How to escalate using a QWR, and do it diplomatically

Question: “Okay”, Tina wrote, “I heard you say that you recommend asking five times when you think you are getting wrong information.  Well, then what?  I still am being told that our application does not qualify for the Obama program and I think that it does.”  Answer: Tina, I got to tell you that is not all that strange for you to have asked five times and still be told wrong information as bizarre as that sounds.  And for those of you who don’t know what she’s talking about, here’s the deal.

In the book you see where I recommend a process for when you get wrong information.  They’re telling you something that’s not right.  When that happens rather than challenge them or immediately ask for a supervisor, I always recommend that you call back even if you call back, you know, a half hour later because the call centers are big, you’re never going to get the same person and just get them – get another person to explain it to you.  And I recommend you do that five times before you escalate it.  Call the next day or something like that because if you think you’re right and, you know, one person just can’t figure it out, then just call back and get another person.

But then if you finally just think that, you know, this – I’m getting nowhere, then go ahead and escalate it.  Ask them to have supervisor call you or ask them to have a supervisor get on the line.  I sometimes don’t like asking a supervisor to get on the line because I personally believe that, in fact, they just play that role with each other and they say, “Hi, this is the supervisor.  What can I tell you?”  You know what I mean?  They just hand it to the next agent.

So, “I’d like to have a supervisor call me back, please.”  And then when they call me back, sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t but I keep asking until they do.  Then you just call – you just verify with them.  “Now, you’re a shift supervisor, right?  And your name is …” And get all their information.  They usually have an ID number that they’ll give you.

But honestly, I got to tell you it has happened to me where we have even gotten a supervisor on the phone and then they’ll look at it and they’ll say, you know, and this one case I’m thinking of.  I do see that – why things are being – why you’re being told incorrect information.  We then put your information incorrectly and it’s not including your taxes and your insurance on the house and the Homeowners Association in the mortgage payment for the Making Homes Affordable program because of the way we input the data when it first showed up.

So, it’s really bizarre but that can happen and when you’re right, you’re right, you just have to keep after it and you have to keep demanding it.  And, honestly, the next step after escalating like that is a qualified written request.  In fact, I recommend you shoot one off right away because that takes up to 20 days to get a response.  But shoot off a qualified written request.  That is just a fax letter that says to them, “I understand under section 6 of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act that I have a right called a Qualified Written Request.  I’m hereby exercising that right.  Please respond accordingly.  Answer this question for me.”  Then ask the question and say thank you.  So, that’s what you should do right away.