Billing de'ja vu

[tilly101]

BG - health insurance industry, call centre

SC - Hi, so I just got a bill saying I owe you people money but I already paid it , so I'm just calling to see why you guys are trying to scam me, is that something you can help me with?

Me - Sure, let's have a look

[I bring up his policy...it's a straightforward matter]

Me - Okay, so just to confirm I'm looking at the same thing as you are, could you please confirm the date on the bill, and also the date you made your payment sir?

SC - Yep. So the letter is dated 25/07/2011. I made the payment 29/08/2011. So why are you asking me to pay again?

Me - Uh...well...we sent the letter over a month before you made the payment. So now that you have made the payment, you can disregard the letter.

SC - But why are you asking me to pay it again?

Me - We aren't sir

SC - Yes you are. I already paid my bill, and I only just opened this letter

Me - Hmmm, normally it doesn't take over a month for our mail to reach our customers, but you can definetely rest assured that I can see your payment on your policy, you can disregard the letter

SC - Oh no, I got the letter weeks ago, I only just opened it up now. And I want to know why you're asking me to pay the same thing again. You guys are scammers

Me [thinking, omfg] - Sir. Please refer to the date on the letter. When you physically open and read your mail is irrelevant. We mailed that letter weeks ago. Since then, you have paid that bill, and I have confirmed that we did get that payment. You presently have a NIL balance owing. Please disregard the letter

SC - No, I'll disregard the letter and then you'll cut me off because I haven't paid! That's how you scam people isn't it

Me - Would you like me to just send you a letter confirming that you have paid this bill, so you have that confirmation in writing, to put your mind at ease?

SC - I just want to know why you're billing me again for the same thing

Me - We're not sir. we sent you the bill over a month ago. Since then, you paid the bill on your accord. You have only just opened the bill now. You have already pais this bill. The confusion lies in the fact that you did not open your mail for a whole month. This bill has been paid, I am going to send you a letter confirming this, you are not being double billed for anything

SC - Is there a manager there, or someone who knows how to do their job? Maybe they can explain why you guys are scamming me

Me -


In the end he just hung up on me
Seriously...how can people be that stupid and paranoid, my god

[Bright_Star]

Should have said..."You paid it, you're good, bye bye"...CLICK...lol.

[BrenDAnn]

Let me do this for you...because I know you couldn't while you were taking that call. That is all.

[thehuckster]

This is why we need more video phones like Skype so that we can demonstrate with crayons or puppets to the real special customers.

[tilly101]

This is why we need more video phones like Skype so that we can demonstrate with crayons or puppets to the real special customers.

We joke about this here at work, afte the rather 'special' calls we hang up and comteplate calling them back to invite them to come to our office so we can explain things to them using pictures etc
Of course we jest! But some people could seriosuly benefit from it

"Ok sir. Now see how I drew this here stick figure? Now that's you. Now, see that square with a roof, with the word 'hospital' written on it? That's the hospital. So. In reponse to your question 'um, so, like, when I go to hospital, like, should I, like, go to, like, the actual hospital? I, like, don't get it' You go to the building marked 'hospital'. Okay? On the pretty picture, see how I've drawn an arrow from the stick figure - you - to the square building with a roof and hospital written on it - the hospital? Yes? That's what you do. You go to the hospital. Does that make more sense with a picutre? Oh, it does? Oh how delightful. I'm glad we could assist you with that today sir"

[MoonCat]

But Tilly, what's going to happen is that customer would look at the picture, and say, "Are you crazy? Look how small that is! I can't get in there! How am I supposed to get inside a hospital that small, huh?"

[Ironclad Alibi]

Seriously...how can people be that stupid and paranoid, my god

If you find out, will you let the rest of us know?

Personally, I think they are all zombies. They have no brains.

[barainga]

Hah... yeah this was a fairly normal thing at the cell phone call center. Either people wouldnt open thier mail, or they would send in the payment after the late notice is sent out.

[Caractacus_Potts]

It would be one thing if the letter got hung up in the mail and had just been delivered but this guy admits he received the bill before he paid and didn't open the envelope until after he paid.

A case of being so completely stupid that he actually has no idea how stupid he is. I suppose statistically some people that dumb make it out of childhood. Good thing for him that stuff like breathing and your heart beating are autonomic functions or he would have never survived infancy.

[nuthing12]

We joke about this here at work, after the other'special' calls we hang up and comteplate calling them back to invite them to come to our office so we can explain things to them using pictures etc

If the states had universal healthcare, I guarantee you that doctors and nurses who would STILL be getting complaints from people not getting their bill in the mail to pay on time. Government intervention doesn't cure stupid

[PepperElf]

all i can think of is...

"Sir, physical mail does not update automatically if you chose to open it weeks later."

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Tinfoil hats must be plentiful in this guy's world

[manybellsdown]

But Tilly, what's going to happen is that customer would look at the picture, and say, "Are you crazy? Look how small that is! I can't get in there! How am I supposed to get inside a hospital that small, huh?"

What is this, a center for ants!?

[auntiem]

I've actually said more times than I can count:
ME "the claim was denied because they put their mailing address in the place of surgery box"
Client: "so?"
ME: "I highly doubt you had open heart surgery in a PO box"

As for the mail issue, I heard way more than I thought possible:
C: "You way over charged me for my premium"
ME: "That is the premium for this year, we sent out a huge package with all the details in the Fall. Let me make sure we have you address correctly so I can send a new packet"
C: "Oh, I got it. I just never open anything from your company"
Seriously?! Premiums and bene coverage change from year to year. We send notice far in advance of the mandatory lock in period. Wouldn't you be an itsy bitsy curious?

[Gizmo]

I had just this incident at work this week : "I have reviewed your statement of 1st Sept. We paid item A on 30th Sept. Please review your records."

This was a business who should know better!