Is this a war on cash or a war on privacy? Or both?

[Einthewoods]

When I Chat with USAA, am I talking to someone in the US or 'over there' somewhere?

US. Based out of Texas. A big presence in Colorado as well.

 

[Diggin It]

US. Based out of Texas. A big presence in Colorado as well.

Yes, but where are the Chat Reps located? Are they outsourced?

I asked a VERY basic question about how to use the online account screens using their own terminology and the Rep didn't know what I was talking about.

 

[amaxwell]

Nothing to do with (regulated) banks...but...
Yesterday I was in both a Tractor_Supply and a Harbor Freight store...both times when checking out I was asked for my phone #...what exactly were they going to do with my phone #?? I for sure don't want either of them calling me for any reason...so they must use it to get other information...from who do they get information they can use ??

When they asked my reply was "NO, I don't have a phone"...!

Last purchase a Harbor Freight they messaged me a copy of my receipt a few minutes later.

 

[Einthewoods]

Yes, but where are the Chat Reps located? Are they outsourced?

I asked a VERY basic question about how to use the online account screens using their own terminology and the Rep didn't know what I was talking about.

As I said, the US. I have no knowledge of them being elsewhere. Even in the US we have people that can't answer questions when we think they should.

 

[Jstpssng]

Seems as if some of the discussion has gotten around to how whether we chose (as consumers) to use real (employed) people to handle our transactions or replace them and use robots (automatic self-check out scanners etc...)

As more and more gets automated, this will become a bigger issue. As the question continues to become "Why do we need poor people?"
This is dangerous.

Too true, and I believe that it's an age thing that some of us prefer to deal with real people. (I won't even use the drive up windows at my bank or credit union unless the lobby is closed.)

The local grocery store just installed several self checkouts and reduced the number of registers with clerks; yet there still is often a long line at the latter, while the auto checkouts are barely used.

Your last paragraph poses a question which has been building up for years, and for which there is no good answer.

 

[Diggin It]

The local grocery store just installed several self checkouts and reduced the number of registers with clerks; yet there still is often a long line at the latter, while the auto checkouts are barely used.

Maybe if they did a 20% discount for using them? And any item that doesn't scan or scans different than the shelf, tag or ad price is free?

 

[Einthewoods]

Too true, and I believe that it's an age thing that some of us prefer to deal with real people. (I won't even use the drive up windows at my bank or credit union unless the lobby is closed.)

The local grocery store just installed several self checkouts and reduced the number of registers with clerks; yet there still is often a long line at the latter, while the auto checkouts are barely used.

As irrational as this is....many years ago I would go to Home Depot or Lowes, without any real brand loyalty to either. Home Depot was the first of the two (in my area then) to install the self check out lanes replacing several of the staffed registers. I think I have gone to a Home Depot once since as Lowes was out of stock on the item I needed right then. I have since spent thousands at Lowes and will not go back to Home Depot.

The irrational part being that even Lowes has the self check out (which I never use) though at least in my head they were responding to competitive pressure rather than leading the way. And, I am sure there are examples of the opposite order of installing them.

Vote with your dollar every chance you get.

 

[Jstpssng]

I'm just curious how often people check their CC balances. For a long time I was logging in every night, now I only check the one card which I use for all of my truck expenses. Last summer I went down to visit my mother and used the card twice for gas, the rest of the time it was in the glove compartment. I got home late that night so didn't notice the $90.00 charge at Macy's online. I did the next day though.

I got the charge reversed, but it still cost somebody money. If I had been paying attention the night before I may have been able to get the gift card shut off. I think that it bothered me more than anybody else involved, I would have loved to thwart the buzzards.

 

[3Ts]

As more and more gets automated, this will become a bigger issue. As the question continues to become "Why do we need poor people?"
This is dangerous.

What is the difference between this and "Welfare" and "Homeless" people? Seems to me it is only increasing the pool of people who don't/can't/won't work for their living. When do we run out of money for them?

 

[ultrarunner]

My professor said it succinctly… whatever is subsidized will increase...