NationStates Jolt Archive

I just called my internet provider to get some definitive info on when I would have to terminate my contract with them should I want to change providers.

In the contractual information (you know, the "small print") they have online it says I need to send them a letter of cancellation 2 months before the contract would be renewed.

On the phone just now the guy confirmed this - except he didn't say I had to send the letter by then but they had to have processed the letter by then.

I started laughing, because, hello, excuse me? How am I supposed to know how long it takes them to process my letter? He said it "usually takes 3 or 4 days". Usually probably meaning as long as we feel like it and when Jenny from accounting hasn't called in sick.

I pointed out to him that their own legal contract agreement stated that it had to be sent 2 months before it would be renewed (or hell, I'd even give them that it had to arrive that day, meaning I'd have to send it a day earlier) and his answer was that they go by the date of their "Received" stamp - which they put on the letter once it has been processed.

Aaaaaaaaargggggggghhhh!!!!! :headbang:

Seriously, WTF?!

I was just laughing (a bitter, bitter laugh) through the whole phone call because it was so surreal. I told him I'd have to suggest to my boss that we do it like that in our office, too. Would come in real handy for all those pesky bills.

So anyway, I had to vent and I'm in the mood for more stories of outrageous business practices - so please, this is your chance, don't hold back.

Eh, I wanted to say something else....

I don't have the details, but it seems a lot like watching my brother trying to cancel his AOL highspeed connection. It took months. Most of the time it was, "I thought I cancelled you guys, why did I just get billed again?...No, I don't want to be credited for a free month, you said that last month and billed me anyway..." and so on, rinse repeat for months.

Eh, I wanted to say something else....Buh? You haven't said anything yet.
Except if you mean in the poll, which I wouldn't know because someone forgot to make it public like it should be. :headbang: <-- I really, really don't like this smiley but sometimes it's just appropriate.

I don't have the details, but it seems a lot like watching my brother trying to cancel his AOL highspeed connection. It took months. Most of the time it was, "I thought I cancelled you guys, why did I just get billed again?...No, I don't want to be credited for a free month, you said that last month and billed me anyway..." and so on, rinse repeat for months.Oh God, don't start with AOL. Years ago, in the dark ages before DSL and flatrates, when I was but an innocent internet beginner, I got suckered into one of their "30 days internet access for free" things that because of some incredibly should-be-illegal phrasing twist in the small print ended up not being free at all and taking me a couple months to get out of, even though I had read the damn thing like a dozen times and my reading comprehension is excellent. Grrrr.

Oh God, don't start with AOL.
Indeed

Infuriating Business Practice 1: Microsoft Corp.

Infuriating Business Practice 2: AOL

Well, i'll make a quick text-by aboot Halliburton moving to Dubai for Dubai-ous reasons. :rolleyes:

And, of course, the issue that my local phone provider thinks it's peachy to include something called a "non-call debit" charge for NOT using certain features in their package. F*ckers.

Buh? You haven't said anything yet.
Except if you mean in the poll, which I wouldn't know because someone forgot to make it public like it should be. :headbang: <-- I really, really don't like this smiley but sometimes it's just appropriate.

The poll is okay.:p

:fluffle:

Well, i'll make a quick text-by aboot Halliburton moving to Dubai for Dubai-ous reasons. :rolleyes:Oh boy, now I'm just hoping nobody actually thinks this thread is about actually important things or I'll be feeling all superficial.

:rolleyes:

And, of course, the issue that my local phone provider thinks it's peachy to include something called a "non-call debit" charge for NOT using certain features in their package. F*ckers.Heh, that's right up there in surrealism.

Oh boy, now I'm just hoping nobody actually thinks this thread is about actually important things or I'll be feeling all superficial.

:rolleyes:
$ spent, w/ or w/out consent. :(
Heh, that's right up there in surrealism.
Dada is dead

Watch your overcoat

And, of course, the issue that my local phone provider thinks it's peachy to include something called a "non-call debit" charge for NOT using certain features in their package. F*ckers.

That makes my head hurt.

Once at a hotel in Center City, at check-in, they made us sign an agreement that stated that we would not throw any parties in our room.

..

Those bastards.

