No, this isn't about a clingy desperate single gal trying to land Mr. Right. This is Mr. Deadbeat tee'd off because we have decided that we will no longer provide him with free service.
The way it works for people who get behind on their payments is that once your bill gets up above a certain dollar amount and beyond a certain number of days past due, you get a friendly letter saying please give us at least some money and/or call if you are unable or need to set up a payment plan. We also call twice -- once during the day and once in the evening. People who pay/call keep their service. Those who do not get their service disconnected. Simple, right?
Enter social media -- the deadbeat's favorite way to publicly diss the heartless utility company that has the NERVE to expect payment for services rendered.
The posts on Twitter look something like this --
SC: Deadbeat
ME: Moi, who handles social media
SC: I've been waiting for DAYS for a supervisor to call me so I don't get disconnected!
ME: We'd like to help you. Please DM your contact/account info and we can have someone call.
(SC DMs his account and contact info, which I forward along to customer service)
A couple hours later, a few more very public posts:
SC: Why hasn't anyone called me??? You said you'd call! You have my number! Call me!
ME: We've been trying to reach you. Please check your voice mail.
SC: No you haven't!! No calls, no voice mail. What's going on???
A few minutes go by... then the guy DMs "Oh. I had blocked your number. I unblocked it now so try again."
Apparently he got sick of the calls he received before he got shut off and decided to block us, thinking that ignoring us would miraculously keep his service on.
The supervisor apparently did not buy his sob story and would not allow a reconnection until he actually paid the past due amount. And miraculously, he makes the full payment that afternoon and gets service back.
Next day, he posts some public praise about the woman who helped him, when indeed the only reason he got his service back was because he paid his bill. Not once did he apologize publicly for accusing us of not calling him.
Morals of the story:
1. Pay your bills
2. If you can't pay the whole thing, call for heaven's sake and we will work with you.
3. If you want us to call you promptly, consider not blocking us!
The way it works for people who get behind on their payments is that once your bill gets up above a certain dollar amount and beyond a certain number of days past due, you get a friendly letter saying please give us at least some money and/or call if you are unable or need to set up a payment plan. We also call twice -- once during the day and once in the evening. People who pay/call keep their service. Those who do not get their service disconnected. Simple, right?
Enter social media -- the deadbeat's favorite way to publicly diss the heartless utility company that has the NERVE to expect payment for services rendered.
The posts on Twitter look something like this --
SC: Deadbeat
ME: Moi, who handles social media
SC: I've been waiting for DAYS for a supervisor to call me so I don't get disconnected!
ME: We'd like to help you. Please DM your contact/account info and we can have someone call.
(SC DMs his account and contact info, which I forward along to customer service)
A couple hours later, a few more very public posts:
SC: Why hasn't anyone called me??? You said you'd call! You have my number! Call me!
ME: We've been trying to reach you. Please check your voice mail.
SC: No you haven't!! No calls, no voice mail. What's going on???
A few minutes go by... then the guy DMs "Oh. I had blocked your number. I unblocked it now so try again."
Apparently he got sick of the calls he received before he got shut off and decided to block us, thinking that ignoring us would miraculously keep his service on.
The supervisor apparently did not buy his sob story and would not allow a reconnection until he actually paid the past due amount. And miraculously, he makes the full payment that afternoon and gets service back.
Next day, he posts some public praise about the woman who helped him, when indeed the only reason he got his service back was because he paid his bill. Not once did he apologize publicly for accusing us of not calling him.
Morals of the story:
1. Pay your bills
2. If you can't pay the whole thing, call for heaven's sake and we will work with you.
3. If you want us to call you promptly, consider not blocking us!
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