By Paul Krueger
I’m a serial loser and misplacer.
I’ve lost my car keys and misplaced my wallet more times that I can remember. If I had a dollar for every time a server ran after me with the sunglasses, books, or credit card I’d left behind, I could buy us a wagyu steak dinner at Cowboy Star.
Still, forgetting things has its advantages. I’ve met many courteous people who’ve helped find and return my belongings. Among them a local political activist who flagged me down three blocks from my home.
I thought she wanted to talk about the upcoming election — which she did — but not before alerting me that my coffee cup was balanced precariously on the roof of my car.
After repeatedly misplacing my wallet, a friend suggested I keep just my driver’s license and a credit card in a sleeve on my iPhone.
That worked, until it didn’t, on a recent trip to the Bay Area.
Returning to San Diego, I took an Uber to the San Francisco airport. While chatting to the driver about our shared interest in electric vehicles, I silenced a call and tossed my phone on the seat.
We said our good-byes, he drove off, and two minutes later, I was frantically searching my pockets and backpack for my phone.
Luckily, I had my laptop, and used the “Find Me” feature to ring the phone, which was now headed back to the City. No answer.
OK, no problem, I assured myself: I’ll access my Uber account on my laptop, and send a message to the driver. He’ll return my phone and be rewarded with a generous tip.
I hit another hurdle: You can’t access your Uber ride history or get any information about your account without logging in.
To do that, you need more than your name, email, phone number, address, last four digits of your social security number, pet’s name, favorite food, or any of the usual security checks we’ve all committed to memory. Instead, you need the first six digits of your “credit card on file”.
It didn’t matter that my current credit card was in the sleeve of my mislaid iPhone, because Uber wanted info from a card I’d lost more than a year ago. Plus, I’d long-ago switched to PayPal for my Uber payments.
No need to panic, I assured myself. My return flight was still an hour away, and I could borrow someone’s phone and call Uber customer service.
More scrolling on the Uber website revealed a serious problem: you can’t use their “chat” function without logging in, and Uber doesn’t have a customer service phone line.
I searched their website again, and asked two tech-savvy young women for help.
Still, all roads lead back to this disclaimer on Uber’s website: “While we don’t offer a customer service number for Uber riders, you can log in to your account to get personalized support or explore the resources below to find solutions to issues related to Uber rides.”
Both those options of course required the non-existent “first six digits” from my outdated credit card.
So I abandoned my effort to retrieve my phone, and instead focused on catching my flight home. Luckily there was no line at the security checkpoint, but that just meant I didn’t wait long to hear the really bad news.
I didn’t have a boarding pass, because I’d downloaded it to my Apple wallet and didn’t print a hard copy. The TSA agent suggested I get one from the Southwest kiosk, but I couldn’t access it because I didn’t know my confirmation number. So I waited for a ticket agent, who confirmed my identity with a few questions and printed my boarding pass.
I sprinted back to the TSA checkpoint, where the agent asked me for any alternative forms of ID: a library card (no), a prescription medicine bottle with my name on it (no), a check with my name and address (no). All I had in my pocket was an extra credit card with my first and last name, which didn’t qualify as “alternative ID”.
I now had thirty minutes to board the plane. The TSA agent called her supervisor, who could verify my identity by patching me through to a TSA office that helps ID-less passengers. Then more bad news.
It would take about 15 minutes to confirm that I wasn’t a terrorist bent on bringing down my Southwest flight to San Diego. But that process could take longer, and if I missed my flight, I couldn’t repeat an ID verification for another 24 hours. Which meant I’d have to take a train or bus to San Diego, or delay my flight to the following afternoon.
The helpful TSA agent offered an alternative: rebook my flight for later that night and return to the checkpoint with plenty of time to verify my identity. The cost would be minimal to take a later flight on Southwest, and I could rebook with my credit card on file, using my laptop.
But of course it couldn’t be that easy. My six pm flight was the last of the day on Southwest from SFO to SAN.
Best I could find on Expedia was a 7:45 pm United flight for $304. I booked it, texted and emailed my wife on my laptop to explain the delay, and ran from Terminal A to the United counter at Terminal C, on the opposite end of the sprawling airport.
Finally, the chips fell in my favor. A very helpful TSA supervisor confirmed my identity and ushered me through the check-point, where he thoroughly inspected my backpack. I had dinner (and a drink) and boarded my flight.
Once home, I accessed my Uber account by changing the phone number on my account to my wife’s, and using her cell phone to confirm the change. Then I changed it back to my number.
It took two days (and a $50 fee and $20 tip) for the driver to return my phone to my mother’s apartment, so she could mail it to me in San Diego. Meanwhile, Southwest informed me I had lost my $125 flight credit because amidst all that turmoil, I forgot to cancel my 6 pm flight.
