Peter, your Customer Support is horrible! You and the senior management team should know about it. Please forward to the appropriate Senior Manager in charge of Operations.
I have tried for the last Month to set up an account with Datek and am about to go elsewhere, even if it means higher monthly costs and commissions. I believe that Datek could provide me with the service that I want, but your Customer Service department is so inept that it keeps losing the forms.
So far, I have talked to some one in Customer Service three times and have E-mailed several times. In phone conversations, one fellow (whose name I can't remember) was nice enough to go and hunt for my account forms. He found them. On two PRIOR occasions, the Customer Service reps gave the standard response, "Wait until you receive an E-mail." Of the several E-mails that I have sent Customer Service, only one person, Lisa Weber, made the effort to find out the status (received Account Package, but missing one form). In my last E-mail, I directed it to be forwarded to Lisa. The "individual" that responded did NOT forward it and said that Datek had NOT received my package.
Frankly, I have worked very hard to become a Datek customer with very little response from Datek. As of now, Datek will have to work very hard for my business.
I have "Xed" out the Reference Numbers. I'll send them to you privately if you wish.
Regards,
Dan Clark.
--------
Jerold,
This absolutely the most absurd thing that I have ever heard!
You HAVE, repeat HAVE received my account application!
If you had bothered to even check, you would have found this out.
You received my application form prior to January 31, 1999.
This was confirmed by voice and by e-mail. Further, I sent the
missing IRA application form over two weeks ago!
Also, my e-mail included instructions to forward the e-mail to
Lisa Weber at the top (she is one of two competant people in your
Customer Support organization). You completely ignored that instruction!
Why are you responding?
Your Customer Service department is the absolute worst. I am sick to
death of trying to do business with you. It is obvious that you cannot
manage customer accounts in any professional manner.
My next move will be to publish this e-mail on the Datek thread of
Silicon Investor. I am forwarding this to Peter Stern so that upper
management can have visibility to the problems.
Most sincerely,
Daniel Clark.
-----Original Message-----
From: Datek Online Customer Support [mailto:support@datek.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 1999 7:09 AM
To: Daniel Clark
Subject: Re: FW: Account Status (xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Dear Daniel Clark,
I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your e-mail.
As of 2/16/99, Datek Online has not received your Datek Online account
application form nor your Delaware Charter IRA application form. Once
Datek Online receives the appropriate documentation, your account will
be activated within 24-48 hours.
If we can provide you with further information please contact the Datek
Online Customer Support Team at 1-888-Go-Datek (463-2835) or e-mail
support@datek.com.
Sincerely,
Jerold Yee
Customer Support
Datek Online Brokerage Services Corp.
Member NASD/SIPC
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Please use xxxxxxxxxxxxxx as the reference number
for this message.
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Original message follows:
-------------------------
>>>> Please Forward To Lisa Weber <<<<
Lisa,
In the E-mail below, we discussed that I had sent and Datek had a
received
an account package that was missing a form. On Jan 31, 1999, I sent the
missing "Application For IRA" form to Datek. I have not heard anything
since then. I'm concerned that the form was lost.
Please check my account status:
-- Has Datek received the form?
-- Has the account been activated?
-- Is there a delay for some reason?
Thanks and regards,
Dan.
P.s. Even though there have been problems setting up this IRA account, I
also filled out an on-line application for a standard, non-IRA trading
account last Tuesday. I hope that my faith in Datek is not mis-placed.
-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Clark
Sent: Sunday, January 31, 1999 8:32 AM
To: 'Datek Online Customer Support'
Subject: RE: Account Status (xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Lisa,
I'm sending the form today.
Regards,
Dan.
-----Original Message-----
From: Datek Online Customer Support [mailto:support@datek.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 30, 1999 12:51 PM
To: Daniel Clark
Subject: RE: Account Status (xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Dear Dan,
Thank you for your interest in Datek Online.
I appreciate you taking the time to explain your experiences with our
Customer Support department in your e-mail. I can understand you being
concerned with your account.
For the most part, Datek Online sends an e-mail once the application has
been received. This e-mail contains your account number. If there is
missing information, a follow-up e-mail will appear stating that your
account is frozen due to missing information and that it will be
reactivated once the information is received. This is logged into our
backoffice system where all of our customer support representatives can
view the information.
I do not know why you did not receive those E-mails and I apologize for
the confusion. Once we receive your IRA information, your account will
be activated within 48 hours. I am glad that we could resolve this
situation for you and wish you the best of luck trading in the future.
If we can provide you with further information please contact the Datek
Online Customer Support Team at 1-888-Go-Datek (463-2835) or e-mail
support@datek.com.
Sincerely,
Lisa Weber
Customer Support
Datek Online Brokerage Services Corp.
