Xcel Energy really ruined a good day for me today. I’ve had a lot going on in the past few weeks so I forgot to pay my bill for March, thus I received a little reminder letter yesterday (the 19th) that states:

Our records indicate that we have not yet received payment of the outstanding Average Monthly Payment on your account of $74.00. This payment must be received in our office on or before 04/26/04 or you will be removed from the Averaged Monthly Payment plan and your service may be discontinued.

So I call them up after work to make a payment of $148 for March and April. I was told that the computer had already removed me from the Averaged Monthly Payment plan and I now owe the balance of the payment since my bill is no longer being averaged - $360.

Isn’t it…? Um. What day…? How…? Damn it - IT’S THE 20th!!!!

So I tell the customer service rep, who is actually as nice as can be, that it seems unfair that I receive a letter notifying me I have until the 26th to pay my bill otherwise I get booted from the program when, in reality, I have already been booted on the 20th. On a side note, I actually did say “unfair” which is a word rarely used outside the kickball playground. I hate the fact that “unfair” was the best word I could throw at her.

Anyway, she told me that she would speak to a “specialist” to see if I could get back on the plan if I made my $148 payment. After a few minutes of some incoherent Xcel commercial-babble she gets back on the line and tells me what her so-called “specialist” told her. Wait for it. Waaaait. Here it comes:

“You were removed from the program because you failed to make a payment in March”.

TA-DA!!! I guess “specialists” don’t understand that, had I made a payment in March I WOULDN’T HAVE NEEDED A REMINDER AND WOULDN’T BE CALLING IN THE FIRST PLACE, nevermind the fact that their letter says I have until the 26th to clear the matter. I know I missed a month, because I HAVE THE LETTER! I don’t know many companies that send reminders during the monthly billing cycle.

04.15.2004 - Dear customer, we have not received your payment of $74 due in 2 weeks. Your last payment was received 2 weeks ago on 03.31.2004. Please remit payment by 04.30.04 or your services will be shut off. You have until 04.20.04 to remit payment.

Why even send a letter if your company is going to give a deadline then not honor it?

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