..

We totally trashed that hotel room. :cool:

That makes my head hurt.

Made my arse hurt!

'Tis okay, i don't do business w/'em anymore. Moved out of that borough.
:)

it happens to me on occassion. Usually I get a supervisor and explain to them why their interpretation of the contract makes no sense and tell them what it means and how they will be honoring it. If they still bother me I say I'm basing it on my interpretation and we will be doing it that way, if they continue to bother me, we'll take it to court, and oh, by the way, I'm a lawyer.

It usually ends with that.

Over the weekend, I was cleaning up the company laptop by uninstalling all the included-ware that I never use. I removed MSN Messenger, not only because I don't use it, but because it annoys me with popup messages. Now, I can't access my email, because it says I have to have MSN Messenger installed to do so. :rolleyes:

My husband used to have a bank account at Bank of America, for years, I would get my paycheck, and deposit it in his account, sometimes he could sign it and I could deposit most of it and get some cash back. After a while I became a signer on the account, but my name wasn't on the checks (ie, my name was on the account, but not on the printed deposit slips) anyway, I got a check from a corporate entity that I just wanted to cash rather than deposit in the account, it was written from an account at Bank of America. They wouldn't cash it because I "didn't have an account with them" so then I explained that I did have an account with them, but it didn't matter if I did or not because the check was written on their bank. Then they said they could only cash it if I paid $5 because there was a fee due to the fact that I didn't have an account. I explained again that I did have an account, and that I wasn't going to pay $5 to cash a check written on their bank, because that is stupid. They explained again that I had to, because they do that to make sure it's not fraudulent and won't bounce because I didn't have an account...........:headbang: so, I said "I would like to close my account with you" and they sent me to the account rep. who closed the account and asked "is there a reason you won't be banking with us anymore?"
:rolleyes: I just took my money and left. They handed me the whole $4,782US that was in mine and my husband's account with no problem at all, but wouldn't cash my $70 check without $5 because I "didn't have an account with them and might be trying to commit fraud"

long story short, I don't bank there anymore, and in every single one of my businesses I won't accept checks from them anymore either, if you have a Bank of America account, you better pay cash.

I'm surprised no one has yet ventured forth the claim that ALL business practices are infuriating because evil capitalists selfishly and unfairly exploit the proletariat. And ruin the world.

I'm surprised no one has yet ventured forth the claim that ALL business practices are infuriating because evil capitalists selfishly and unfairly exploit the proletariat. And ruin the world.

that's not something you will hear from me ;)

Oh, my... To think of the angry customers I would have, how many complaints about infuriating business practices I would meet if I worked for a business.

Luckil, I work for the government, so nobody complains about our business practice :)

:p

My husband used to have a bank account at Bank of America, for years, I would get my paycheck, and deposit it in his account, sometimes he could sign it and I could deposit most of it and get some cash back. After a while I became a signer on the account, but my name wasn't on the checks (ie, my name was on the account, but not on the printed deposit slips) anyway, I got a check from a corporate entity that I just wanted to cash rather than deposit in the account, it was written from an account at Bank of America. They wouldn't cash it because I "didn't have an account with them" so then I explained that I did have an account with them, but it didn't matter if I did or not because the check was written on their bank. Then they said they could only cash it if I paid $5 because there was a fee due to the fact that I didn't have an account. I explained again that I did have an account, and that I wasn't going to pay $5 to cash a check written on their bank, because that is stupid. They explained again that I had to, because they do that to make sure it's not fraudulent and won't bounce because I didn't have an account...........:headbang: so, I said "I would like to close my account with you" and they sent me to the account rep. who closed the account and asked "is there a reason you won't be banking with us anymore?"
:rolleyes: I just took my money and left. They handed me the whole $4,782US that was in mine and my husband's account with no problem at all, but wouldn't cash my $70 check without $5 because I "didn't have an account with them and might be trying to commit fraud"

long story short, I don't bank there anymore, and in every single one of my businesses I won't accept checks from them anymore either, if you have a Bank of America account, you better pay cash.

Amadeo Giannini is rolling over in his grave.

Amazing how a bank for the working people becomes a bank screwing working people as soon as one guy dies.