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Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 4:42 pm
I am loving the voice automated over the phone bill paying. I do it with my cable bill, my electric bill but my water bill still asks for computer, tap input and not voice command.
BUT just today, after trying TWICE to get my big stubby fingers to get my crappy burner phone to follow my tap input, I gave up, and called my local utility and explained to them I need a human to process my bill. AND THANK THOR! If you really push them, and don't give up, there are ways to end up talking to a human being and not interacting with a computer.
If everything as far as bill pay were all voice prompt over the phone, I would be a happy camper. But when you have to tap numbers in manually with big stubby fingers, the program kicks you out.
So with my water bill today, I ended up calling my local utility, and complained that their automated system wouldn't take. SHE gave me an 800 number to bypass the computer crap, and I actually paid my water bill through passing on my info to a REAL HUMAN BEING.
I did thank the lady, but mentioned that if the autopay was voice command and not tap, I wouldn't need her services. But, she doesn't make the rules and that is the private bill pay service , local utility uses.
Out of all the bills I pay, I have feared, dealing with my water bill because it is tap and not voice. But now I have a number I can call and deal with a live human being.
Point being, promt bill paying sucks when you lack coordination and have stubby fingers. Voice command however, has come a long way. So until this utility gets voice command, I am sticking to in person over the phone paying.
I was so thrilled to know they had a person to person bill pay for my water bill.
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 5:00 pm
I have big hands; they aren't fat, just big boned. I use a stylus to punch in characters . Easy-peasy.
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 5:16 pm
Set up autopay, you savage.
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 5:27 pm
(This post was last modified: August 21, 2020 at 5:29 pm by BrianSoddingBoru4.)
(August 21, 2020 at 5:16 pm)The Grand Nudger Wrote: Set up autopay, you savage.
It’s been suggested to him, because he apparently has trouble remembering which bills he paid.
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 5:28 pm
Be careful what you wish for.
She wrote down your account/card numbers and got them out of the building in her cleavage.
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 5:38 pm
Their cheque is in the mail.....
....
If I had my way - we would still pay for things with gold and silver coins.....
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 6:00 pm
(August 21, 2020 at 5:00 pm)Fireball Wrote: I have big hands; they aren't fat, just big boned. I use a stylus to punch in characters . Easy-peasy.
Funny you should mention that. My cab driver had a pen with a rubber tip, worked like a charm when I tested it out. But she kept it of course because it was hers. But neither of us have been able to find that particular pen at our local dollar stores.
I love voice command, and most of the time it works. But just with this one bill, my water bill, it is tap command, and it sucks.
I am happy now regardless, because now my local utility gave me an 800 number to the same sub contracted company that took payments through real humans over the phone.
When you do tap commands, on a cell phone, it is not the same as punch dial with buttons. Back when I first moved to this address I have now, in my old house, I had a old land phone, push dial. Even then if I didn't enter fast enough it would reject my entry.
Lets face it, I grew up in an age of Atari and a joystick and one button. But even then, even back then, I sucked. Today's cell phones and video games are designed for octopi.
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 6:04 pm
(August 21, 2020 at 6:00 pm)Brian37 Wrote: (August 21, 2020 at 5:00 pm)Fireball Wrote: I have big hands; they aren't fat, just big boned. I use a stylus to punch in characters . Easy-peasy.
Funny you should mention that. My cab driver had a pen with a rubber tip, worked like a charm when I tested it out. But she kept it of course because it was hers. But neither of us have been able to find that particular pen at our local dollar stores.
I love voice command, and most of the time it works. But just with this one bill, my water bill, it is tap command, and it sucks.
I am happy now regardless, because now my local utility gave me an 800 number to the same sub contracted company that took payments through real humans over the phone.
When you do tap commands, on a cell phone, it is not the same as punch dial with buttons. Back when I first moved to this address I have now, in my old house, I had a old land phone, push dial. Even then if I didn't enter fast enough it would reject my entry.
Lets face it, I grew up in an age of Atari and a joystick and one button. But even then, even back then, I sucked. Today's cell phones and video games are designed for octopi.
Yet another reason to set up autopay. Just arrange with the payees to deduct your monthly bills from your bank account.
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 6:05 pm
I like to pay my bills in person when possible.
I like to see their discomfort as I glare at them.
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RE: Bill paying and automated vs real person on phone
August 21, 2020 at 6:10 pm
I get an email that says my bill needs to be paid. I go to the website and pay it using my laptop - like Valk, I want to see the bill, sometimes they contain important information like rate changes and billing errors.
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