Customer Service Chronicles

It's been many years since investigative news programs and other media outlets have reported on the business of adding small charges and fees or otherwise overcharging with the hope/intent that customers won't notice. This phenomenon is well-described in the Times' A new charge called oops.

I've come to believe that "oops" charging has evolved into "harassment/intimidation" charging. I actually agree with my mother about this, and Allen's case, which I would be happy to post here with his permission, furthers that believe. I've had to deal with it as well.

It's somewhat more aggressive than counting on one's customers to not notice the addition of small charges to a bill; it's the slapping of often sizable, but inaccurate charges onto a bill and counting on one's customers to get worn out trying to fight them. I don't believe it's bureaucracy-- I believe it's a business practice. They know full well that the charges are wrong; they also know that some people are going to get worn out fighting the same charges over and over again. After all, we have other things to get on with.

And we're powerless: even though we're right, we can't make them take the charges off the bill. Shouldn't there be a watchdog to curb this abuse, at least among telecommunications companies? If so, it hasn't come through for my mother. As it is, these companies have no incentive to clean up their billing practices or customer service shops; more importantly, they have a disincentive to stop screwing over their customers.

There are some resources, including gethuman.com, to help one get through the mess, and I believe there are also forums for exposing horrific customer service, but I don't have links to those handy at this moment. In the meantime, just be aware that you're not alone.