August 26, 2009

Customer Service

When you live in the age of customer service systems run by call centers and automated email/contact form systems you can be in deep trouble some times.

The ISP I used in Berlin sent me via email the bill for internet usage for September in advance. It will be automatically deducted from my bank account although the contract has been cancelled in June, effective July and I was told then that there will be no extra fee for termination of contact (it was not binding) because I am leaving the country. I tried to contact them by replying to the mail, but it was an auto mailer, they have informed me to login to my account with them and file my queries in the appropriate category. Well I never had to use that account in last 3 years so I did not have a password. I tried to retrieve the password which was immediately sent by snail mail (instead of email) to my residence address where I do not live anymore.

It was so frustrating as I found from their site that there was no other email address to contact them. And I know about their call center (my previous experience was 6 minutes to reach the correct person) so did not risk an expensive ISD call. I contacted a friend in Berlin who did the queries for me and found out that they have sent a letter to my address after I left Germany asking for proof that I am leaving Germany - otherwise they will deduct the next month's payment. Well I left in July, they have cashed in August's payment and have no right to ask for September's. And it seems now that the only way to communicate with them is via snail mail - and how frustrating is that?

Will you ever be satisfied with a customer service?

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