Deadbeat customers get rewarded for their complaining!

[greensinestro]

Did you know the Florida Public Service Commission rewarded deadbeat individuals who don't pay their phone bill on time? In the last couple of years, the PSC ordered Bellsouth to repay millions of dollars in charges billed to customers who did not pay their bill on time.

For a little while, Bellsouth had what was called interest bill for whatever the past due amount on the bill was, plus a one point five percent late charge added to the balanced owed. I worked in customer service and dealt with these people on an every day basis, listening to them gripe about why Bellsouth charged fees like this. You would explain to these people that it was mainly a deterrant to get you to pay your bill on time, but to no avail.

A few years back, the PSC ordered Bellsouth to repay all of the money they had collected in the interest charges billed. Why? Because these deadbeat low lifes actually filed complaints with the PSC, stating it was unfair for Bellsouth to do this when they paid their bills late. In addition, many of these people added in there that Bellsouth should also be ordered to repay fees charged, fees like the $23 restoral fee after a customer pays what is needed to turn their phone back on, and the $20 charge billed for those who write worthless checks!

In the end, Bellsouth won with the latter issues. And, as the president of Bellsouth stated in the news article on this, these are the type of customers who complain about fees like this. The customers who pay their bills on time every month don't have a problem with this policy at all.

[Strange Magic]

Well...I'm one who's against bussinesses being able to charge those kinds of fees from customers because there is no level playing field. You can't hand them a bill when they are late and/or doing something wrong. A reasonable time limit is in order for a grace period

[DesignFox]

I agree that perhaps there should be a grace period to give people a chance to turn in their bill. But I'm sorry, if your bills are repeatedly late, forget you! Pay your bills on time or pay the consequences.

I have learned through paying college bills and insurance that oftentimes there are additional fees included in your bills that cover for all the deadbeats out there. Why do I have to pay more because some goddamn moron refuses to pay THEIR bills? Sorry- the deadbeats should have to pay the interest- besides I think 1.5% is pretty fair all things considered.

[ditchdj]

Wanna know what's really screwed up about it all??? If you get broadband phone sevice like Vonage you can cut your phone bill in half. Feels good only paying $19 dollars a month instead of 30-40 dollars.

[1756GR2]

I have a hard time being sympathetic to repeat late payers. You get your service, we explain the due date and the late payment fees in great detail and you sign a paper acknowledging that you understand that that's what's going to happen. You know your bill will be due on such-and-such a date. You get a bill with the due date on it.

Heck, I _work_ for my cell phone company, and when I pay my bill late I know a late payment fee will be added. They don't cut employees a break, either. My fault for not paying on time. Grace period? I had one. From the time one bill was due till the time the next came due, or even cut it down to the time from my receipt of my bill till its due date.

SM, I'm not challenging you or ranting at you, really. Just saying that people know when their bill is due and that there's a late charge for late payment. Sounds like the playing field's pretty level, unless I'm misunderstanding what you meant.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Wanna know what's really screwed up about it all??? If you get broadband phone sevice like Vonage you can cut your phone bill in half. Feels good only paying $19 dollars a month instead of 30-40 dollars.

And they have funny commercials too!

Woo hoo, woo hoo hoo....

[momo]

I tell ya there is just no way to please these people. I used to work for Blockbuster a few years back during the time they were dealing with a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought because people did not like paying their late fees. These fees were perfectly reasonable (while I was there at least). The charge was the same amount as the rental fee and you kept it for another rental period. Basically you rented it again.

The worst people to complain were the ones that only owed like 4-8 bucks. I actually dealt with two different customers that had a $150 balance on their account. When I told them about it they said "Yeah that's mine, I'll take care of it." AND THEY DID (go figure).

Turns out Blockbuster lost the suit and as a result there came about the current policy of NO late fees. Did that make them happy? HHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is a website called Planet Feedback, where basically customer can either praise or complain about any company they want to. I read a letter on there (after I had quit, by the way) from a someone who was complaining that there was nothing good on the shelf to rent. That is true now because you can keep what ever you get for as long as you want (almost). Like I said, there is just no pleasing these asshats.

[powerboy]

I hate it when I pay a bill late. And once, I paid every other bill I had except for the car payment . Damn I miss that car.

[Rapscallion]

Um, Momo? We have a section on here specifically for planetfeedback and other similar sites. We even got our ten seconds of fame there ourselves a while back.

I'm not overly convinced by PFB as entertainment. It's just as if the SCs line up to be lambasted for ridiculous demands, rather like shooting fish in a barrel. I prefer to hunt my SCs honestly in the wilds, setting up my hide near a counter, pen and paper at the ready...

More sporting, don't you know?

Rpscallion

[greensinestro]

I tell ya there is just no way to please these people. I used to work for Blockbuster a few years back during the time they were dealing with a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought because people did not like paying their late fees. These fees were perfectly reasonable (while I was there at least). The charge was the same amount as the rental fee and you kept it for another rental period. Basically you rented it again.

The worst people to complain were the ones that only owed like 4-8 bucks. I actually dealt with two different customers that had a $150 balance on their account. When I told them about it they said "Yeah that's mine, I'll take care of it." AND THEY DID (go figure).

Turns out Blockbuster lost the suit and as a result there came about the current policy of NO late fees. Did that make them happy? HHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There is a website called Planet Feedback, where basically customer can either praise or complain about any company they want to. I read a letter on there (after I had quit, by the way) from a someone who was complaining that there was nothing good on the shelf to rent. That is true now because you can keep what ever you get for as long as you want (almost). Like I said, there is just no pleasing these asshats.

The blockbuster one is a great story, too. Forgot all about that one, probably because I always return my videos on time, and again, if I don't, I take responsibility for my actions and pay the late charge. Hey, I knew I was late on it, and I knew there was a late charge for that. Yet, with this, the ones who make it a habit are the ones who have a problem with late charges. The ones who have their shit together don't ever complain about it.

[DesignFox]

I never realized that that was why Blockbuster changed the late fee policy. That's absolutely ridiculous! Everyday my faith in society dies a little.

[MadMike]

The blockbuster one is a great story, too. Forgot all about that one, probably because I always return my videos on time, and again, if I don't, I take responsibility for my actions and pay the late charge. Hey, I knew I was late on it, and I knew there was a late charge for that. Yet, with this, the ones who make it a habit are the ones who have a problem with late charges. The ones who have their shit together don't ever complain about it.

Same here.

I once rented a game from them, but I hadn't finished it when my time was up. By the time I had finished it, I was several days late. As soon as I handed it to the guy, I told him flat-out, "This one's a few days late."

He was actually surprised that I admitted it and paid the fees without incident. He told me that people were always offering excuses about how they never even got a chance to play it, they had trouble getting it to work, etc.

[wagegoth]

I prefer to hunt my SCs honestly in the wilds, setting up my hide near a counter, pen and paper at the ready...

More sporting, don't you know?

Rpscallion

So few gentleman/lady hunters about these days. I applaud your understanding of the true meaning of sport.

[AFpheonix]

I'm not overly convinced by PFB as entertainment. It's just as if the SCs line up to be lambasted for ridiculous demands, rather like shooting fish in a barrel. I prefer to hunt my SCs honestly in the wilds, setting up my hide near a counter, pen and paper at the ready...

More sporting, don't you know?

Rpscallion

Do you wear all khaki and yell "Krikey, that's a beaut!" when a really moronic SC shows off their plumage?

[DesignFox]

Do you wear all khaki and yell "Krikey, that's a beaut!" when a really moronic SC shows off their plumage?

Careful, Raps, don't let one bite you!!!!