I pay my bills online...it works best for me.
As some of you know, I moved into a new house recently...therefore, I had to change electric companies and open an account with the gas company.
No hassles, no issues with the bill transfers...until I reached into the mailbox yesterday.
I found a notice from the gas company that my payment had defaulted...twice. The total amount owed is $1.60...yes ONE dollar and SIXTY cents.
Immediately, I knew what happened...I logged into my account and check out my checking information. Sure enough...left out a zero. I correct the error and go to pay the bill, but the screen says I no longer have this option due to bounced checks. Hmmm...ok.
No big deal I think...I call the company and speak with Tenisha. I explain to Tenisha exactly what has happened. I laugh at my own stupidity in this situation and tell her I've corrected the information. She then tells me that I am having an $85 security deposit added to my account and I will have to pay cash for one year. "Excuse me?" I ask. She repeats her little speech while I slowly feel the burn starting to build inside of me.
I ask her if there is anything that can be done to avoid this...I mean afterall, its a dollar-freaking-sixty. My credit is spotless. Its a new account, its my first dang bill, ITS A FREAKING DOLLAR SIXTY.
She says no, I will have to pay cash for one year. I tell Tenisha that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard and request to speak with her supervisor.
I am transferred to Sharley...
I tell Sharley the deal...tell her to look at my credit...tell her it was a simple mistake.
She repeats that I will have to pay cash for a year.
Now, I am boiling...
I ask Sharley why nobody noticed that if I was paying online and the payment was denied the first time, why I was not notified. Why did nobody realize that it is probably a typographic mistake? Why wouldn't I receive a call to inquire about this? An email? Any notification? I remind her this is a DOLLAR A FREAKING SIXTY CENTS.
Sharley has no answers for me and the natural condescending smartass in me begins to come to the surface.
I grill Sharley with an array of questions, scenarios, philosophies of life and economics...
She finally has enough and loses her cool which gives me immeasurable pleasure.
Sharley yells at me to take it up with the local office and spells her name out for me in such a slow, condescending manner that I laughed out loud at every letter. I could tell she felt as if she was really laying it to me...and she was enjoying it. Afterall, she is in the big metro and my acquired southern accent surely has a twinge of country to it. She had to enjoy thinking how she was really blasting this perceived dumb redneck
Then, I named the company's local district manager who is the head trustee of my school board and the father of a fellow I coach with...I could almost read Sharley's lips through the phone as they said, "Oh shit."
She immediately apologized and said she would look into the matter. I told her not to bother, that I was looking forward to my trip to the local office on tuesday.
I did promise her though, that if I am forced to pay cash every month, I would give her the pleasure of personally counting out my payment in pennies each month.
She stammered...I smiled. I bid her a good day and hung up.
Damn I feel better.
As some of you know, I moved into a new house recently...therefore, I had to change electric companies and open an account with the gas company.
No hassles, no issues with the bill transfers...until I reached into the mailbox yesterday.
I found a notice from the gas company that my payment had defaulted...twice. The total amount owed is $1.60...yes ONE dollar and SIXTY cents.
Immediately, I knew what happened...I logged into my account and check out my checking information. Sure enough...left out a zero. I correct the error and go to pay the bill, but the screen says I no longer have this option due to bounced checks. Hmmm...ok.
No big deal I think...I call the company and speak with Tenisha. I explain to Tenisha exactly what has happened. I laugh at my own stupidity in this situation and tell her I've corrected the information. She then tells me that I am having an $85 security deposit added to my account and I will have to pay cash for one year. "Excuse me?" I ask. She repeats her little speech while I slowly feel the burn starting to build inside of me.
I ask her if there is anything that can be done to avoid this...I mean afterall, its a dollar-freaking-sixty. My credit is spotless. Its a new account, its my first dang bill, ITS A FREAKING DOLLAR SIXTY.
She says no, I will have to pay cash for one year. I tell Tenisha that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard and request to speak with her supervisor.
I am transferred to Sharley...
I tell Sharley the deal...tell her to look at my credit...tell her it was a simple mistake.
She repeats that I will have to pay cash for a year.
Now, I am boiling...
I ask Sharley why nobody noticed that if I was paying online and the payment was denied the first time, why I was not notified. Why did nobody realize that it is probably a typographic mistake? Why wouldn't I receive a call to inquire about this? An email? Any notification? I remind her this is a DOLLAR A FREAKING SIXTY CENTS.
Sharley has no answers for me and the natural condescending smartass in me begins to come to the surface.
I grill Sharley with an array of questions, scenarios, philosophies of life and economics...
She finally has enough and loses her cool which gives me immeasurable pleasure.
Sharley yells at me to take it up with the local office and spells her name out for me in such a slow, condescending manner that I laughed out loud at every letter. I could tell she felt as if she was really laying it to me...and she was enjoying it. Afterall, she is in the big metro and my acquired southern accent surely has a twinge of country to it. She had to enjoy thinking how she was really blasting this perceived dumb redneck
Then, I named the company's local district manager who is the head trustee of my school board and the father of a fellow I coach with...I could almost read Sharley's lips through the phone as they said, "Oh shit."
She immediately apologized and said she would look into the matter. I told her not to bother, that I was looking forward to my trip to the local office on tuesday.
I did promise her though, that if I am forced to pay cash every month, I would give her the pleasure of personally counting out my payment in pennies each month.
She stammered...I smiled. I bid her a good day and hung up.
Damn I feel better.
