My Western Union Nightmare

It happened when I stated earning money from Google Adsense. Adsense gave an option to its publishers to get their earnings via Western Union. In the past, the only option was by check which is sent through DHL (which was quite expensive) or the post office (which gets your check lost or steals it). The news that the Western Union option is already available to get your earnings sent a wave of cheer to all Adsense publishers. I too was thrilled at the news.

However, I was disappointed with the people at the Western Union branches. They are very stiff and not at all customer oriented. I claimed my initial payment from Adsense from an RCPI in Zamboanga city. When I was there, I was able to use my student ID to claim my payment however when I got here, I was informed that there had been a change in their policies. I apparently had to show 2 Ids to claim payment and what’s worse was that I do not have any of the IDs that they were accepting. I had no TIN ID, no SSS ID, nada.

I was reduced to beg for my payment.

Though I got my payment, I did not like the fact that I had to do something so degrading just to get my payment. I do understand the fact that they are strict and all that. I mean it is after all for their customer’s security, however, there are times when you should think like the owner and take the initiative to do something about your customer’s dilemma.

That’s something that is really inherent in most Filipinos. We usually just tend to follow the rules and never think like an owner. I guess I also understand why the people there were afraid to bend rules in the name of customer satisfaction.

Anyway, the third time that I claimed my payment; I was again subject to the same torture. This time, the agent did not give in, and I had to go to another branch just to claim my payment.
RCPI's (or Western Union) policy is that if you are new to a branch, you are required to show two valid photo Ids. However, I really do not see the point of this policy because once you were able to claim payment at a specific Western Union or RCPI branch then you should already have a record on all branches or one branch can just phone another branch to confirm the customer’s identity.

That was what I told the other branch which I went to and the agent there agreed with what I said. The branch which I am referring to is the one in Araneta Center (in Ali Mall). I loved the agent there and had a very good experience with her. The branch in Quezon ave though (near the MRT station) had very very bad agents.