I see my last side hustle update here was several months ago. And this isn’t exactly an update. The side hustle is going along pretty much as before. Instead:
In pursuit of my side hustle I am engaging constantly and incessantly with financial institutions. Such contacts are never ending as CDs are opened, run to maturity, and then are closed. As such, I can report:
The financial institutions are noticeably feeling the impact of COVID. One I contacted yesterday played an on-hold message saying they had twenty-five openings in their call center. OUCH!!
And I’m feeling the COVID impact in other ways as well. Service across the board is off. Items I submit for processing are not timely acted upon whereas, in the past, there was never any trouble. I’m in process of adjusting by allowing more time than in the past. Also, completed credit card transactions do not always result in a CD added to my accounts lists, owing to processing follow-up servicing shortfalls at the financial institutions. I have to do the follow-up personally and oftentimes must contact the financial institutions to prompt action which was routine prior and required no input from me.
So bottom line I am experiencing outcomes of financial institution short staffing right across the board. This causes my side hustle to run less smoothly than in the past. However, experience helps me anticipate the problem areas, matters continue to roll along despite everything, and money continues to be made.