terry1•14h ago

Overheard a phone rep say 'our policy is our policy' and it clicked

I was waiting at the DMV last week and this guy next to me was on hold with his internet provider, getting the runaround about a billing error. The rep kept saying 'our policy is our policy' over and over, wouldn't budge on a $45 overcharge from 3 months ago. I used to work retail in high school and I was totally on the side of the worker, thinking customers are just Karens making a fuss. But hearing that guy get stonewalled for 20 minutes made me realize how easy it is for companies to hide behind vague rules when they mess up. The caller even had screenshots of the original agreement and the rep still wouldn't listen. I walked out of there thinking about all the times I've backed down from a small fee or charge, just assuming I was wrong. Has anyone else had a moment where you heard someone else's situation and suddenly saw your own past complaints totally differently?

2 comments

2 Comments

bettyh8413h ago

So did that guy with the billing error just give up or actually fight it? I been noticing how 'policy' gets used like a shield when they know they messed up but don't want to admit it. Makes me wonder how many times I swallowed a bogus fee because I didn't have the energy to argue with someone reading off a script.

jennifer35813h ago

@bettyh84 exactly. Same thing happened to me with a bank fee last year. They charged me $35 for a late payment that was literally one day late because their system went down. The rep just kept saying "our policy is our policy" and wouldn't even look at the proof I had. I swallowed it back then because I figured I'd lose. But now I feel stupid for not pushing harder. That guy at the DMV should've asked for a supervisor or filed a complaint with the state. People use "policy" like a magic wall when they don't want to help.