mastercard

The day before I leave on a trip should be a bit crazy perhaps as I run around and get all of the things done that need to be done. On a good year the house is relatively clean, the weaving room especially is all ready for when I return, the floors are swept and the kitchen and bathroom are clean. Not this year. My back injury certainly has slowed me down ( as has the medication) but I have spent far too much energy dealing with my missing Mastercard. When my wallet was lost by the ambulance service, the first thing that I did was to call the Bank of Montreal (BMO) and report it missing. I was informed that I would get a new card within 5-7 days. It has now been 13 days since I made the call. I still do not have a new card.   There are a few problems in not having a card. One is that I pay my auto and house insurance monthly through my credit card. I have twice called the insurance company to say that there is a problem with getting my new number. Beliar have been very gracious. The second problem is that it is very difficult to travel without a credit card . One can't reserve or get a hotel, motel, or hostel room without a card nor can one rent a car. When I explained this to the nice folks at Mastercard both on Friday and today all I got was - "we said it might take ten working days - and it has not been that long - there is nothing that we can do" . While they know my new number they can't give it to me. When I mentioned that I might have to cancel my trip because I could not leave my house uninsured..... their only response was that I should wait and see if it came tomorrow (in spite of the fact that I had said that I was leaving tomorrow). Their only other solution was to cancel the card that was in the mail and courier out a new one to me...which would cost $25.00 and could not get here until Wednesday. I could not get them to explain to me how that would be a solution to anything. Finally after asking to speak to a manager who was of no help in getting me a card ( I even offered to drive down and get it) it was suggested that it was not Mastercard's responsibility as to whether or not Canada Post did its job well or not and that even if it never got here , all that they would do is to issue me a new one and then I would have to wait another ten days. It is interesting to note that the reason why I could not go and get one is that it apparently is a complicated business to make and test a new credit card....... funny I don't think criminals have a hard time doing it nor does the bank when they charge extra for it. What a crappy service. While I have arranged to pay Belair in a different fashion ( which was, to be fair, in part the manager's suggestion), the issue of getting a card remains unresolved. I suggested that they send a duplicate card out to my son in Duncan..... nope that is not allowed. I could have a new one couriered out there -at a cost of $25.00, in fact every suggestion I made was responded to by - "you are not listening - there is nothing we can do at this point because we warned you it would take up to ten days". The mention that I live two hours from Toronto was of course irrelevant. The bottom line is that it did not get mailed out in good time and no one will admit to that. It is enough to make one scream. This is the second time in six or so weeks that BMO or companies that it is partnered with have make my life difficult..... after 35+ years of being with BMO - I think it is time for a change.