Strange conversation with a Bank

[AlexS]

Well, today I received a letter from the company, addressed to Mr., but with my wife's given name. Thanked me for speaking with them, but said nothing about where they got our names from. It was just their standard advertising spiel.

I shall retire tothe workshop to consider my next move.

[Driver]

I agree Col, and what fun it can be!
I had intended to do what you said with the CEO (& other directors), but you now have to pay to get that info from ASIC. That's why I've sooled the local pollies on to them. After all, you don't keep a dog and bark yourself, do you.

Alex

I agree that you don't want to waste money on ASIC just to get the CEO's name but you probably don't need to. I've found the simplest way to get the name is to call the company and just ask. Something simple, like this

"G'day, can you please tell me the name of your CEO or general manager or chairman? I want to write to them and I think it's important to get their name right."

Most switchboard operators / receptionists will give you the name (and the correct spelling and title) without demur. If they ask for your name - and, in my experience, that's very rare - give it to them by all means. If they ask if you would like to speak to the relevant PA or secretary, accept the invitation. This may give you an opportunity to speak to the head honcho so have your complaint ready and give him or her both barrrels.

When I ran a biggish organisation, I used to insist on taking any call of this kind myself. I trained switchboard operators always to try to put such callers through to me directly or, if I was unavailable, to get a name and number so I could call back. The thought was that you never know how important these things are until one blows up in your face. Roughly 80% of such calls were a fair dinkum waste of my time but I was pretty good at getting rid of those calls - better than my switchboard operators, I reckon.

Well, today I received a letter from the company, addressed to Mr., but with my wife's given name. Thanked me for speaking with them, but said nothing about where they got our names from. It was just their standard advertising spiel.

It's obvious that the CEO of the mob you're dealing with isn't in touch with what's going on in his own outfit or they wouldn't be stuffing up your name and your wife's like this. Pretty sloppy. I'll bet they're not a big outfit so it wouldn't take a lot of effort to get these things right.

Give 'em hell!

Col