SMARMITY SMARM SMARM
Jan. 11th, 2005 11:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
faithellenOr, why I hate the gas company.
The gas company has billed us the same amount for three months -- the "keeping the account alive" amount, showing no gas used. Now, we've got gas fireplaces, gas heating, and oh yeah -- the STOVE is gas. Obviously, we owe them some money. I called last week and explained the situation, and they said they'd send someone out to check the meter (after verifying that we had no large rabid dogs) and would reissue a corrected bill. At the time, she said I could call back to set up a payment plan, rather than cough up all the back amount at once.
So we got the bill, and I called the gas company to set up the payment plan. Went through the automated system, verified I was calling from my residence, asked me to verify my address based on the first four digits of the address, and put me into queue.
The woman on the other end asked for my phone number, which I started to give, and she cuts me off. "No, your ACCOUNT number." Given. "Your name." Given. "Your phone number." Given (again). "Last four digits of your social security number." Given.
I then explain the situation -- that our meter wasn't being read... She CUTS ME OFF: "No, your meter isn't read. You have a CALCULATED bill." Me: ...so I asked that someone come out and read... "NO, MA'AM, you have a CALCULATED bill."
::pause::
Okay, whatEVER. What do I have to do so that I don't have to send you all this at once?
::brightly:: "I can set that up for you. You can pay that off in three installments of X, in addition to your current charges each month."
Great, so I'll send you a check for X now...
"NO, because THAT won't set it up. See, you have to..."
And that's when I said "screw it, I'll just find the money" and hung up.
Why? Because I have no patience for the nasal and condescending woman today, and for doing a "check over the phone" or whatever the hell. Maybe tomorrow...
::goes looking for salt and chocolate::
The gas company has billed us the same amount for three months -- the "keeping the account alive" amount, showing no gas used. Now, we've got gas fireplaces, gas heating, and oh yeah -- the STOVE is gas. Obviously, we owe them some money. I called last week and explained the situation, and they said they'd send someone out to check the meter (after verifying that we had no large rabid dogs) and would reissue a corrected bill. At the time, she said I could call back to set up a payment plan, rather than cough up all the back amount at once.
So we got the bill, and I called the gas company to set up the payment plan. Went through the automated system, verified I was calling from my residence, asked me to verify my address based on the first four digits of the address, and put me into queue.
The woman on the other end asked for my phone number, which I started to give, and she cuts me off. "No, your ACCOUNT number." Given. "Your name." Given. "Your phone number." Given (again). "Last four digits of your social security number." Given.
I then explain the situation -- that our meter wasn't being read... She CUTS ME OFF: "No, your meter isn't read. You have a CALCULATED bill." Me: ...so I asked that someone come out and read... "NO, MA'AM, you have a CALCULATED bill."
::pause::
Okay, whatEVER. What do I have to do so that I don't have to send you all this at once?
::brightly:: "I can set that up for you. You can pay that off in three installments of X, in addition to your current charges each month."
Great, so I'll send you a check for X now...
"NO, because THAT won't set it up. See, you have to..."
And that's when I said "screw it, I'll just find the money" and hung up.
Why? Because I have no patience for the nasal and condescending woman today, and for doing a "check over the phone" or whatever the hell. Maybe tomorrow...
::goes looking for salt and chocolate::
