2 posts tagged “company”
I just called the local electric company to pay my bill over the phone. I chose their "convenient automated customer support system". When my call was answered, a man rambled on about how this was their convenient automated payment system. He informed me there would be a $2.95 charge. I was warned that by selecting option 1, I would be agreeing to their terms of service, as well as Western Union's terms of service, which could be viewed on line at www.blahblahblah. After a few minutes more of him rambling on, I was given options to choose from. I chose to pay my bill, option 1.
The Western Union service picked up my call. They informed me that by agreeing to use their service, I was electing them to charge $2.95 to my account and agreeing to their terms of service. They told me I could pay with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, ATM, debit or credit card, checking account, etc. They then began to tell me about their terms of service............................ and I hung up.
I then called the main electric company number, hit 0 for operator, and spoke with a real live person, who promptly scolded me for not using the "convenient automated payment system." But she processed my payment in less than a minute and I was off the phone.
Look, if you think sending your calls out to a call center will save you money, more power to you. But please try to make it as painless as possible for your customers. Just because you have an automated system, it doesn't mean your customers want to be held hostage having to listen to one of your representatives ramble on and on. Just give us the choice, 1 for this, 2 for that, 3 for the other. That's all we want. Get on with it already.
When I call my doctor's office, I really don't need to be told that "if this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 9-1-1." I have not had any brain trauma lately, and I am not under 3 years of age. Is that to protect you from lawsuits if a patient can't quickly get through to your office or what?
My time is as valuable as yours, maybe more valuable. Because I am smarter than you are. I know that customers do not want to be forced to spend sometimes hours on the phone (local internet company). I know that those of us who are hard of hearing find it a great inconvenience to not get a real human being on the phone. I know that some senior citizens find it frustrating and confusing dealing with "convenient automated systems".
One more thing: I hate calling you.
Good news is that I got the house up to 60F so far. Sure takes the chill off. But, as many of you who live in cold climates know, that's very cold when it's -6F outside. Too bad the kids aren't little anymore. I could teach them a new game... Go Push the Button (see previous post about furnace reset button).
This post is about more than being cold and my furnace not working. I thought I'd take this time while it's too cold in here to do anything else and let everyone in blog land know what it's like going on welfare after living a comfortable middle-class life.
Take today, for instance, and my furnace malfunctioning. A few years ago, if my furnace stopped working, no problem. I had the presidential plan through my local oil dealer. For $175 a year, they clean your furnace and cover all repairs. Sounds good, huh? Yes, it was while it lasted.
But then I became disabled and had to declare bankruptcy. Oh dear, oil companies don't look too kindly on low-income people who went through bankruptcy. No more presidential plan. No more furnace cleanings. No more 24-hour service. Because those things are reserved for people who have been approved for automatic delivery, which actually means "no credit, no service." Only cash up front, thankyouverymuch. Which is a bit funny considering an emergency repair call costs close to $250 just for them to come to your house, not including the repairs. I'd like to meet one person on welfare who actually has $250 in the bank.
On one hand, I can understand where businesses are coming from as far as not offering credit to people with bad credit or low income. BUT... what I can't understand is why they don't take it on a case-by-case basis, especially when it comes to something as important as home heating. In fact, I was a credit customer of this heating company for years before my financial problems. I'm not a deadbeat, and I never have been one. Maybe you're getting me confused with my ex-husband. (Oh, wait a minute, that's a story for another time). The only reason I would need credit would be so that I could wait until my check came in to pay the bill. When it's below zero, you can't wait a week for heat.
