WaMu: Save the Whales!

I've always assumed that WaMu makes no sense as a bank because it is owned and operated by a large Killer Whale. Take the design of the interior, which has no discernable counters and is full of large, seemingly useless open areas. I take it that all of this space is meant to accommodate a Killer Whale's considerable bulk. But come on people, how often does WaMu himself actually drop by your local branch? I make exceptions though. I figure that you can't expect a creature with a blowhole to run a business, much less design it, in the exact same way a regular mouth-breathing, upright-walking CEO would. And anyway, I like whales, which is why I opened an account at WaMu to begin with.

So imagine my shock when I go to sign into my Yahoo! Mail and find, via Yahoo!'s up-to-the-minute newsfeed, that my bank is going under. Well, not going under precisely but being bought out and likely getting a name change. I was quite disturbed, especially considering that the name is the only reason I bank there.

Then this morning, realizing that I needed money for an Eggs Benedict and my five or six weekend cans of Schlitz (which I've taken to drinking since the economy tanked), I stopped by for a little withdrawal action.

A handwritten sign on the door said that the power was off. The man inside wearing the WaMu logo on his vest was none-too-friendly. I asked him, sunny as Sunday morning, when I could expect the lights to come back on and he very rudely suggested I walk to Court Street, to which I informed him that I had no desire to do that and, by the way, did he see the drizzle? Did he! He kind of shrugged and told me to suit myself. Well, I never!

Which brings me to say it. I don't want to, but I will:

What in the hell, WaMu? You're not even paying your electric bill? Go back to Alaska!

Comments

[schatsie]

love all of you, great posts!

[Karenga]

6 cans of schlitz are lasting you a weekend? Admirable restraint...maybe you should run a bank/mortgage mill/hedge fund yourself.

[plebeianswillrevolt]

I saw The Whale Rider over the weekend. It was very touching. It had a happy ending, but some beached whales are better off left to die. Under the surface, this was a thieving, usurious, unscruplous institution devoid of heart or soul, who was not there to do you or I any favors. Just remind yourself what their NSF and cash advance charge was. My young daughter opened her first account there, got messed up in her checking account and in no time owed them $330 in service charges. They would not waive a penny and she is in collections now. They got what they deserved. Now, move from Chase to cash based.

[dannyo152]

Well, it's a bank/s&l/savings bank, whatever. Mind you I'm now a JP Morgan customer when all I wanted to be was a Home Savings customer.

Isn't it stunning that "efficiency" turns out to be synonymous with "poor customer service?"