[net.consumers] Thank you for shopping at Sears

benw@pyuxn.UUCP (B Weber) (03/15/84)

--------


As one of the poor unfortunates who used to work in a Sears
credit department, a few points:

1) I was surprised to hear that Sears gave people credit with
   marginal qualifications (eg, short residence).  Sears usually
   is very picky about credit cards, but very slow to take legal
   action (about 9 months past due). On the other hand, many stores,
   for example, Macy's, will give credit to inanimate objects, but
   will take you to court at the drop of a hat.  Sears works on
   a point scoring system; length of residence, age, owning or
   renting (but not salary) come into play, with about 10 other
   items.  Each item earns points, and credit is given usually
   only if you pass a certain threshold.
2) I was one of those wonderful people who call you to gently
   remind you that your account was past due ("...When may we
   expect a payment?").  Believe me, the job is rougher on the
   callers than the callees...I have seen callers literally
   carried out of the office, crying.  Try taking verbal
   abuse all day.  The policy that did drive me nuts was
   that Sears would always follow up immediately on payment
   promises.  If a customer said he was going to the mailbox
   right now, we would call back in a half hour or so and
   ask him if he actually did it.  Although Sears is
   scrupulously legal, this had to come close to
   harassment.
3) The thing that I always liked best (hah) about Sears is
   that, on every dunning letter we sent out (there was a
   set sequence that were sent at regular intervals) there
   was always the same message.  So, if we sent a letter
   to a customer who owed $3000 and never made a payment,
   to inform him that we were taking him to court, at
   the bottom of the letter was
           "Thank you for shopping at Sears"
4) Strangely enough, Sears wouldn't give me a credit card
   while I was working there (I was still a college student).

PS: No flames to me about Sears credit policy please; I was just
    following orders...I swear...
					Sears, where America Sh**s
					Ben Weber