Catholic Customer Service?
A recent exchange with a Catholic organization caught me by surprise. My bill to renew their service came this summer at a time when I was re-evaluating my financial and business priorities. I decided not to renew my membership.
The next month I saw an unauthorized charge of the renewal fee to the organization on my credit card statement. I believe I left a phone message for the organization. I disputed the claim with my credit card company.
About six months later I received an email from a zealous administrative assistant saying I am delinquent on my account with them. As delicately as I could I tried to explain that I believe they are providing an excellent service but that back in the summer I decided to not renew my membership.
I received several more emails from this employee, with an increasingly threatening tone. I was told this organization was not a non-profit and I need to pay up now. In an unprofessional manner she referred me to the terms and conditions stating that I should have notified them in writing that I wanted to discontinue. I had never heard of similar organizations having such policies.
She did discount the bill (for six months of the the service I did not want to have) by 50% and indicated I must pay it by mid month or else. To get her and the organization off my back, I wrote the check.
I don’t believe the owner of this organization advocates that her employees conduct themselves like the employee did. And I’m a big girl. I can handle an unprofessional encounter with a difficult employee.
But there are many less solid Catholics who could have their faith shaken by such interactions. When already struggling with guilt or staying on track with the higher standards of being Catholic, exchanges such as these can push them permanently away from the Church.
As Catholic business owners we must always remember that our business encounters—good or bad —represent the face of Catholicism.
Catholic Women’s Guide to Healthy Relationship Tip: Treat everyone as if they will be the judge presiding over your trial, which begins tomorrow, and you’ll be great ambassadors for the Church.
