This is a quick rant on ACT, Atria Convergence Technologies, which is my local cable TV and broadband internet provider. I had ACT install a fiber-optic connection for my broadband, which I referred to in another post. This was a couple of years ago, and on the whole, I am satisfied with the broadband experience. And, on the whole, I have been satisfied with their billing process, and not so much with the way they string wires all over the place(a thought: couldn't they have placed a wireless hub that serves a radius of 400 yards, which would eliminate wires pretty much in my entire "stage"? It does go against FTTH- fiber to the home- but with the data rates provided, does it really matter?). Anyhow, I usually get an e-mailed invoice from them around the 3rd or 4th of the month, with a due date of the 15th.
A little background on the billing: when I first got service, I had to pay a deposit(I forget how much it was), and then I was billed every month for the previous month's service. Sometime about a year ago, they changed the format, and started billing forward, which meant that one particular month I had to pay twice my normal bill. I was a little curious about that, since it seemed to me to be a reflection of one of two problems: either they were having trouble with customers paying their bills, or they were having a cash problem. I tend to think the latter, especially in light of what they are doing now.
Anyhow, back to the billing. After the e-mailed invoice, ACT sends you a text reminder every single day until the 15th, regardless of whether you have paid your bill or not. I find this extremely annoying. For one, link up the text blast program with the billing program, so that only people who have not paid get the reminder. Secondly, wait at least until the 12th to send out a reminder. My practice is to walk down to the local ACT office and pay in person, usually well before the due date, and if I am going to be out of the country, I pay in advance for that period. A few months ago, ACT sent me a text message saying they would charge 25 rupees for an in-person doorstep payment collection. Since that didn't apply to me, I ignored it. The next day, a girl calls me and asks when she should send someone around to collect the payment. I tell her that I always pay at the office, and would continue to do so. Then I get a bill which includes the 25 rupee "convenience charge". As a matter of principle, I don't like people charging me for services I don't use or get(like BBMP's storm drain cleaning or BWSSB's sewage maintenance or Airtel's "value-added services"), so I went and had that cleared up.
Then a few days ago, I start getting calls from ACT people reminding me that there is a 25 rupee "convenience charge" if the bill is not paid in person or electronically. I tell them, again, that I pay in person and in cash. Yesterday, I get a call from an ACT girl asking when the best time is to come and collect the payment. I repeat the previous conversation. This morning(a Sunday morning, no less), I get yet another call from an ACT person asking if I want to pay electronically or through a doorstep collection. By now, I'm getting upset, and I tell him that I don't want them calling me about this again. What is it with ACT and this persistence about collection in person? Do you need to hassle your customers for payment before the due date? Do you need this 25 rupees per customer, or are you just needling the customer? I'm pretty sure you don't need to get government approval to raise your rates, which you have done this past year, and it's better to do that than slap charges on your broadband customers for a service you provide for free to your cable TV customers, It's just bad business practice to aggravate your customers.
