A credit to their kind

I've previously blogged about my experiences getting credit:

- in 2004, CIBC told me to bugger off
- in 2005, RBC told me to bugger off...and then opened a credit card but didn't mail the card
- in 2011, we contemplated a credit card from BMO and then settled on a card from TD

Our main reason for going with TD was their amazing customer service vs BMO's apathetic customer service. BMO is running an Air Miles promotion right now that's worth something like 4-9% in air travel per dollar spent, depending on destination and whether the flight is one-way or round-trip.

"That's awesome!" we said. And we trundled off to BMO.com to apply.

I fill in my name and address and click Next.

"Address invalid." it chirps at me.

Hmm. 151 Caroline St., #406 looks like a valid address to me. Maybe it doesn't like the comma? I try again.

"Address invalid." it chirps again.

Maybe the # sign? That's a pretty common way of representing a suite, I thought? I try again and am presented with the financial details screen.

"Credit Card Monthly Amount?" it queries.

Well, hmm. Do they want the balance? The minimum payment? 2% of the maximum payment? What do I put here?

Aha: "Need help? Call 1-800-263-2263."

I call and am connected to the mononymous Maria who, as if to compensate for her own lack of a surname, demands all of my names. I explain that I'm filling out this credit card application on BMO.com and would like to---

"Hang on, let me see if the personal lending department is still here. They'll know the answer to that question."

And I am left to enjoy the sudden silence of being on hold.

"They're still here. Can I have your first and last name again?"

Ah, that benchmark BMO customer service. Still, we Dellows are easy-going fellows, so I provide my monikers again and am connected to Beau, a particularly obsequious gentleman who explains that I need only put 2% of the current balance on the card in the field.

Excellent! Thank you for your time!

"You're welcome, and we'd like to thank you again for your business, Mr. Dulles."

Mhrm. Ok. Back to the form!

I press next and am presented with the penultimate step--review details before pressing submit!

I commence my review.

"Type Of Address: No."

Huh. My address is no? My address is number? I cast my mind back to the address screen, some several minutes past. Ah... My address is not a PO box.

The rest looks good. I press submit, mindful of their first-screen promise: "Within 60 seconds of your submission you will know the status of your application!"

I wait the obligatory 60 seconds and learn the status of my application:

RECEIVED.

Chapeau, BMO, chapeau.