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A US Bank employee in Portland was fired for doing a random act of kindness for a stranger on Christmas Eve, and people all over the US are appalled that helping someone is considered an “unauthorized interaction.”
Emily James, a Portland call center employee, happened to be speaking to a customer from a suburb of the same city who was experiencing a problem with the bank not allowing him access to his paycheck. The customer contacted her again after trying to go to his regional branch, where the only manager who could lift the restriction had already gone home for the holidays, and ending up stranded with no money to even put gas in his car.
Moved by the opportunity to help somebody who was so nearby, and on Christmas Eve, at that, James met up with the customer and gave him $20 out of her pocket. She thought what she had done was her business and would have no bearing on her job, but word got back to a regional manager and she was sent home days later.
Local news reports say that a US Bank employee was fired for helping a customer
Image credits: Oregonian
Image credits: Oregonian
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Image credits: Oregonian
Image credits: Oregonian
Image credits: Oregonian
Image credits: Oregonian
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Image credits: Oregonian
Image credits: Oregonian
Image credits: Oregonian
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Lili North
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Karen Johnston Karen Johnston Community Member Follow
I'm going to print out copies of this article an post them on the doors of the local US Bank offices. I know, they'll probably be pulled down immediately, but if just one customer sees this, and closes their account, it will have been worth it.
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deanna woods deanna woods Community Member Follow
I think that is an awesome idea, Karen. This bank deserves to lose some customers.
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Atlas Atlas Community Member Follow
This is disgusting. I hope a better Company saw this article and employed her with a way better paycheck. Kudos to this woman for treating a customer like an actual human being instead of just another number.
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hobbitly Community Member Follow
I dont understand, she got permission from her supervisor, so why is she fired? Isnt that what asking permission is about, that you cover your a*s so you dont get fired over these kind of things?
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Pseudo Puppy Pseudo Puppy Community Member Follow
From experience in similar corporate work, I believe the problem is the personal interaction outside of the call centre. While her intentions were 100% good, the rules are in place to ensure that a client's details remain private & are not used by staff for personal reasons. It's about ensuring the client's confidentiality / privacy.
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Karen Johnston Karen Johnston Community Member Follow
I'm going to print out copies of this article an post them on the doors of the local US Bank offices. I know, they'll probably be pulled down immediately, but if just one customer sees this, and closes their account, it will have been worth it.
Vote comment up
45points
Vote comment down
reply
deanna woods deanna woods Community Member Follow
I think that is an awesome idea, Karen. This bank deserves to lose some customers.
Vote comment up
16points
Vote comment down
reply
Load More Replies...
Atlas Atlas Community Member Follow
This is disgusting. I hope a better Company saw this article and employed her with a way better paycheck. Kudos to this woman for treating a customer like an actual human being instead of just another number.
Vote comment up
27points
Vote comment down
reply
hobbitly hobbitly Community Member Follow
I dont understand, she got permission from her supervisor, so why is she fired? Isnt that what asking permission is about, that you cover your a*s so you dont get fired over these kind of things?
Vote comment up
19points
Vote comment down
reply
Pseudo Puppy Pseudo Puppy Community Member Follow
From experience in similar corporate work, I believe the problem is the personal interaction outside of the call centre. While her intentions were 100% good, the rules are in place to ensure that a client's details remain private & are not used by staff for personal reasons. It's about ensuring the client's confidentiality / privacy.
Vote comment up
2points
Vote comment down
reply
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