Towards the middle of October I wondered why the phone bill had not arrived. I rang up. The bill had been sent but our apartment number was missing from their database. A duplicate will be sent and the time for payment extended. Just over a week later, still no bill. Another call, and of course another battle with their voice recognition system. If the voice recognition system asks for my phone number, why do I have to give it again when I eventually talk to someone? Another duplicate bill will be sent and while they now have our street address right, the post code has changed to Melbourne City 3000 instead of Melbourne St Kilda Road, 3004.
Finally the bill arrived and I perused it with interest. But wait, it is the normal bill for this month. Last months shows as unpaid and there is a $5 penalty for not paying. Steam was coming out of my ears by now. While I was still annoyed, I called again. I did not abuse the lass on the end of the phone, but I was clearly angry and upset. Only three times in my life I have not paid a bill on time, only twice it was my fault and it was only a matter of a couple of days. I have never paid Telstra late for 30 plus years, so I felt insulted that they accused and penalised me for late payment. I suggest the computerised billing system needs an alert for regular payers who miss. Hey, the software notices, this is a good customer who pays on time. Something is not right here. We better pass this on to a human to look at before sending out a overdue penalty.
Of course the penalty was waived. I had no intention of paying it regardless.
Upon my death bed, I will be arguing with Telstra about something. But I am old enough and smart enough to know that it could be any phone company/internet provider that I could be arguing with on my deathbed.