Got a really odd missive from Wells Fargo the other day. One page form letter, announcing the transition from Wachovia to Wells Fargo locally effective within the next two months or so. Said they would send more information soon about changes to my accounts as part of the switch over. Fair enough.
In the same envelop though was a business reply mail card asking my preference about charities — seem that they are giving $60,000 total to five charities, and local Wachovia customers get to vote to see how much each group gets (first place: $25,000; second, $15,000; third: $10,000; fourth and fifth: $5,000 each). The card said that this was “to celebrate our new beginning under the Wells Fargo name.” If they need to give money so overtly to charity to “celebrate” the merger and to build customer goodwill, that’s just sad. It also makes me wonder — and yes, fear, — exact what the other letters, with the new terms and conditions for my accounts — will say. If you have to invoke charitable giving to redeem your name, it can’t me good, right?
