"Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson" <ken_nicolson@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6afefaef.0308191637.23d760e1@posting.google.com...
> Just before the hols I went to my local SMBC to send some money back
> to my UK bank account. It was the first time I tried at this branch,
> and judging by the guy serving me, the first time he'd tried it too.
>
> So after filling in the usual form, we got to the bank name - mine is
> First Direct, a telephone & net bank with about a million customers in
> the UK. He went off and did the usual 10 minutes of whatever they do
> when doing these transactions, then returned and muttered something
> about not being able to find the bank name. I pointed out to him on a
> statement I'd brought in with the International Bank Reference Code
> and International Bank Account Number printed on it, but for some
> reason me suggesting I knew the "kokusai ginko bangou" and "kokusai
> ginko kouza bangou" just brought on the startled rabbit "gaigin
> speaking nihongo" look to his face.
>
> The next day my wife took a call from the bank - they said they still
> couldn't find the bank name, but they sent the money anyway! However,
> if they'd made a mistake and it came back, we'd have to pay an extra
> reprocessing fee to send it again!
>
> After the BYJW reported this to me, I said there's no way I'm paying
> an extra fee for their screw-up, but she didn't seem to comprehend
> this idea of customer service.
>
> Disappointingly, in a way, the money made it through without any
> hassle, so I was deprived of my opportunity of complaining and telling
> SMBC they were the most useless Japanese bank I'd ever dealt with this
> month...
>

I'm off next Tuesday for dear Blighty - need to get Satan removed from
mr.sumo jnr. - and some new socks (from M&S not removed from Junior)...!

Found myself about 5000 miles short of round-trip business class upgrades
when booking the tickets in June - had maxed out the online miles
gifting/receiving purchases for this year - so sent 'myself in the UK' the
necessary funds via Paypal.  Lost 2.9% in transaction fees - but because
Paypal is regarded as 'shopping' by my credit card company (the source of my
airmiles) the 'quasi-purchase' pushed me over the 5000 miles I required.
Only problem was I had to buy a business class infant ticket for junior -
10% of 800,000 yen (the full Business Class fare) - I'm expecting nothing
less that mashed-up smoked salmon, as well as some surrogate nursing!

Friends are traveling via Korean Air a few days later - they too with a
6-month old, and have had to pay 50,000 yen for her infant ticket in
economy!

--
jonathan