Reader Christi reports that Mervyns, a mid-range department store that is closing all its locations, now charges you a $15 fee if you want to talk to customer service over the phone. When Christi called a store to complain, they told her to call the number back, accept the charge, then ask them what the heck was going on. Thing is, Christi was just calling to make a payment by phone,

“Since the website is so unbelievable slow,” she writes. “The menu options to pay by phone are a twisted labyrinth that automatically send to you a customer service representative if you screw up (and you will with this god-awful menu). You are by this time in tears, and THEN you are informed that it will cost you $15 to speak with a customer service representative -no matter what your issue is.”

Christi doesn’t understand why Mervyn’s is doing this. “I know they are going out of business, but really? Has the corporate world gone so greedy that they are going to take people that are trying to pay them money for everything they can? I am so angry about this that I don’t care If I get put on the no-fly list because I have two stink-eyes on a puss-face right now.”

Mervyn’s closeout sale. Everything is being liquidated, including, and especially, customer service.

(Photo: Ben+Sam)

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