My account number

Today I had a run into the MOST STUPID action of TIME WARNER ever, that they are plenty!!!!

I needed my account number to pay my bill. I was in the office and I could not get through the automated billing service without the account number. I acted like a civilized man who lives in a civilized culture and called Customer Service. The girl needed my account number to give me my account number. I explained to her how STUPID this is, and she said this is the regulations. I begged, pleaded, asked, yelled, and no way, she needed my account number to give me my account number. I asked if she understands modern-days' logic, and she said yes, but she needed my account number to give me my account number because it is the regulations. I told her that this in not National Lampoon and she can ask me any question, such as date of birth, address, or any other information, and she said that she needs my account number to give me my account number because it is the regulations. I tried telling her that in non-civilized cultures humans and close-to-humans would have mire brains than that, I need my account number so I can pay my bill. She said that she needs my account number to give me my account number because it is the regulations. I asked her how does TIME WARNER hire people? How do they make these regulations? If people need their account numbers they should get them. Customer service basics says so. She said that she needs my account number to give me my account number because it is the regulations. I asked her to take a break, walk around the block, smoke a cigarette (or a joint as it so happened with the guy who writes regulations for TIME WARNER), so she can relax, then it might dawn on her: If I had the account number there would be no need for me to ask for it. She said that she needs my account number to give me my account number because it is the regulations. I asked to speak t a supervisor, she said she needs the account number so I could speak to a supervisor. I asked if she would be kind enough to mail me the bill (my bills stopped coming in the mail). She said she needs the account number to start mailing me the bills. I said How would I know the account number if you are not mailing it to me. She said she needs my account number so she can verify why the bills are not coming to me. And finally she said she will talk to a supervisor. She put me on hold listening to ugly stupid ads about how WONDERFUL service is at TIME WARNER for a while. She came back, apologized for the wait, and said (Ready for this???) that she needs my account number to give me my account number because it is the regulations.

POST A COMMENTCK(12/13/2008)
Sounds like her little brain is stuck in a program loop and needs to be rebooted!

Sorry but I would have gotten her name/enployee number (probably need your account number for that as well), hung up and called again to get someone else!

Sympathetic reader(12/15/2008)
Cut and paste this post. Send it online to www.timewarnercable.com. Tell them how you will disconnect your service. They will find you.

SouthernProgrammer(12/15/2008)
I disagree and I can speak from the viewpoint of someone who RECENTLY had his credit card hijacked and had over $1500 worth of bogus charges run up.

The person taking the call was probably under STRICT orders not to deal with anyone without an account number.

Why?

It is possible someone could call with enough information (except account number) to say "I am Jane Doe" and then ask "Oh yeah, what card number did I use last time?"

I also called Time Warner a few months ago and asked them to reset my password for my WEBEMAIL and they also refused even though I could give the same info.

It was maddening but after getting my credit card hijacked, I am glad they are that strict.

HaveADamnNiceDay(12/15/2008)
Gosh SP! That sucks! I can see how you appreciate the need for sensitive information. I hope this doesn't eat into your christmas!

SouthernProgrammer(12/15/2008)
HAD - Fortunately I don't have to pay for the bogus charges since I caught it but what is annoying is I have to go through several sheets of paperwork checking off charges as "bogus or real".

It is interesting how this worked, apparently there were a few "1 Dollar" charges on a bill from a few months ago that I overlooked.

That is how "they" start, they test you by charging a measly dollar to see if you catch it and then start charging larger dollar items.

Apparently, this person got greedy and charged $100 items which set off alarms.

Fortunately no more damage was done as it was caught early.

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