Lessons Learned.

I keep learning lessons--hard lessons.  It seems I kind of take things for granted and don't notice problems until it is too late.

I contacted Comcast in February, when my yearly promotion ran out.  I was "told" that my new promotion would be lower in price, with the same channels.  YAY!!!  

I got the bill for March and it was $20.00 higher than the one in January.  I assumed it was just a correction.  Then I got my April bill--again $20.00 higher at $163.00.  I panicked!!!

I called them Friday, they said there was a problem that they would correct.  "Don't worry.  This will be taken care of."  They always say that.  I checked on-line to see my corrected bill on Saturday.  Still the same.  So I called.  The agent I talked to said she couldn't access my account because the last four digits of my Social Security did not match my account number.  Wait.  What?

I actually started bawling and hung up.

I called back Monday morning and was finally transferred to the Retention Department to a woman that knew what was wrong.  "Don't worry.  This will be taken care of."

I had been given a new account number in January--as were all their customers.  Although they had my name, address, phone number, blood type, the gender I identify with, because of security, they could/would not access my account to make changes.  I would have to go to the local Comcast center--brick and mortar--to show my ID and get my Social corrected.  She did confess it was someone there at her office who had made the typo in my Social.

Off I went to the local store--thank goodness, only 10 miles away.  I told the guy, he took my Driver's License and Social Security card and had the correction made in 20 seconds.

Back home and called the Retention Department to get the promotion and my bill lowered.

Thankfully this time, I got a woman with a Southern accent, but almost as difficult to understand her as the woman with the East Indian accent.

Anyway--I could not get the promised promotion I had in February, I could get the same price=$109.00, but at a lower tier and lost a few channels--a couple of my favorite channels, I might add.  This promotion is good for 1 year and I can call back next year to see if I can get another promotion with a higher tier, at the same price and get my favorite channels back.  ARGGH!!
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I have been on a Budget Plan with my gas and electric company ever since I moved in here.  For the last year, I have paid $42.00 a month for gas.  I noticed my last bill had a higher amount, but not too worry, I sent in my budget plan amount of $42.00.  This months bill was quite a bit higher and there was a note on the bill that if I didn't pay the bill in full, my gas would be shut off.  Wait.  What?

I called.  Unbeknownst to be, my budget plan had been dropped 8 months ago!!!

The woman said, "There probably was a notice on your bill then, but it would have been in small print and you might have missed it."

"Can I get back on the Budget Plan?"

"Certainly."

"Good, can I do that now?"

"Sign up for the budget plan is in May.  You can do it next month."

"Next month?"

"Yes, and your account has to be paid in full before you can sign up for the plan."

I owe them over $100.00 to pay in full.  ARGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I just want you to know, I did not cry one tear from frustration yesterday.  I was calm, controlled, overly polite and thanked each customer service agent profusely for their help.

Then, I spent the afternoon, cleaning the kitchen and mopping the floor, using up any left-over frustrated energy!

Now--I have to deal with my car/house insurance agent because that bill goes up $3.00 each and every damn month!!