United Utilities
 

I received a letter from UU the other day that informed me that as from 1st July 2008 I would no longer be able to use my plastic paying in card at the Post Office to pay my water bill free of charge or at Pay Point shops.

Instead I will have to either opt for DD and get a reduction of £5 pa, (Wow!) or pay by Debit Card via the telephone or Internet or use the supplied new piece of plastic, which I could use to pay at local shops displaying the Payzone sign. Very thoughtfully my letter listed two local Payzone shops where fortunately one of which is en-route from the Darwen Post Office to back home.

As there was nothing in the letter to indicate whether Payzone will be free or not I rang UU to find out. Just bear in mind all I wanted to ask was “Is Payzone free and if not what is the charge?”

A Scottish female voice answered.
Me – Good afternoon! Can you tell me…………..
Voice interrupted – Your account number please.
Me – I only want to ask one simple question.
Voice – I need your account number.
I gave the account number and continued - Can you tell me…………..
Voice interrupted – Your full name please.
Me – I only want to ask one simple question.
Voice – I need your full name.
I gave my full name and continued - Can you tell me…………..
The exchange of words carried on in this format with “Post Code?”, “House number?”, “Street name?”, “Town?” and finally “DOB”.

With my voice thickly laden with exasperation I retorted, “My shoe size is 6”, “My collar size is ???” and a few other similar comments.
“No need to be rude” she responded.

Me - “All I wanted to know is whether I will be charged for using Payzone so there was no need for all those personal questions.”

A few more verbal exchanges but after all that she answered my simple question and revealed that there would be no charge at Payzone. She also informed me that I would still be able to pay at the Post Office but I would be charged £2.30.

But that wasn’t the end. Oh! No! She had two more questions.

She – “Do you own the property?”
Me – “It’s none of your business.”
She – “There is no need to be rude. Do you own the property?”
Me – “I’m not telling you. It’s none of your business.”
She asked another question but I’ve forgotten what it was. However my response was the same.
Finally me – “Thank you for the information” and I rang off before she had a chance to ask yet another question.

Re: United Utilities
 

big brother is watching..YOU......:lamer:

Re: United Utilities
 

Sounds like she's making a pass at you Jim?

Re: United Utilities
 

well jim,ya sure got more patience n good manners than me.:D mind ya thats not difficult.;)

Re: United Utilities
 

I got the same letter, thing is there seem to be far fewer places you can pay at with the new lot.

Re: United Utilities
 

You can pay online too on the UU website which i have utilised so far :D

Re: United Utilities
 

Re: United Utilities
 

It was obvious to me right away that if I wanted an answer to my question I would have to jump through her hoops. So patience had to be exercised.

I have noticed in similar conversations with other companies that if the caller is not following the call girl’s rules they always seem to accuse the caller of being rude, even when the caller isn’t.

Re: United Utilities
 

Well you know the old saying JB, why be awkward when with very little effort you can be bloody impossible, I though all public utilities used this premise, they're certainly not there to make life easy. Mind you we used to have a member of Accy Web who worked for United Utilities, but haven't seen her on here lately, we could have had a right go

Re: United Utilities
 

That member who is employed at United Utilities posted on my thread
http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ies-37904.html

Re: United Utilities
 

I got one of those letters too, now i cant pay that at the P.O anymore (from july)
its the same with the tv licence too, ya have to either pay DD or pay at any P (whatever that is)

I dont want some nosy shop keeper looking at my bills, so now i will have to register with the bloody water company just to pay a sodin bill....and before someone says 'ya can pay direct debit.....i prefer to not to, i have enough coming out me bank:(

whos idea was it again to shut P.O's????

Re: United Utilities
 

Surely it's coming out of your bank one way or another? :confused:

Re: United Utilities
 

Call centre staff are given scripts to use and they have to stick to them or they get into trouble with their manager. The girl you spoke to asked you those questions because she had to not because she wanted to.

As the message tells you, calls are recorded for training and assessment purposes.

If a manager listens in to a call where the advisor has deviated from the script they lose marks in their assessments and if they keep doing it they will get a warning.

I know it seems like a rigmarole to have to go through when you only want to ask one simple question but the advisors don't make these rules so please try not to be rude to them. :)

Re: United Utilities
 

I appreciate that if someone calls with a view to discussing a particular account then the call girl has to establish if the caller is the owner of the account. But I only wanted to ask a general question not related to a specific account and SHE KEPT ON INTERRUPTING ME.

So just exactly who was rude in the first place?

When I have called BT or Eon in the past I was asked, “Can I help you?” It was only AFTER it was established that my query was account related that my account details were asked for.

Now that is the way to run a call centre.

Re: United Utilities
 

i got the same letter too, i usually pay my water bill on the last Thursday before the first of every month (its due on the first) which sometimes is upto a week early, now i would be due to pay it on the first of July but i will end up paying it on Thursday the 26th of June for Julys payment, so i wont be using the PAYZONE till the end of July for Augusts payment