Expect the Unexpected

My bank recently merged with another (surprise!) and the two companies needed to consolidate computer systems over a weekend. I received a notice a couple weeks ahead of the conversion letting me know what would happen, and that on Monday morning I would be able to log in to the consolidated system and do everything I could do before.

Having been in IT for 31+ years and having done numerous big conversions like that, I knew the weekend was huge for the systems people. I also had confidence that if the bank said I would be able to perform transactions on Monday then it would be so.

The most polite way I can tell you what happened from this customer's perspective is the conversion failed. I could not log in using my ID and the password I was told I could use. When I called the help line, the number was not connected. When I finally got to speak to a person on Monday afternoon, she was very courteous and let me know that she did not see my account anywhere in the new improved system. I could either start over and re-create my account (meaning they punted on the conversion) or wait for someone else to look for my account and call me back. You could call this justice for the issues I have been responsible for in past conversions, but I have never been involved in anything that went so far astray.

Fortunately, I have checks and stamps and can pay my bills and mail them the old-fashioned way.

I can only imagine the de-briefing going on right now in the bank's IT department.

Expect the unexpected, and always have a backup plan.