SoapZone Community Message Board

I'm both proud of myself and a little bit ashamed.

Like many of my fellow Gen Xers, I got my first credit card when I went off to college. It's a Visa through a smaller company: First National Bank of Omaha. In roughly 37 years, I've paid my bill in full every month on a timely basis; the only exception was the one time my bill got caught, and shredded, in a mail sorter and I got it back in pieces in a little "body bag". And the only time I've ever had a dispute with my Visa was when a restaurant double charged me for a meal. I called them as soon as I got my bill and the very lovely woman on the other end of the line immediately got everything straightened out. My relationship with FNBO has been a stellar one.

However...

In 37 years, while my credit limit has gone up, up, up (even after I lost my card and had to get a new one, proving how "responsible" I was <g>), I have never once been contacted by the company--either by phone, snail mail, e-mail or text--with any offers to change anything about my card. And as you all know, almost all decent credit cards now offer options for cash back or points to be redeemed for whatever. FNBO has both those options...I didn't even know that (or really think about it) till earlier this year. My current card expires at the end of June; today I *finally* called and asked if I could be upgraded to the cash back card. It took an annoyingly long time to get through the automated system* and then when I finally got to speak to a representative (because "upgrade my card" wasn't one of the options), it took an annoyingly long time for the computer to approve. But approve it did, so starting in a couple weeks, I will finally join the millions of other credit card holders whose cards actually DO something for them. Proud of myself for finally taking care of business...a little ashamed of myself that it took this long.

* I find it interesting that so many millennials and Gen Zers (and probably Gen Alpha) absolutely dread talking on the phone. I also hate having to make appointments or take care of business via a phone call but the part I hate most is the stupid automated system. It's better for the company but it can take me 4x as long to actually get to the part where I'm doing what I need to do (and when I DO reach a person, I sometimes have to go right back to the start, identifying myself and the reason I called). Maybe I should emulate my aunt and just start shouting "REPRESENTATIVE! REPRESENTATIVE!!!" the second I connect <g>.