So I was out $500, and lived a very frustrating week without my phone, all because Uber scrimps on basic customer service. Lyft’s “customer service” is equally opaque and unhelpful. Same for every airline I’ve flown.
Uber made a cool $1.1 billion profit last year, so maybe they can spend the tiniest percent of that cash on a customer service phone line. I’ll let you know if they take my advice, because I’m sure I’ll be one of the first to ask for help with a lost iPhone.
Editordude: The U-T published a shorter version of Paul’s tale with a different ending.
Yeeees! Check for your belongings before you leave your uber car . Thats is always !i warn people all the time before they leave mu uber car and even tho they daid “yes, we have everything”, they still sometimes forget stuff .
Thx for reminding your passengers not to leave their belongings behind! My driver didn’t, but it’s certainly not a job requirement!
Moral of the story, leave the Uber drivers alone tend to your own affairs.
My driver was a real talker! I mostly just listened and shared my thoughts about our common interest in EVs.
The customer service works against you n e way I drive for Uber and I can’t even get help on the driver’s side of customer service
How about accepting responsibility for “your” actions. It seems to be a trend with you, worth examining. Lastly, Uber has nearly $33 Billion in cumulative losses, so by extension you’re way ahead of them.
I tried to make it abundantly — if lightheartedly— clear from the first sentence on that my forgetfulness and ADHD have always been the cause of my losses.
Our tech-centered life just multiplies the “loser effect,” especially for those of us over 50.
But I’ve not talked with anyone who says it’s ok for Uber and other companies to abandon the most basic customer service, no matter what their bottom line looks like.
Also, the shorter version of my story, which ran in the UT, has a different ending that absolves Uber of any responsibility for my lapses.
None of my riders have ever had this unfortunate experience because I check the back seat after dropping them off. It’s called “customer service.” This simple extra step takes only moments but has saved many riders a lot of frustration and inconvenience.
I am in the top 10% of earners in my region according to Uber. I average $40/hr due to earning tips that are often more than 50% of the base fare. This is because i provide a superior service to my riders. I drive cautiously and prudently, I am friendly and courteous, and my vehicle is always spotless.
I have zero empathy for drivers who whine about not being able to make good money. The potential is there for drivers who understand how to EARN it.
I am sorry for your frustrating experience. I have made repeated suggestions to Uber to consider creating a basic online training course for new drivers to introduce them to the finer points of customer service with the goal of providing a competitively superior experience to riders – and ultimately to ensure they don’t drive away with your property.
I’m impressed! No wonder you’re doing so well as a driver. Thx for sharing, and setting such a good example for ride share drivers and their passengers.
Wow Michael so what.
Hmmm, you lost $500 but the driver only got $8 or $10 for your trip. My question is who really lost?
I was scammed also who do I contact
Do you know how many times ive gotta tell riders “ make sure you got your keys , wallet and phones” and i still get a call the next day hey I forgot my phone. Like honestly do better than blaming the driver
No blaming the driver at all. Tried to make it crystal clear that the fault lies with one person (me, for my forgetfulness), and Uber, Lyft and other companies that skimp on the most basic customer service by refusing to offer a basic call center to help the thousands of passengers who leave a phone, package, backpack, etc in their ride share
I remind every passenger on Uber or Lyft Rides to Check for the wallet foam and keys before they leave the car. It’s amazing how much stuff is still left in the backseat of my car
I have an account with Go Go Grandparent…it costs 245.00 per year to be a member..okay so you do pay for your rides at a slightly reduced rate. I mention this because they always have the drivers make of car, the color the drivers name and a phone number to contact them. It’s well worth the cost of the membership. When you call yo book a ride the operators always remind us to check for.your personal items that It’s not up to the drivers to return your things, but the company has a lost and found department. Great service. You get your ride within minute’s or so.
I gave a passenger a ride to TPA about a year ago with similar circumstances. It was early morning and I didn’t check the back seat after dropping him off. About 10 minutes my phone was ringing. The passenger was attempting to reach me thru his laptop, but I wasn’t able to hear on my end. I spotted his phone in the back seat after reached a reserved trip pick up. This trip was going to TPA as well. Fortunately I was able to call a contact from his phone and explain the situation. I was able to return his phone before his boarding process had started at the exact location I had dropped him off.
Here at west shore limo located in San Diego you would be stress free, you have the company phone number and driver phone number as well. Great service and a driver that can take care of you.
I feel your pains. I drive for Uber, rides and eats. Uber has chosen to place all of its customer service “eggs” into one basket…AI and it is so frustrating. I have been trying g for 2 days now to get AI to understand the problem is the trip just doesn’t show up on my app. $19 might not seem like much to some people but living on SSI, $19 is a huge amount. Go 100% to AI when AI is 100% capable. They need to have live agents.