

How Not to do Online Utility Billing - mocko
http://mocko.org.uk/b/2011/02/06/edf-energy-how-not-to-do-online-billing/

======
d_r
Not to put down people's hard work, but I am yet to encounter a utility
company website that has any sort of sensible usability. Multi-digit pin
number login names, split into little textboxes, that are frustrating to
enter? Check. Only 4-digit passwords? Check. Emails me a PDF attachment that
just asks me to go to their website? Check.

Each time I move (and get a new utility co), new surprises await. My latest
utility company apparently uses a slew of Gmail accounts to massmail the
statements. Sigh.

Screenshot: [http://dennis.posterous.com/why-are-utility-company-
websites...](http://dennis.posterous.com/why-are-utility-company-websites-
always-this)

~~~
trop
Though it's no reason to move to Pennsylvania, PPL Electric there adopted a
stunningly usable online billing system a few years ago. No idea how that
happened, and as I don't live in NE Penn. I can't provide a screenshot.

Ironically (for the original poster), PPL's owner operates a UK utility.

------
slavak
I particularly enjoyed the first line: "the internet is inherently
insecure..."

Okay, joke's over, everyone pack up and go home. Last one please turn off the
lights...

Alternatively, this could be some kind of philosophical comment on the
futility of life. "The world is inherently unsafe. The only certainty is in
uncertainty."

------
jedsmith
I always wonder what bit is twiddled on my account when a provider can't
access it. It's happened to me countless times.

 _Oh, our integration code doesn't account for you not having a middle
initial. Please call customer service to complete registration so our agent
can push Submit instead._

Or Comcast automatically picking an @comcast.net e-mail for you, then not
letting you sign up for online bill pay because their systems aren't
integrated. I've gone through at least three iterations of "account" with
Comcast.

------
antihero
As to the disclaimer, I think it's fighting back at the fact that many people
(rightfully) refuse to talk over the phone because there's no paper trail, but
companies are scared of actually being held to account for what their
employees agree to.

If I were ever to have a remotely contentious situation with a company, I'd do
it in writing, and if I absolutely had to do it by phone, I'd record the call.

~~~
pavel_lishin
> if I absolutely had to do it by phone, I'd record the call.

This may not be legal everywhere.

~~~
mgkimsal
They record all of my calls by starting off the call saying "this may be
monitored for quality assurance". I'm thinking of having all my outbound calls
start with the same message, and recording them all. If someone doesn't want
to be monitored, they can choose to deal with me only in writing then.

~~~
JonnieCache
_> I'm thinking of having all my outbound calls start with the same message_

Good luck with that.

~~~
mgkimsal
Wouldn't be that hard with Twilio, though it would add some considerable
expense for longer calls.

------
klbarry
Con Edison and Time Warner in NYC both have fairly usable and quick services.

