something wrong with your billing dept.?

General discussions and other topics.
8 posts Page 1 of 1
by michael » Mon Jul 18, 2022 8:19 am
I e-mailed them last Tuesday, telling them how much to charge to my debit card. Five days later, three business days, no response, but I get a past-due notice instead threatening to cut off service.

I know I can call them, but I thought that e-mail would let them work more efficiently. Instead it seems like e-mail is ignored.
Sonic customer since 2003
by dane » Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:19 am
Sorry you haven’t gotten a reply. They generally respond within 24 hours. Note they can’t take an updated card via email — please don’t email credit/debit card numbers.

That said, they can’t charge a specific amount, it would be whatever the next month’s charge is. Easier than calling, you also can update the card to be charged at any time you need to, in the Billing section of the Member Tools, at https://members.sonic.net/.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by michael » Mon Jul 18, 2022 10:13 am
dane wrote:They generally respond within 24 hours.
Yeah, that's generally been my experience. Sometimes it has taken five days. Basically I was just asking if something unusual is going on.

It's also a negative experience to be threatened with cutoff while I'm the one waiting on the company.
Note they can’t take an updated card via email
That's not the issue. I use a pre-paid debit card that has balance left on it.
they can’t charge a specific amount
They can. They have. Via an e-mail request, even. It's their policy to allow a less-than-full-month payment once every six months.
Sonic customer since 2003
by dane » Mon Jul 18, 2022 10:38 am
Can you not just input the debit card into the member tool interface? That's what the billing rep would do, but you could avoid the call or email.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by michael » Mon Jul 18, 2022 1:38 pm
dane wrote:Can you not just input the debit card into the member tool interface? That's what the billing rep would do
Not sure what "member tool interface" you think exists. There's an "Update or Replace Card" link at https://members.sonic.net/account/billing/options/, but that's for changing the card. And yes, I'll use that later, after the rep pulls the rest of the money off my old card.

I wish that there were an interface that allowed me to execute a partial payment, but that's only available to the reps, apparently.
Sonic customer since 2003
by dane » Mon Jul 18, 2022 3:50 pm
So you've got a debit card with a small fractional amount of dollars and you want to have Sonic clear it out? That's a use case I don't think we've thought much about. And then you change to a new card for the ongoing payment? Can you give a bit more info about why you're doing your payments this way?

I think our general assumption is that folks will use a debit, credit, ACH or even a prepaid card that they reload, but always use a single card for a full month's payment. The interface lets folks change the card used when they need to - but doesn't provide any functionality for partial transactions.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by michael » Mon Jul 18, 2022 4:31 pm
dane wrote:So you've got a debit card with a small fractional amount of dollars and you want to have Sonic clear it out?
Yes. Pre-paid debit card, specifically, which one can only load up to $500 and is not reloadable.The only reason for the card was to pay Sonic.
That's a use case I don't think we've thought much about.
Well you do have a process for partial payments, though it seems like it isn't exercised often. IDK why that process exists if not for this.
And then you change to a new card for the ongoing payment?
Yes.
Can you give a bit more info about why you're doing your payments this way?
I used to pay by money order, but you stopped accepting that. (IDK why that would be an issue for long-time customers. Check fraud doesn't seem likely in that case.) So this was the only option left that offers privacy and limited financial exposure.

Did you analyze the length of the customer relationship vs. the likelihood to commit check fraud, before you set that one-size-fits-all policy?
I think our general assumption is that folks will use a debit, credit, ACH or even a prepaid card that they reload
Yeah. I wonder why. Other utilities are more flexible in what they accept. PG&E still takes money orders.
Sonic customer since 2003
by michael » Tue Jul 19, 2022 12:04 pm
I called in today to sort it out. Was told that they've been short-staffed for the last six months, so e-mail response has been slow, will be staffing up soon.
Sonic customer since 2003
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