Member NASD/SIPC/ Boston Stock Exchange
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Please use xxxxxxxxxxxxxx as the reference number
for this message.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Original message follows:
-------------------------
*** Forward to Lisa Weber ***
Lisa,
Thank you for responding.
I am writing you this e-mail in hopes that you will correct a situation
that causes grief to both of us. Why should I care? Because Datek has the
potential of offering me a valuable service at a good price. BUT, it's
customer support is causing me headaches (see below for details). I am
taking my valuable time in explaining this customer service problem
because I want Datek as my broker and I want you to succeed! And, I want good
customer support.
Prior to receiving your e-mail, I called your help desk yesterday and
got ***no*** help. The customer support rep stated that the standard
customer support policy was that I had to wait for the account to be funded and
then Datek would send an e-mail to me. He would not check for my package.
Today, I called back and talked to a different Customer Support
representative who was ***very*** helpful. He got the status
information that I needed (received package, but form missing).
Regarding your e-mail and your customer support policy, there are two
problems...
First, if you read your e-mail carefully, notice that it appears to
reiterate Datek's standard policy. It does NOT state whether Datek has
or has NOT yet received my package. That leaves me in limbo.
Second, your standard customer support policy says that you will e-mail
me when you fund the account. This policy won't work if something goes
wrong!
And, something did go wrong...
It turns out that I neglected to include an IRA Transfer Form with the
package. According to your policy, I wait to hear from you that package
was received and my account is set up. Under your policy, Datek waits for
me to send the form and will not tell me that my package is incomplete. I
wait for the e-mail and Datek waits for the form. Result - NOTHING HAPPENS!
We both wait.
How can I take corrective action if I don't know that there is a
problem? And, Datek (according to policy) won't tell me that there's a problem.
Until today, after talking to your customer service representative, I
did not know that Datek actually received my package. Without knowing this
I did not know whether to resend a complete, brand new package (if Datek
had NOT received the package) or just to send the missing form (if Datek HAD
received the package).
This policy needs to be changed. Customers need positive confirmation
that Datek received the package and the status of the package (good or bad).
Then when you activate the account, send a second e-mail. This is not a
lot of effort to start a relationship that could go on for years.
I understand that Datek has added new customer support representatives
("Brokers?") to improve service. This sounds like a great start. Best
of luck in the future.
By the way, I will be sending the missing form.
Regards,
Dan.
-----Original Message-----
From: Datek Online Customer Support [mailto:support@datek.com]
Sent: Friday, January 29, 1999 2:29 PM
To: Daniel Clark
Subject: RE: Account Status (xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Dear Daniel Clark,
I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your e-mail.
The response you were given was was accurate for the given question. It
states that once we receive your application(since we did not receive it
at this time) you will be given an account number. This is how you know
that we have received your paperwork and that the account is active. It
will be provided through e-mail. You may start trading once your
account is active and the funds are placed in your portfolio.
If we can provide you with further information please contact the Datek
Online Customer Support Team at 1-888-Go-Datek (463-2835) or e-mail
support@datek.com.
Sincerely,
Lisa Weber
Customer Support
Datek Online Brokerage Services Corp.
Member NASD/SIPC/ Boston Stock Exchange
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Please use xxxxxxxxxxxxxx as the reference number
for this message.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Original message follows:
-------------------------
Your response is not positive. This is obviously a canned response. If
you had read my e-mail, you would have noticed that I DID send in my
completed account documentation last Monday (1/18). I was asking for the current
status. Please respond with:
- Yes, we have received your documentation and your account will be
ready for trading on____
- No, we have not received your documentation yet
- Something else...
Regards,
Dan Clark
-----Original Message-----
From: Datek Online Customer Support [mailto:support@datek.com]
Sent: Monday, January 25, 1999 7:57 AM
To: Daniel Clark
Subject: Re: Account Status (xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Dear Daniel Clark,
I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your e-mail.
An account number is assigned when the completed account documentation
is submitted to Datek Online. It will be sent to you via e-mail. In
the interim, include your UserName on any correspondence to Datek
Online.
If we can provide you with further information please contact the Datek
Online Customer Support Team at 1-888-Go-Datek (463-2835) or e-mail
support@datek.com.
Sincerely,
Lisa Weber
Customer Support
Datek Online Brokerage Services Corp.
Member NASD/SIPC/ Boston Stock Exchange
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Please use xxxxxxxxxxxxxx as the reference number
for this message.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Original message follows:
-------------------------
Hello,
I'm just checking in to find out the status of my account. On Monday of
this week, I sent in the completed application forms to set up and fund
my IRA account. The funding will be a transfer from my current IRA account
with Fidelity Brokerage Services.
Obviously, I'd like to get started as soon as possible. About how long
will it take to set up my account and transfer the money from Fidelity, so
that I can start trading?
Thanks and regards,
Dan. |
