don't Know They Make Up A Story As They Go

 

I am convinced that people at PNC Mortgage simply make something up as they go versus simply saying ... I don't know. 

The power in "I don't know" is that we create the opportunity to take responsibility to find out and get customers the real answers they want and need. After all, is that not what PNC Mortgage is paying its employees to do?

I spent 1.5 hours on the phone yesterday with PNC Mortgage. Thankfully, I knew just enough to know the person I was talking to did not know what he was talking about. The more I questioned him the more upset he got. In fact, at one point, his voice elevated and he went on the defense attacking me. It was then that I thanked him for his time and ended the call. 

I called right back and spoke with someone else.  Her response to the exact same questions were totally and completely different than the person I had just spoken with. Even the options she said were available were different. 

I asked very specific and direct questions to which I received 40,000 feet level answers. I explained that I was calling to get detailed information so that I could make an informed decision.  I cannot make an informed decision if the information I am getting from the source is incorrect. 

frustrated woman on the phoneShe kept putting me on hold as she contacted the C-CAT department. the C-CAT department is their internal back office "Central Customer Assistance Team." I asked that we do a conference call with someone on that team or that I speak with them directly.  

That is not possible. It is an internal number only and customers cannot speak directly with the team members.  Then why call it a Central Customer Assistance Team?  

I asked her "What happens at the end of the draw period on the equity line?"  

She responded: "A Balloon payment will be due. The entire amount will be due and payable." 

Just to have some fun I said "Really, how do you know that?

She said "that is just the way it is."

That's odd. That is not what the note says. Are you telling me that PNC Mortgage is unilaterally changing the terms of the note?

No, I don't know. 

Well if you don't know then why would you tell me that a balloon payment will be do. Why not tell me, I don't know and connect me with someone who does know? Are you not paid by PNC Mortgage to provide customer service?  Does customer service mean to you that if you don't know and can't help that you simply make it up as you go?  Do you realize that people calling in are relying upon the information you provide? Does it not matter to you that the false information you give customers may negatively impact their lives because they are making financial decisions based upon the information you provide them?

Hold on Mamn let me see if I can connect you with someone who can help you. 

I was transferred to the escalation department where the hamster wheel spun for another 30 minutes.  

Within minutes of ending that call I received a text message from my client who just received a certified letter from PNC Mortgage threatening to foreclose on their home. We closed their short sale on 11/8/2013. 

I then spent another 30 minutes on the phone with my client explaining that PNC Mortgage does not have a clue; not to worry about the letter; we have a closed short sale; and at some point their internal systems will catch up with reality and they will eventually stop contacting you attempting to collect a debt that has been settled for less than the amount owed. 

Where do I send PNC Mortgage an invoice for my time?  

 

 

 

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Comments (63)

Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I am glad there is a happy ending. Congratulations on a successful short sale transaction.

Nov 19, 2013 07:38 PM
Tracy Oliva
West USA Realty - Arizona - Fountain Hills, AZ
The Oliva Team Arizona Agents

Good Morning: It sounds like the same old thing from banks, Keep up the good work and good luck with your business,  E

Nov 19, 2013 08:36 PM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

These are the kind of sales I try to avoid like the plague! And in reality, it's not just PNC... you can have this experience with most any bank.

Nov 19, 2013 08:39 PM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Kathleen, I think their job is to hurry up and get you off the phone. I'm sure many people don't question their answers.

Nov 19, 2013 09:09 PM
Carol Zingone
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Florida Network Realty - Jacksonville Beach, FL
Global Realtor in Jax Beach, FL - ABR, CRS, CIPS
I had a BOA short sale where four months after we closed (I had the sellers side), they threatened to foreclose on the very house - turns out buyer had their loan with BOA. Amazingly poor customer service all around.
Nov 19, 2013 09:14 PM
Lisa Perry - NMLS # 276329
FHA, VA, Jumbo, Downpayment Assistance, Conv. - Fairfax, VA
Northern VA - VHDA, 100% Loans - Jumbo Loans
Wow what an ordeal. No one wanting to take responsibility for what they are paid to do. I know a few people that would love that job. Too funny but so sad.
Nov 19, 2013 09:14 PM
Bill and MaryAnn Wagner
Wagner Real Estate Group - Ocean City, NJ
Jersey Shore and South Jersey Real Estate
Kathleen, C-CAT = Central Customer Abuse Team. This is far from limited to PNC. I find that I can cut the time to get results by asking for the reps supervisor the first time they can't properly answer something. But even that doesn't always work. If we all got reimbursed for the time we have to spend cleaning up others messes, we'd all be retired
Nov 19, 2013 09:26 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Kathleen, When we agnets know more than the mortgage company, things are pretty sad. How are we to get the correct information to our clients? Thank goodness you prevailed and closed the sale. Letters are likely to still come because the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

Nov 19, 2013 09:42 PM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Eighteen Years Experience in Brevard County

I spent several hours over several days with a mortgage officer who was wrong...took me an hour on the phone to find a competent lender for my buyer!

