Caterwauling

I know I suck at the customer service component of my job. But Minol, my utility company, makes me look like a fucking Rep of the Year.

My name was misspelled on my June bill, so I had to log in under that wrong name and pay my bill that way. They wouldn’t let me modify my name, so I paid and told them my name was incorrect and couldn’t fix it on the form. Got a response the next day telling me they don’t let customers fix their names, just everything else.

The July bill comes and I can’t log in. When I signed in, I didn’t get a confirmation e-mail and definitely no password reminder, and I make up some esoteric passwords. I tried five or six times to log in, and got frozen out of the account. I wondered if it had to do something with the fact that I was using my “right” name, and sent an inquiry.

This was the 16th. The bill adds a nice late fee on the 17th. Days go by, no response. I keep trying the account, but I’ve been locked out since then and the page will not reset itself to let me try. (I remember the password now, too.)

I just sent yet another e-mail (I can’t keep track of how many at this point), saying I’d GLADLY pay the bill (two months past due) if customer service would unfreeze my online account or at least acknowledge me. Sure, I can write a check but does anyone do that anymore? I don’t have ready access to a mailbox, and fuck, I don’t have stamps. Ask me where my post office is. I don’t know!

So Jeez, why make it so hard to pay online? I’m sort of, oh, dirt broke anyway (despite it being payday) — I don’t mind not parting with all that money. I don’t do difficult. I don’t want to pay them that badly. But for the love, wouldn’t you want to at least help the customers who are TRYING to make a payment or three?!?!

Two years ago today, I had my exit interview from the last employer, known not-so-affectionately as Club Medicated. I had pulled the plug on this blog and set up camp elsewhere for the time being, and I’m sharing that day’s entry below the fold.

It really hurts to recall the frustration and pain — it always rains over me like a bad rash — but it helps sometimes, too. I hated that place so much, and I never, ever wanted to look back and miss it. There was a nasty, hateful, horrible person who was exiled right before I left, and I never met a person who could bitch so much. She made me look like a well-adjusted ball of sunshine. Yet, after she was gone, she sent in poems that were published in the employee newsletter on how much of a glorious opportunity it was to work there and how she misses it so. *gag* Thank GOD that I was able to rise above all of it at that island of misfit toys.

My successor was nice enough and talented enough, but lacked my passion. So they paid him more and insisted he work less than I did. I think that’s a pretty decent epitaph to the rejected creativity and dedication I had when I was there.

Anyway, here’s something from the old files. It reminds me of the old Irish saying that “May the best of your yesterdays be the worst of your tomorrows.” Or, in this case, may the people who caused you so much pain be left to rot while you go on to shine where you’re appreciated.

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I mean, The Donald fired Carolyn. Unbelievable!

Trump to Carolyn: ‘You’re fired!’

She was no longer focused on her work, the story said, citing unnamed sources, adding she was giving speeches and working on product endorsements.

Trump had had trouble reaching her recently as she had been away on a trip to give a speech, the sources told the newspaper.

OMG, what a DICK! God forbid she not be able to answer the phone for the 10 minutes it takes to give a speech. Lord, why not just chain her to the desk and keep her barefoot and pregnant, whydon’tcha?

I mean, how dare she go out there and have the dual benefit of furthering the visibility of the show and maybe helping her own little career a bit. *smack* Nothing like empowering people to do a job and then punishing them for doing all aspects of it.

Perhaps the next season of “The Apprentice” will seek to locate her replacement?