Yesterday our electricity went out. We live in California, mind you, so this is not an infrequent experience. After shutting down the computer and calming down the UPS (which gets very upset when the power goes out), I wandered out into the street. I didn’t even have to go ask the neighbors if their power was out - I could see their TV, clearly functioning, through their living room window.
So not a rolling blackout. Hmmm.
I returned to the house and called our electric company. The charming phone employee told me our power was cut off for nonpayment. And that we would have to pay about $600 to get it turned back on. Now, I know we mailed the payment, but I didn’t write the check, so I called the Loved One at work and explained the situation.
The Loved One pulled out her checkbook and inspected it, finding carbons of checks written to the electric company. Then she telephoned them. The second charming phone employee said we hadn’t paid for two months. LO mentioned the checks, with dates. CPE said nope, didn’t get 'em. LO called our bank, who informed her that said checks had been cashed.
Another call to the power company. Third CPE explained the whole thing again, but this time LO can say that the checks were both written AND cashed. CPE said “Oh, those checks - yes we have those recorded.” Not two minutes after telling the LO we hadn’t paid, mind you. She then agreed that perhaps this matter could stand some investigation.
Upshot? Someone mis-recorded one of the checks. So they sent a final notice (or at any rate said they did - we never actually got one). And then they cut off the power. The CPE did not actually apologize or anything, even though our power was cut off because of their data entry error. Also, she informed LO that because it took us more than 2 hours to resolve this problem with them, what with calls and hold time and dealing with the bank and all, it was past the time when they could reconnect our power. (You can’t get it done after 3:30. I don’t want to start any untoward rumors here, but I suspect it’s because after 3:30 the field guys have to come help get the customer service employees’ heads out of their asses so they can drive home without causing accidents.) Meaning we’d be without power for a night.
CPE also insisted that we would still have to pay the reconnect fee and the $500 deposit, but LO managed to beat some sense into her. Perhaps it was the genuine note of psychotic rage creeping into her voice that convinced the CPE to “make an exception.” Thanks, you dripping, festering tampon. We particularly appreciated the warning, too. “But you can’t expect us to do this every time. You need to pay on time.” WE DID PAY ON TIME. The fuck-up was on your end, lady, so how’s about a little less of the smarmy lectures and a little more abject, butt-licking apology? Not that I’d want your tongue near my ass or the ass of the woman I love.
Let’s see how this works out in customer service mathematics: we PAID our bill. THEY screwed up. WE spent last night without power. Shouldn’t that equal an apology of some kind?
With this kind of customer service, they deserve to be not only bankrupt but also anally raped by rabid pus-coated weasels.
Assholes. I’ve met pears with better personality and more intelligence than these so-called humans who have ball bearings where their brains should be. And as for the company itself, I’ve got unnamed sources that say it sells dope disguised as a convent, not to mention running that preschooler prostitute ring. It should be cut up into itty bitty pieces and buried alive.
::deepbluesea:: takes a deep breath.
I feel much better now. Sometimes you just gotta vent.
[sub]Can anyone loan me a gun?[/sub]
