On their website for “Budget Billing” it says the following:
So I wrote them to point out that I hadn’t received a payment yet this year.
Now, I expected them to say “Oh, gee, you’re right, we’ll change the wording.”
No.
Instead, the stupid fucks keep arguing that “You will receive payments” somehow actually means “You will make payments.”
It’s like those idiots who use both a cent sign and a decimal on the outdoor advertising - .10/ea for something that’s clearly supposed to be ten cents, not a tenth of a cent. I’m always tempted to call them on it, but the dime doesn’t justify pulling over.
Seems like there ought to be some kind of penalty for abuse of English in these circumstances.
You should have kept talking to them like an Abott & Costello “Who’s on First?” routine.
"“It say’s here you are going to be sending me payments?”
“Yes.”
“And what should I do with these payments?”
“Send us your payment.”
“So you send me a payment, then I send you a payment?”
“Yes.”
“Well, how about you just keep the payment in the first place then I don’t even need to send it back to you?”
“But we need your payment.”
“But you already have my payment.”
“No, we need you to end it to us.”
“But not until you send it to me first?”
“Exactly.”
Their latest missive reads: “Thank you for your email. The statement saying you will receive 3 equal payments, means you will have 3 equal payments due of $133.00.”
To which I replied: " ‘Receiving payments’ means money will be received. Not owed.
Receiving and owing are two entirely different words.
In football, for example, the Receiver is the one who catches the ball.
And there is no mention on your website of anything ‘due’. Not ‘due’, ‘do’, ‘dew’, or the even more nonsensical (but potentially melodic) ‘dooby-dooby-do.’ "
Who says SAHMs don’t have any fun?
You might try contacting the local newspaper, as they may want to write it up and at least shame the company. Or perhaps bring it to the attention of the company’s marketing department. In my very limited experience with marketing folks, they are sensitive to use of the English language.
We should all call them from around the country, asking to sign up for their service and start receiving payments. I know I could sure use some payments right now!
In a somewhat similar vein, misuse of English, I hate restaurants where the wait staff come by toward the end of the main course and say “May I offer you some dessert?” If I say yes, they expect me to pay for it. If I offer something to someone I don’t expect to be paid.
Somebody says this in every thread about any kind of perceived wrongdoing at the hands of a company, but nobody ever does anything about it, or if they do, the newspaper doesn’t give a damn, so really, what’s the point?
Has anyone ever, even once in the history of the SDMB, convinced a local newspaper to do a feature about some shit they ranted about in the Pit?
The standard terminology of contract law is “offer and acceptance”, i.e., party A offers something and party B accepts it. If a judge were ever to parse the waiter’s, “May I offer you some dessert?”, the judge would translate that as “I am offering, as an agent of the restaurant, one or more of the desserts on our menu, at the prices listed on the menu, and subject to the other terms and conditions listed on the menu.” So it’s still an offer, and it seems unreasonable to interpret it as an offer to supply free of charge.
In my 10 years of retail I couldn’t tell you how many time customers who thought they were wronged would threaten to call the local newspaper or television station.
My usual response… “Cool!”
Unfortunately not once have I been on TV or in the newspaper.
Convinced, no. Gotten a promise to publicize photos the next time I catch an RTS driver using their cell while driving? Yes. Guess who carries a digital camera now, whenever he uses the bus?
ETA: Of course, the promise is worth the paper it’s written on. If this happens during the full fledged election season, no one will give a shit.
