I HATE Power companies. Of all the companies out there I deal with, when it comes to deafness and customer service, power companies are the WORST.
My level of frustration is so high now, that I'm ready to take them to task publicly.
It all started like this...
Empower (yep I'm naming them), is the company that sends me my bills on a monthly basis. In the last bill they sent me a pamphlet 'Would you benefit from the Empower Low User Plan?' The pamphlet listed a few Q & A and gave an 0800 number to ring. I worked out that I would benefit, and so rang the 0800 number.
Now - I'm doing well with my implant, and can hear on the phone pretty well. I got the usual recorded voice messaging system and my heart sunk. But wait - I could follow the instructions.
"Press 1 if you wish to change to the low user plan"
Okay - 1
"Now key in your account number found at the top right hand corner of your last electricity bill followed by the # key"
Okay - I keyed in the ten digit number nad hit the # key.
"This is an invalid number, please key in your account number followed by the hash key"
Okay - I must have got it wrong. So I did it again, checked it all, hit the # key.
"This is not a valid account number, please key in your account number followed by the hash key"
Okaaaaay - I must have got it wrong again - so I did it again - checked it, and hit the # key.
"this is not a valid account number, please key in your account number followed by the # key"
WTF???? I looked all over my invoice - that was the only account number listed at the top right hand corner. There are no other account numbers. I did it again.
"This is not a valid account number, please key in your account number followed by the # key".
I hung up. Started again. Same result. My blood pressure was beginning to rise.
Found another 0800 number for Accounts enquiries. Rung that.
Listened to all the options - found general accounts enquiries, press 3.
3
"please key in your account number found at the top of your last electricity bill"
I typed it in. Oh my - it got through that time.
"now type in the four digit number (mumble mumble mumble"
Looked all over my bill - no four digit numbers. I obviously took too long...
"now type in the four digit number (mumble mumble mumble on your last electricity bill"
Okay - a four digit number on my bill - nowhere to be found. Nothing. Nada.
"now type in."
Okay okay - shuddup. There's no four digit number on my bill. I hung up again.
Ahhhh - I can ring it again and see if I can find the message to a real person. Rang the accounts equiries number again.
"If you would like to speak to a real person press whyine"
Hmm is that a one or a nine? I pressed 1.
"if you would like to speak to a personal assistant press whyine"
Ok - 1 didn't work - I'll try 9.
"if you would like to speak to a personal assistant press whyine"
By this time i was looking all over the phone handset for clues what 'whyine' could be.
"if you...
Shaddup - I hung up.
I've just flung off a really rude angry email to them, from their website about the appalling system they have where one cannot get hold of a real customer service person, that they have no customer service, and that I'm now considering changing to a company where I can actually TALK to a real person.
Meantime - I'm still being charged on the high user plan, so I'm paying more than I should.
I'm sooooooooooooooo wild, angry, I think I will go and SCREAM with frustration!
Cheers
Robyn
Do you have a public utility commission to complain to?
ReplyDeleteDavid
:)
ReplyDeleteI have the same frustration with phone bots! I hate it so much. Most (not all), but most, if you press zero, will take you to a live person!
Next time try that.
If I were you, just walk in their customer service office. Confront in person about your situation with phone bots. I think phone bots is absolute ridiculous and unprofessional service like "HASSLE/ BADGER" with customers.
ReplyDeleteI had to call one of the governments service and gone through phone bots over hour until they hung up. My pet peeve was "Holding to music" craps.
Have you tried using IP Relay? Yes, I know it's longer, but the operators sometimes know the secret codes to get through the system.
ReplyDeleteI have had the same problem with my power company. They have a totally illogical phone system and NO number to press for a real person!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have emailed them twice with suggestions how to reprogramme the thing so it makes sense and both times they agree that they should do it..... but they never do!!!! Clearly the either employ drongos as programmers or they want to piss people off.... oh no wait... maybe it's both! Grrrrrr
ReplyDeleteAlso on top of that they don't really have customer service. They just behave like they think customers are a right not something you have to earn.