DISCOVER customer service - NOT!

I recently had gone through my finances and made all my payments to my creditors. I later found that the payment to my DISCOVER CARD did not go through. So, I resent the payment, and paid the late payment fee of $35. When I finished my payment I saw a button at the bottom of receipt form to request a credit of a charge or fee. I click on it and it gave a simple form to select what I believe had happened, when I had tried to make a payment, and how the payment was made. Mind you this form had dropdown selections which leads me to believe that it happens often enough that they have a standard for the form.

In response to my inquiry I received this message in my DISCOVER account inbox:

Re: Credit Request: Missing Payment [#1487009]

From Discover Card Customer Service Date Received: 12/11/2008 08:35 AM

Thank you for taking the time to contact us about a payment you attempted. I understand how frustrating it can be when a payment does not post as expected. An online payment may not be credited to your Discover Card Account if the entire payment process is not completed properly. To complete an online payment, please follow these steps:

1. Choose one of the following three payment options listed on the blank check: - Minimum Payment (will show the Minimum amount due) - Last Statement Balance (will show statement balance) - Other Amount (you choose the amount)
2. Verify your bank information at the bottom of the check.
3. Click the "Continue with Current Posting Date" or "Revise Payment Posting Date" button.
4. If you have chosen to revise the posting date choose a new posting date from the calendar displayed, and click "Continue."
5. Review your payment information.
6. Click on the "Submit" button. You should see a confirmation number, verifying that the payment will be processed.

Online payments made before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time will be credited to your Account the same day, while payments made after that time will be credited the next day. Please remember that a payment may not be viewable in the Account Center for an additional 24 to 48 hours after it posts to your Account. I appreciate your business and the opportunity to be of service.

Thank you for choosing to use Discover Card.

Sincerely,

Wendy

DISCOVER, CASHBACK BONUS and the other trademarks, logos and service marks used in this e-mail are the trademarks of Discover Financial Services or their respective third-party owners.

I found this to be pretty awful customer service. Not only does the message not address my questions, but it is also assuming that I'm an idiot and don't know how to use their website. I've been a client for the last year and a half and made previous payments online, so I find this email to be irrelevant. This was such a horrible display of service that I wrote back :)

Wendy,

I know this is not your fault, but I would like to let you know in hopes you may pass this along to your superior.

I find your message insulting. Your information on how to make a payment online I'm sure is helpful for some people. However your message did not address my inquiry about the credit of a late payment charge. Most appalling is the fact that when DISCOVER wants money from me they are willing to call my phone and remind me. However, when I contact DISCOVER about a possible error in the online payment feature I receive in response a “how-to” message in my account inbox. You did not event bother to send it to my personal email, which you have on file.

Overall I have been a good, little DISCOVER client. I've made payments promptly and never caused much of a ruckus. Your impersonal and illusive attempt to address my inquiry is degrading. It is obvious that efficiency has overtaken customer service.

I hope you all get lumps of coal in your stockings.

Merlin U Ward
###.###.####
******.****@gmail.com

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Merlin U Ward