Hmm, so if you owe a company money they are all over your ass

[Bouncy Ball]

but if THEY owe YOU money (as in a refund of funds that shouldn't have been paid to them, overpayments, etc.) they DRAG THEIR FUCKING FEET and refer you to department after department and can get away with saying "That's been referred to a different department and they don't come in until 11."

I'm calling those fuckers EVERY SINGLE DAY until I have my damn $294.32 BACK.

Back when I was a customer of theirs, if I was so much as one freaking day late on my payment (I got paid the day after it was due each month) they were sending nastygrams, which of course, by the time I got them, they had LONG since received their payment from me.

But if THEY owe ME money? Oh it's not a thang. By the way, they've had my $ 294.32 since OCTOBER.

Yeah. Fuckers.

[ffm172]

1. it's always like that

seems to be an unwritten law. Question is by who.

[Bouncy Ball]

2. Fuckers.

They're a big company. They don't need my measly $ 294.32. But I DO!!!

[ffm172]

10. that is the point unfortunatly

you mean nothing to them. Now even less that you aren't their customer anymore. Why should they hurry.

[redqueen]

3. It's awful.

The country is steadily being shifted more and more toward catering to the needs of the corporations instead of the people. It's nearly complete, too. The bankruptcy bill and tort reform are two giant steps toward making people almost utterly powerless against corporations.

[kcwayne]

4. CFO are often given an incentive bonus for cash management

I do work for a company that puts into their yearly prospectus how great they are doing on agressively managing cash by hounding their customers for payment, while at the same time stretching out their own payments until their vendors threaten to quit delivering product.

The CFO is given goals to meet in the execution of this plan with monetary rewards for meeting or exceeding plan.

The outright hypocracy of this escapes them of course. But in the Republican world view, this is smart business. It doesn't matter it is unethical.

Oh, and they typically only pay after 120 days and only then if you hound them. Assholes.

[Bouncy Ball]

8. I'm hounding them.

It's a 1-800 number. I'm calling TWICE a fucking day. I'm going to start yelling. I want my MONEY.

[Corgigal]

5. I've been waiting for my rebate check

from Sirius radio since Dec. It's only 40 bucks but hey they are getting paid their monthly charge and you would think they would process the damn thing by now.

[oneighty]

6. I have an MT house.

Nobody lives in it. The power company keeps billing me based on previous consumption. I over pay one month pay nothing the next month (When they read the meter). I ask why? Just the way it is Mr. 180.

180

[slackmaster]

7. Have you considered filing a lawsuit?

I don't know where you live or how small claims are handled, but here in California you could probably file in small claims court. That would get their attention. Nobody likes getting a judgement against them or paying for court costs when they lose.

[xmas74]

9. I have laways let them know that

I will report them to the Better Business Bureau-and then I do it.
I also make the threat of taking them to small claims court-for the $22 filing fee around here, it is more than worth it. And then they have to pay out more to send someone to go to court for them than it is worth-so they usually settle.

[Bouncy Ball]

11. Considering what you and slackmaster just said

I am going to look into that.

I'm calling them this afternoon and telling them they have until one week from today to MAIL my fucking check and then I'm filing in small claims court.

Very good idea, thanks. I think it's very affordable around here, too. And the company is based in Texas (different city).

The sad thing is, it's a very progressive company in terms of what they do. I just have some serious disagreements with their billing procedures (which was the reason I left them to begin with).

[fudge stripe cookays]

15. You don't even necessarily have to do it.

Just send em a letter, stating your case, and your terms (I want my money by ____ or else). Then cc a lawyer's name at the bottom.

It helps if you have a friend who IS a lawyer that will let you put their name down.

It scares the heck out of them.

I had a problem with a furniture company back in '92, did this, and the guy never bothered me again.

FSC :D

[xmas74]

16. Give your notice of intent

via certified mail and make a copy of the letter (good idea to take it to a notary public-about a $1.00 charge. Any bank, city office building or courthouse has one).
That way, someone has to sign for it and you will have a receipt stating that they have been notified of your intent. Date when you want the problem fixed-I usually state within ten days of receiving the letter. Then, after the 10 days are up, contact BBB and file the small claims case. A certified letter will run around $3.00.
Now you have plenty of info to take to court with you.

[slackmaster]

18. Put all of your intentions in writing

That has a much greater impact than a phone call, which can be easily ignored and "forgotten".

The sad thing is, it's a very progressive company in terms of what they do. I just have some serious disagreements with their billing procedures (which was the reason I left them to begin with).

Helping them become a better corporate citizen, then, is in everyone's best interests. Good luck to you!

[aden_nak]

12. So when they call, you keep putting them on hold.

Refer them to different departments and say things like, "We're checking on the possibility of a balance differential, but this may take some time. Your call is IMPORTANT to us, so please stay on the line."

But it's the same thing all around. When you get a credit card application, the return envelope comes with pre-paid postage. When you haev to PAY your credit card bill? Hah, I think not.

[Bouncy Ball]

14. The thing is, they would never call me.

They owe ME money.

[peekaloo]

13. Better Business Bureau

file a complaint letter. It worked for me when a Houston car dealership refused to refund my down payment.

[Bouncy Ball]

17. So guess what?

I called one department, got sent to another department, said I was looking into small claims court and they asked if they could have 24 hours to call me back, I said yeah sure, but if I don't hear from you in 24 hours, I'm filing.

They called me back an HOUR later and arranged to electronically put the money DIRECTLY into my checking account today.

So. They could do that ALL this fucking time and chose not to.

Assholes. But I got my money.

[ffm172]

19. finally

congrats :bounce:

[Bouncy Ball]

20. Thanks! I'm a very happy bouncy ball!

[slackmaster]

22. HOORAY!

:toast:

[Left Is Write]

23. Interesting.

I was actually wondering how that turned out.

You remember the Macy's story I told you, right?

[Bouncy Ball]

26. Yep, I had just thought of that!

[u4ic]

21. Glad you got your money

nothing like a little threat of legal action to get...action.

:thumbsup:

On a side note...the small business my SO works for owes $30k...yes, 30k...to the electricity company. They send them a letter threatening to cut them off once every few months; the owner pays a couple hundred bucks, and goes on his merry way, incurring more and more charges.

Yet after 1 month's non payment for us regular schmucks, they're ready to cut us off. :shrug:

[Speck Tater]

24. When they call asking for money...

just say "Please hold while I transfer you to the accounts payable department." Then set the reciver down next to a radio softly playing easy listening tunes and go out for a nice long walk, or go grocery shopping, or spend a few hours catching up on your chores.

[sbj405]

25. The worst: Doctors who make you pay your copay before they see you

as if that's not insulting enough. Do they think I'm going to run out after seeing the doc. Then when the insurance overpays, they take forever issuing the refund.