Green Mountain Energy & Optel: Two customer service departments that don't
In January, and then again in February, Green Mountain Energy lost my check. In March they sent me a letter threatening to disconnect me unless I made a payment. I called their Customer “Service” department and explained the situation. I made a credit card payment for the full amount and informed them that I would stop payment on the two checks. I guess the checks must have turned up because a month later I noticed tucked away on the back of the latest bill under “other charges” that they had added a $25 returned check fee, for the checks they lost, which they had been informed that I was going to stop payment on. Once again, I called the Customer “Service” department but I was told that unfortunately they would not be able to back the charge out.
When a company tells you they appreciate your business, it’s rare for them to put a dollar amount on that appreciation. In Green Mountain Energy’s case, apparently my business was worth less than $25.
At least I got straight through when I called, unlike Optel. I used to have Optel cable “service” when I lived in an apartment complex. One time, while trying to straighten out a similar billing snafu, I waited fifteen minutes listening to a recorded message telling me how important my call was to them. Finally the voice told me to try again later without giving me an opportunity to leave a message or a call back number. When I finally did get to speak to a human being, it took three or four calls, even faxing the copies of my checks that they had deposited before I could get them to refund the $35 fee that had erroneously billed me. At the same time, Optel were soliciting my long-distance phone and high speed internet business. They didn’t get it.
I’m really mystified by this kind of behavior. In both cases, I had been a customer of the company for several years and had never missed a payment. I’ve been comped more than $35 in coffee from a Starbucks store that I’ve been using half as long as I used either of these businesses. And in both these cases, I don't feel like what I received from either of these companies could fairly be described as "service," at least not in any sense of the word that I am familar with. (Soon-to-be former) Customer Aggravation department would be a much more accurate description.
When a company tells you they appreciate your business, it’s rare for them to put a dollar amount on that appreciation. In Green Mountain Energy’s case, apparently my business was worth less than $25.
At least I got straight through when I called, unlike Optel. I used to have Optel cable “service” when I lived in an apartment complex. One time, while trying to straighten out a similar billing snafu, I waited fifteen minutes listening to a recorded message telling me how important my call was to them. Finally the voice told me to try again later without giving me an opportunity to leave a message or a call back number. When I finally did get to speak to a human being, it took three or four calls, even faxing the copies of my checks that they had deposited before I could get them to refund the $35 fee that had erroneously billed me. At the same time, Optel were soliciting my long-distance phone and high speed internet business. They didn’t get it.
I’m really mystified by this kind of behavior. In both cases, I had been a customer of the company for several years and had never missed a payment. I’ve been comped more than $35 in coffee from a Starbucks store that I’ve been using half as long as I used either of these businesses. And in both these cases, I don't feel like what I received from either of these companies could fairly be described as "service," at least not in any sense of the word that I am familar with. (Soon-to-be former) Customer Aggravation department would be a much more accurate description.
posted by Nicholas Hunter | 6:50 AM
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