On my way to work I stopped at Sainsbury’s to buy a yoghurt. Standing in the queue waiting to pay I saw something familiar. There on the floor was a Rentokil mousetrap, the very same model as I myself been a proud owner of.
I think I’ll take Sainsbury’s advice to “Try something new today”; I think I’ll try Waitrose next time.
Ten years ago I answered the phone at work, Leif wanted to change the payment date for his phone bill.
I was often asked to change the payment date, and I did this simply by logging in to MIS:en (the billing system) and change the date in the “payment date” field and pressed saved. And that was it.
Total time: 2 seconds
Ten years later I’m calling my electricity company because I want to change the payment date on my bill.
I’m paying via direct debit*, £45 a month. This sum is taken out of my account on the 25th every month.
I asked to change the date to the 1st of every month, since this is such a complicated matter I was transferred to the “Complicated Enquiry Department”. There I was asked to give all my bank details to them even though they already have this information.
-I’m an existing customer.
-We HAVE TO ask again, I can’t just copy and paste.
Two weeks later I get two letters confirming that a (new) direct debit has been set up and that £45 will be collected from my account on the 5th of every month.
A few days later I get bill for £125 from my electricity company for the period May-July (a period already paid for via my monthly direct debit payments).
I call the electricity company to be told there has been a mistake (clearly) and to ignore the bill.
A week later I receive a payment reminder in red for £39.28! I’m really confused and call the my favourite electricity company once again, telling them I shouldn’t receive bills or reminders since I pay via direct debit. They tell me there is no direct debit.
Miss Electricity tells me I have cancelled the direct debit, which I haven’t but Miss Electricity thinks I’m one of those customers who doesn’t know what she is talking about so guess what? I have to set up a direct debit for the 3rd time. It is so much fun!
- Complicated Enquiry Department can I help?
-Yes please can I set up a direct debit for the third time and change the payment date?
-Of course but I need all your bank details we can’t just copy and paste.
Total time: over 2 months and counting…
*Autogiro
 | Lisa on 2 100 000 |
 | Reshmi on 2 100 000 |
| Lisa on Hibernation |
 | Meghan on Hibernation |
 | Flamekebab on “You know you are Swedish… |
