Rakuten Bank wants to finish setting up my account by phone but my options are a random day between 9-12, or 12-5. I can’t schedule the day nor the actual time.
If this was in person my limited Japanese probably wouldn’t be that big of a deal but on the phone I’m a complete mess.
I’m supposed to respond to their email with my chosen time period, I’m thinking about asking if someone who can speak even a little English can be the one who calls me but maybe that’s asking for too much…
What do you do in this situation when you can’t have someone fluent available? If I asked them to not use keigo would they actually listen to me?
6 comments
In this email ask them to use English. The English-speaking person will call you then.
I’ve requested an English speaking person a few times for my rakuten card and they were always kind and completely fine with it, so you should just ask for that. They have fluent English speakers so it should be no issue.
As for the phone call time, yeah they will call you randomly so just keep an eye on your phone that day. You can always email them back if you’ve missed the call due to work or such.
Forget about Rakuten Bank and pick a bank that is easier to work with. Sony Bank’s application stuff is all online and they have it all in English. Dead easy.
Just try your best And use Google translate. Most companies are fairly understanding.
I’ll tell you what I did when I was in the same situation as you …
I said “fuck this bullshit runaround” and went with another bank.
I missed their phone call once, and they said they rescheduled it to some far away time like a couple of weeks after or something random. And they didn’t allow you to call back, because it’s a “scheduled call”.
So I thought, if a bank operates like that… nah, screw that, bunch of clowns.
You’re supposed to *want* my business, but it’s almost like they don’t need it?
Also, as someone else said – Rakuten credit card & Rakuten Bank seem to be separately operated or something.
Maybe you won’t need it this time any more (found English support?) but for the next time you find yourself on the phone or in person with someone using keigo, difficult English, ask them to use easy English “yasashii nihongo”. It’s become a thing after the olympics and people should understand and be able to adjust better to your needs this way.