How to Talk Your Way Out of Fees

It's happens to most of us at one time or another. We bounce a check, and before we know it we are minus another $35 in our account for a overdraft fee. Or maybe you sent out your credit card payment two days late, and boom your next statement read, $29 overdue fee. What about this one? You cancel a doctor appointment given less the twenty four hours notice, and BAM! a $30 cancellation fee. As if we don't all have enough reasons as to why we bounced that check, mailed that payment out late, or couldn't make that doctors appointment, now we have to add in paying outrageous fees for our oversights and hardships.

Is there a way that we can redeem ourselves from the "fee frenzy" out there? I mean really, it seems like everything we do wrong leads to a fee, even a ticket is a combination of fees, just read it the next time you get one. You'll notice your $167.00 ticket was really only a $40 violation charge, then you have to pay all these other local municipal fees attached to it. Although I can't really get you out of any tickets, sorry that ones all on you. I can promise you removal of at least one fee you may be facing today.

Gather Your Story

I did not say lie. There is a reason you have accrued this fee, figure out what happened and the best way to present your case. For example, if you bounced the check because you forgot about that $3.89 that came out for coffee 2 days prior, you may want to forgo those details and explain that you miscalculated your budget by just a few dollars.

Be on Their Side, To Get Them On Your

Nothing aggravates customer service representatives when they always here "you, you, you" Karen Smith, on the end of that line is not the owner of the bank, she does not write the rules and fee schedule, and she didn't take the funds out of your account. However Karen Smith may be the one who wants to help you, after all her goal is customer satisfaction, and she doesn't get a "cut" of the fee if it's not removed.

When you feel tempted to say "you" replace that with ABC Bank (what ever the company you are dealing with). If you do say you, excuse yourself by adding, I know its not you, it's ABC Bank.

Plead guilty at first. I understand I miscalculated my account by just a few dollars, and I understand that by policy, even a penny could cause an overdraft fee....

Then, Promote Your Case

State what you have going for you, Is this your first offense? Have you been a customer for a long time? Did you try to deposit the correct funds as soon as you saw your miscalculation?

So taking from the last sentence in the previous topic... "I understand I miscalculated my account by just a few dollars, and I know that even a penny could cause an overdraft fee. However I am in a financial bind right now and this fee is making it difficult to overcome. I have been a loyal customer for 5 years, and have only bounced one other time, several years ago. Is it possible for (this is when it's okay to say "you") you to see if I can get this fee waived."

This usually works, however is you have no luck with this, then try asking for a supervisor. Do not be nasty with them, thank them for their time and ask if you can pursue this conversation with a supervisor.

If you still have no luck, call again, and speak to another customers service representative to try to clear your fees.

I Am A Fee Magnet

If you are a repeat offender, this process may be harder. The focus here should be repentance and a sincere path of change. It will not do you much good to get this months fee waived, just so you can get another one next month. Before you attempt to plead your case, sit down and focus on your budget. Find ways to track expenses, schedules and life in general. Pretty much, create an organized plan so that even if your fees do not get waived, you still will have a clear conscience for the upcoming months.

The best way to renegotiate your fees may be in writing to the company after the conversation on the phone, if things do not go as planned. Hopefully however, you can explain why you have accrued these charges, and what is going on. If you recently lost a job, or had an injury, or are going through a divorce, your situation is understandable. Not acceptable, but those with compassion will want to help you. You just have to want to help your self first. Explain your difficult situation followed by examples of the changes you have made to discontinue your fee cycle.

Example: If you just lost your job, explain you lost your job, however you have several interviews set up in the coming week and you are confident you will be working by the following week. Tell them that it would be greatly appreciated if they could reduce or waive the fees you have accrued due to your situation. Hopefully this moves you in the right direction.

As a special note, credit card companies now offer a hardship program, usually only available to those with medical conditions that have left them out of work. If you feel you may be eligible, please call your credit card companies, they may take your interest rate to 0% and discuss attainable monthly payments. This process also allows fees to be waived. It is definitely something to consider trying, if the situation you are in fits into the credit card companies hardship program policies.

Where Did That Come From?

Possibly the most annoying fees are the ones you didn't even know you had coming. Like the bill in the mail for missing a doctors appointment, or the fee posted to your account for being late, even though you had a payment arrangement. Make sure you present your case as a learning experience. Screaming at the representative that they have no right to impose these fees will not make them go away. Use phrases such as "I don't understand" "I never knew" and "no one explained that". Followed by gratitude for them "teaching" you these rules, and asking if you can get them waived while assuring them this won't happen again.

An example conversation may go like this:

"I saw a charge on my bill for $18.00 but I do not know where this came from, can you please explain this to me" "Wow, I never knew that, I was never made aware of that until today, thank you for taking the time to explain that to me, look since I clearly had no idea I would be facing this fee, is there a way I can get it removed as a courtesy, just this once, and I will make sure I don't do that again."

Hopefully these tips help you get rid of those annoying fees. Remember it never hurts to ask, the worst they can say is "no" and thats where you are now, so don't be shy, don't let your pride keep you from asking!