IT, Websites and Geeks

Today, upon logging into email, the provider managed to screw up our method of accessing our account. Finally after about 7 minutes, I logged in to find a utility bill due. Since I had been out of town I wanted to pay the bill immediately. Logging into the utility web site to pay I my bill, I was told via the program my account payment was declined. Knowing full well money was in the account it took me a minute before I realized the debit card had been canceled due to a breach of my bank's data base. Attempting to change the account number via the company's web site denied the transaction. This meant more time to log into email...again, several minutes go by, finally I research the utility company via google, find their customer service phone number, and then attempt to call and report the issue. After listening to the VRU unit and not having a way to contact customer service. I went to the corporate site. Just a little insert here; thanks so much corporate America for providing me with great blog information. But I do not thank you for wasting an hour of my time this June 15th, between email and on-line payments. Some corporations must be taking lessons from doctor's offices.
Anyway, when I finally reached the utility company's customer service, Ms. Poole was a very sweet and very helpfulperson. But the VRU, the websites, and the providers are idiots when it comes to customer loyalty and being sensitive to a customer's mind reading capability. After 27 years in the field of technology, I believe I know good applications when I experience them. Corporated America, "you are not being smart by not having someone and I do not mean the geeks in IT, looking at the application and beta testing is to make the site user friendly." We may not have alternatives to utilities or some utilities, but respecting for customers time will go far.