Bank of America do you really want to know what is wrong!!

I started out my Friday (3/12/2010) as I do every morning… Pull up Equator to check on my Short Sale files. Once I had the system up I noticed my oldest file (entered before others) still had a generic negotiator while all the others had been assigned to real negotiators.  So now what – AHHHH the dreaded call to the toll free number. 

I make the call 1-866-772-2516 – Rings, automated answer, and the wait (game) is on!!  So I put the office phone on speaker make several other calls on my cell phone, load up Tweetdeck, check email, get back on my cell to call for showing instructions, “play around” I mean check Facebook for potential business, then look down at the office phone 20 minutes gone by and still on hold.  Ok 20 minutes no big deal…  So now I check my Supra Key for showings and send a couple of follow up emails to the agents that showed my listings… 30 minutes gone by now STILL ON HOLD!

Now the brain starts working “AR BLOG POST”. 

So 47 minutes and 41 seconds gone by and I FINALLY get a live person.  After going through all the third party verification questions the real conversation starts:

Sandra: “Mr. Ellis what can I to help you today”

Me: I explain the situation and my concern that this file has a “generic negotiator” while newer files have assigned negotiators.

Sandra: “Mr. Ellis do you mind if I place you on hold while I research this”

Me: “No Mam” (what am I going to say Yes I mind I have been on hold almost an hour, don’t you dare put me on hold one more second)

Sandra: (2 minutes later) “Mr. Ellis it appears that we are still waiting on a Vendor Task to be completed”

Me: “When was the task due?”

Sandra: “Mr. Ellis do you mind if I place you on hold while I research that”

Me: “No Mam” (while I am think YOU CAN NOT BE SERIOUS)

Sandra: “Mr. Ellis it was due on March 10”

Me: “Well it is March 12 what can we do about this”

Sandra: “Mr. Ellis do you mind if I place you on hold while I check with my supervisor”

Me: “No Mam” (COMICAL)

Sandra: (2 minutes later) “Mr. Ellis I have spoken with my supervisor and we are going to escalate this file and you can check back in 3 to 5 business days”

Me: “Sandra can you tell me if the Vendor Task is the BPO”

Sandra: “Mr. Ellis we are not familiar with the terminology I don’t know what the vendor task is you will need to call back in 3 to 5 business if the file does not get a negotiator”

Me: “Ok thank you for your help” (realizing I am going to get nowhere I stop wasting my time)

Sandra: “Mr. Ellis do you mind if I place you on hold while I make some notations on the file”

Me: “No Mam” (what the hell does 2 more minutes matter)

Sandra: (2 minutes later) “Mr. Ellis thank you for waiting I am sorry for the delay.  Do you have any more questions for me?”

Me: “No Mam thanks for your help!” (Yeah right)

Sandra: “Mr. Ellis would you like to take a survey on the level of service I provided today”

Me: “Yes mam” (I don’t have the heart to say No.. So once the transfer is complete I hang up)

Here is the real question and moral to this long story “Why, if the Equator system is automated, do I need to call in and get a file escalated because a Vendor task is not done on time”.  Why would the AUTOMATED system not do this by its self?