Nov 19, 2013 09:54 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

All I have to say is WOW!

Nov 19, 2013 10:16 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

The best part of the post? You cannot make this stuff up...The subject matter is real and now outed...

Nov 19, 2013 10:23 PM
Connie Harvey
Pilkerton Realtors - Brentwood, TN
Realtor - Nashville TN Real Estate

Kathleen, this is more than sad. It's just wrong! If only you could get them to pay you for your time. Why do they put people on phones that have no Customer Service skills.

Nov 19, 2013 10:34 PM
Aaron Hofmann
Atlanta Communities - Smyrna, GA
aka Mr. Smyrna Vinings
Just have to love these short sale departments. I think they need a new Office sitcom that is situated in a short sale department. Perhaps a little bit of Outsourced mixed in.
Nov 19, 2013 10:47 PM
Sharon Miller
RE/MAX Platinum - Crane Hill, AL

Kathleen,

Sadly, this is the "face" of America today. Incompetence has now become a socially accepted  norm. For many, interacting with others while displaying gross ignorance is in fact nurtured and promoted by a dumbed down society. As the holder of two PNC mortgages, I can attest to your detailed examples of gross incompetence when dealing with their customer service personnel. It's like entering the twilight zone. As others have commented, it is the same throughout the industry. The list of incompetent customer service departments could include the following: your telephone service providers, insurance carriers, banks and the automobile dealer service department who attempts to maintain your vehicle(s). As realtors, learn to grin and bear it. Life in these United States is now a question of....who is really in charge of the hen house?

Nov 19, 2013 10:47 PM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Thank you everyone for your comments.  I have yet to hear anyone say they have had a good experience with PNC. This type of incompetence is prevalent throughout with all lenders and servicers.  At least some of us have had a good experience with the Big Bad Banks.  PNC is something else.  They did buy National City loans which just increases the number of people/customers they get to torture.  

Nov 20, 2013 12:23 AM
Brian Schulman
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Lancaster PA - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster County PA RealEstate Expert 717-951-5552

Normally I would not want to see such feedback in public.  However, since some other agents appear to have had similar experiences, perhaps it is indeed a public service to make it known publicly.  At the very least, if service providers monitor these discussions, they have the chance to respond and improve.

Nov 21, 2013 12:00 AM
Bryan Robertson
Los Altos, CA

The worst part about customer service call centers is they almost always have scripts that rarely if ever solve real problems.  Rather than an expert who can tell me when I need to know, I get a robot that tells me what they think I need to hear.  I feel your pain.

Nov 23, 2013 01:03 AM
Anonymous
annonymous

I understand where you are coming from. We have had such a bad experience with PNC ! I honestly think that they don't hire people with much thought, or train them properly for their jobs. We have had the run around with them, dealing with different reps who give different answers. 9 months ago, we applied for a loan modification to lower our mortgage payments. We were told that we couldn't make payments while we were in the waiting period. After 4 months of waiting, sending repeated paperwork because things were not received, and finally dealing with the incompetence and laziness of a rep who decided they didn't want to deal with our account, our house was put on an auction. My husband was calling everyday to check to make sure that all was going smoothly and was told that he was calling too much. One rep even told him he was tired of dealing with his paperwork! On one of the calls about 5 months ago, he found out that we were no longer in the process of modification, but instead our house was going up for an auction date in less than a week, because they did not receive one piece of paperwork. And no one bothered to contact us! Thank goodness for attorneys stepping in. Long story short, we didn't want to deal with PNC anymore. So, we are in the process of selling our house and just buying a smaller one cash. Our closing is in 3 days, and to this day., the title company has not received a payoff statement due to PNC incompetence. Apparently we needed to give an authorization, but why wasn't the title company told that? I agree that employees of PNC are clueless. No one seems to know anything, and when you think you've found someone that knows what's going on, you come up and hit another wall. I just hope they do their job in a timely manner so we can close without further complication. I will just be so grateful to never have to deal with them again!

Jun 26, 2014 12:11 AM
#62
The Villages Realty
The Villages Realty - San Jose, CA
"Our Performance Will Move You!"

Kathleen, as always you wrote a nice and informative post.  Keep it up.

Jan 16, 2017 08:09 AM
Eagle Ridge Realty
Eagle Ridge Realty - Gilroy, CA
"Our Performance Will Move You!"

Kathleen, you always share such good information.  Thanks for staying on top of it all and so giving of it freely.  

Jan 17, 2017 07:04 AM