Frazzled by the Electric

How do the truly elderly navigate bureaucracy? Recently I had an uncomfortable experience from checking an older relative's energy bill. Her gas and electricity come from one of our largest providers and back in August when I had conducted the same check, I submitted meter readings for her, naively thinking that her direct debit payments would be reduced because of the credit that had built up.

Now why ever would I think that an energy supplier might behave decently and do this, especially for somebody whom it has listed as a vulnerable person?

Yesterday it was apparent that instead not only had the direct debit payment been increased but the credit was now running into 4 figures and so far as I could see approximated a whole year's supply of energy. Not wanting to telephone, because I really can't stand those awful "Your call is important to us," messages as you hold for eternity, I decided to try the chat bot.

I succinctly explained that we were looking for a refund and a message popped up in quick response: "You are 426 in the line to be answered!" My inclination may have been to close the messaging service at that juncture but I held on and to give it due respect we moved up the line every few seconds until after some 15 minutes a customer adviser was available to chat.

She looked into the position. We provided up to date meter readings. Then she requested photographs as evidence (tell me what is the point of smart meters?). Of course that was not an easy ask in the dark and not something either the partially sighted or arthritic fingers of an elderly person could straightforwardly have complied with, had they ever been able to master a conversation with the chat bot itself.

Sorted on our part, she finally reverted to say she could reduce the direct debit. At the figure mentioned, however, it would easily have taken over 4 years to be repaid in full! I stuck to my guns and indicated we were looking for reimbursement for the overpayment. 

"Your customer adviser has left the conversation," was the response! It was 5pm and she had presumably left for the day.

A couple of minutes later (long enough for me to wonder whether I really had been cut off in mid-stream) a second adviser picked up the messages and we started from the beginning although I dug in my heels when he asked that we submit meter readings, telling him to reread the conversation he had claimed to have familiarised himself with. Then, having assured us he understood the issue and would resolve it, he asked, "Do you want a refund?"

Brilliant, I mused, thinking wasn't that the request that I opened the conversation with. Still at least it could be viewed as progress and I replied with a resounding "YES!"

"Are you sure?" he said.

"Is there any reason why I should not want to recoup the overpayment?" I asked.

"I am just checking," he replied!

Pulling teeth came to mind, especially when next he said he had to e-mail his manager for authority. Turned out that the advisers only have the power to set in motion repayments for up to £600. So there you have it, fleece the most vulnerable in society and then make it doubly difficult to secure repayment!

Apparently there should be an email in the next few days to confirm that the repayment is to be made. I believed there really wasn't much more I could say and so the conversation finished. Darn, worn down by the obfuscation and delay, for I'd then been online for more than an hour, I had overlooked asking for the level of the existing direct debit which appears to be more than 3 times what is required, to be reduced. 

Why do I feel a need for some kind of stress-busting coaching session before I try contacting the company again? Was this a deliberate ploy on its behalf? Hang onto the customer's money by making the process of seeking to reclaim what is rightfully theirs both tedious and protracted and avoid ever offering what they fully need to resolve the situation. Will an email and repayment arrive?

This stage of retirement is great but it is that older phase that concerns me. How easy is it going to be to retain the wherewithal to negotiate my way through the perplexity of big company administration and customercare services when they already leave me, a mere youngster still with all her faculties (I hope),  feeling frazzled?