girl geek adjacent

Here is an email I sent to Telecom this morning:

In mid-November, I spoke to your New & Moves desk and arranged to have my phone & broadband moved to our new address on the 18th December 2009. I advised them that my new address would be my postal address etc.

The move of your services went without a hitch, however, your company’s inability to do general administration work appalls me and borders on the illegal.

On the 12th January 2010, I rang 123, concerned that I hadn’t seen a final account for our old address. I was told that as I was getting bill online, that had been canceled, but the bill had not been printed. I asked for a copy of the bill and was told they would post one out to me at my new address. I am growing old waiting for that first copy. I was also told that on the 13th you would direct debit the final bill from my bank account. Just as well I had taken the initiative myself and rung your 123 number. Taking money without giving the customer a bill or an opportunity to dispute the bill is against your own terms and conditions by not providing me with the minimum 10 calendar days as set out in your direct debit agreement and quite possibly against the law. Fortunately for you, I had some money available to pay the bill as I was expecting it and was able to avoid severe penalties from my bank.

I informed the CSR that night that my postal address was wrong on the account and she promised she fixed it. I also got Caller ID put on the line.

The next week I received a letter welcoming the addition of Caller ID, sent to the wrong address. Seriously? I’ve already told you twice that my address was wrong in your system and that I had moved. I ignored this letter about Caller ID thinking that the change was taking a few hours to filter through your computer system.

On the 20th I got another letter from your company advising me that my bill would be increasing. I have no problem with that, the problem was you have sent it to the wrong address again.

Today is the 25th and I still haven’t received a copy of the bill from my old house, which was never sent, the copy has never arrived and today I had to ask for another copy.

To say I am angry about the whole thing is an understatement. I shouldn’t have to tell a company 3 times that information you have is incorrect. You shouldn’t be taking money without sending out an invoice either.

As of now, I will never be setting up a direct debit with your company ever again. I can’t trust you with my bank account number. Its as simple as that.

And now, the part that boils my blood is when you lodge a Direct Debit to Telecom, heres what they agree to:

1. The Initiator:

(a) Has agreed to give advance notice to the Customer of the net amount of each Direct Debit and the due date of the debiting at least 10 calendar days (but not more than 2 calendar months) before the date when the Direct Debit will be initiated. This advance notice must be provided either:

(i) in writing; or

(ii) by electronic mail where the Customer has agreed to this.

The advance notice will include the following message: “Unless advice to the contrary is received from you by (date*), the amount of $……… will be direct debited to your Bank account on (initiating date).”

*This date will be at least two (2) days prior to the initiating date to allow for amendment of Direct Debits.

(b) May, upon the relationship which gave rise to this Authority being terminated, give notice top the Bank that no further Direct Debits are to be initiated under the Authority. Upon receipt of such notice the Bank may terminate this authority as to future payments by notice in writing to the Customer.

So basically, Telecom have failed me yet again. They failed to advise me that they were taking the money and its only by shear luck that:

(a) I rang them to enquire about a final bill for my old house
(b) For once, I had money I could use to pay the bill
(c) I paid for a redirection on my mail

I will update this post with a response should they ever see fit to get back to me over this disgraceful customer service I am always on the end of.