More Pepco
Dear Western Union:
I have a complaint. A big complaint.
I recently used your bill payment service to pay my Pepco (local electric utility) bill in Maryland. Due to banking problems, Pepco considers me a 'cash only' account, and will not accept my checks or credit cards. But when I called Pepco's automated bill pay phone number, it gave me the option to pay my bill through Western Union for an additional fee of $1.45. That fee was completely reasonable. The service was awesome - it saved me from having to take time off of work to go to Pepco's office and pay in person. Thank you very much. You guys rock.
So why am I complaining? I'm complaining because before I stumbled upon this service, I made three trips to Pepco's Rockville office to pay my bill in person. Their hours are 10AM to 4PM, so I had to take off of work to go. I can't really afford to take off from work, and I called Pepco at least three times, and had three long conversations with their agents about alternate payment plans. I also signed up for an account on their website and searched for other payment options. Nowhere was your service mentioned. I didn't see it on the website, I didn't hear about it from their agents, and I didn't see any signs in their office. Pepco should advertise broadly for your service. People like me with bank problems tend to have jobs that you can't leave for a few hours to pay bills.
So why am I complaining to you instead of Pepco? Because Pepco doesn't care about my complaint.
Western Union, on the other hand, should care. Every Pepco customer that has to skip their lunch break or beg for time off of work just to pay their bill in person should instead be using your service. Most of them would be using your service. In many cases, it is an economic hardship for them NOT to use your service.
I am going to call my congressman about this, because Pepco is causing undue hardship on those Maryland residents that have 'cash only' status at Pepco. Many 'cash only' status customers are poor and may have to take a full day off to reach Pepco if they rely on mass transit. By not telling these customers about your service, Pepco could be putting these customers' jobs at risk.
My congressman is John Delaney, 6th District. (202) 225-2721
The Pepco office is in the 8th District, served by Chris van Hollen. (202) 225-5341
I'm encouraging Western Union to call them as well, and insist that they make Pepco do a better job of announcing your service. You have a legitimate claim that you'd be protecting Maryland jobs by doing so.
Thank you,
-Ian Broverman
I have a complaint. A big complaint.
I recently used your bill payment service to pay my Pepco (local electric utility) bill in Maryland. Due to banking problems, Pepco considers me a 'cash only' account, and will not accept my checks or credit cards. But when I called Pepco's automated bill pay phone number, it gave me the option to pay my bill through Western Union for an additional fee of $1.45. That fee was completely reasonable. The service was awesome - it saved me from having to take time off of work to go to Pepco's office and pay in person. Thank you very much. You guys rock.
So why am I complaining? I'm complaining because before I stumbled upon this service, I made three trips to Pepco's Rockville office to pay my bill in person. Their hours are 10AM to 4PM, so I had to take off of work to go. I can't really afford to take off from work, and I called Pepco at least three times, and had three long conversations with their agents about alternate payment plans. I also signed up for an account on their website and searched for other payment options. Nowhere was your service mentioned. I didn't see it on the website, I didn't hear about it from their agents, and I didn't see any signs in their office. Pepco should advertise broadly for your service. People like me with bank problems tend to have jobs that you can't leave for a few hours to pay bills.
So why am I complaining to you instead of Pepco? Because Pepco doesn't care about my complaint.
Western Union, on the other hand, should care. Every Pepco customer that has to skip their lunch break or beg for time off of work just to pay their bill in person should instead be using your service. Most of them would be using your service. In many cases, it is an economic hardship for them NOT to use your service.
I am going to call my congressman about this, because Pepco is causing undue hardship on those Maryland residents that have 'cash only' status at Pepco. Many 'cash only' status customers are poor and may have to take a full day off to reach Pepco if they rely on mass transit. By not telling these customers about your service, Pepco could be putting these customers' jobs at risk.
My congressman is John Delaney, 6th District. (202) 225-2721
The Pepco office is in the 8th District, served by Chris van Hollen. (202) 225-5341
I'm encouraging Western Union to call them as well, and insist that they make Pepco do a better job of announcing your service. You have a legitimate claim that you'd be protecting Maryland jobs by doing so.
Thank you,
-Ian Broverman