This is funny. My local paper didn’t come this morning. That’s not that unusual. Usually it’s the New York Times that screws it up. Anyway, I called over to the office and asked for another paper. They called back and told me my account was 24.00 in arrears. When I mentioned that I had paid them online over a week ago, they solemnly assured me it takes three weeks for them to receive a check from an online bank.

Three weeks?

I don’t tend to argue with people on the phone. They said they would bring me a paper today and tomorrow anyway (despite my delinquint status, I guess). So I hung up and called my bank.

The lady at the bank pointed out that an online bank that took three weeks to process a payment wouldn’t be all that convenient would it? Heh.

Good old Holland Sentinel.

I picked up the phone to call them and tell them what the bank said. I put the phone back. Screw it.

For some reason Western Michigan customer service has a flair all it’s own.

When I emailed the Holland Sentinel’s Web site master telling him how outrageous I found their clunky registration in order to access their paper (and at that time I was a subscriber in good standing. ahem.), he emailed me back a strong defense for registration and keeping track of customer preferences and information. It took me a while but eventually I caved and registered.

Before that… way back in 2000, I wrote to the local Grand Rapids TV station WOODTV complaining about their bias and their policies about selling advertising (they had refused a democractic ad). I got a furious letter back from their PR guy telling me in no uncertain terms why I was wrong.

Odd customer service approach. Must be something in the water over here.