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Automatic billing/renewal experiences - 6/15/2015 10:12:15 AM

sloguy02246

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Most providers of continuous services (e.g., utilities) offer the option for automatic (or "paperless") billing. Typically, this requires the customer to provide a credit card, debit card, or checking account number which the service provider bills each month for the service. Notification to the customer of each monthly (or bi-monthly, or quarterly, or whatever) charge is accomplished by email notice from the utility.

Of all my utility providers, AT & T is the most constant at hounding me every month to switch to paperless billing and uses environmental concerns as its pitch line (my switching to paperless will, according to AT & T, save entire forests of trees).
However, at no time do they ever tell me that doing so will also save them lots of money (no paper bill to calculate, mail, and then wait for the return mail with my payment check, which they must receive, open, process, etc.)
Maybe if they offered to give me a credit on my account each month for enrolling in automated billing....?

My only past experience with an automatic billing situation was not good. It took three phone calls and discussions with two supervisors to obtain a credit for a service I had cancelled more than two months before the recurring charge hit my credit card account.
That one experience has created a strong aversion to giving any company one of my credit card or bank account numbers ever again.

I realize that this subject will most likely elicit many similar "horror" stories, but I also wonder if some of you have had good experiences with automatic billing for one or more of your accounts.

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RE: Automatic billing/renewal experiences - 6/15/2015 10:55:48 AM

InHisHeart

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Many of my bills are automatically deducted from my checking, the bills that aren't automatic I pay on-line. It's quick, convenient and easy. I can't remember the last time I wrote out a check. I've been doing it this way for a long time, never had a problem with it and never had a problem when cancelling a membership fee that was automatically deducted.

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RE: Automatic billing/renewal experiences - 6/15/2015 11:12:38 AM

WinsomeDefiance

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The only bills I have, these days, that are auto-paid are my fitness membership and Netflix.
My fitness membership because I self sabotage enough that if I had to remember to pay it I wouldn't bother.

ETA: I electronically pay for everything else. I haven't written a check for any bills in ages.
I hate having checks out and having to keep up with when they clear. I like paying electronically so I know exactly when things are paid and how much I actually have in my acct.

< Message edited by WinsomeDefiance -- 6/15/2015 11:26:19 AM >

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RE: Automatic billing/renewal experiences - 6/15/2015 3:41:40 PM

MercTech

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Paperless billing and automatic payment are two different animals. But, AT&T will push you to automatic billing instead of paperless billing all the time.

I do paperless billing for most bills. I get an email my bill is ready. I check the bill for errors on their website, download a copy for my records, and pay the bill if there are no errors. But, I never, ever, give them permission to debit one of my accounts automatically. I learned that lesson from Verizon a long time ago. Cleaning out my checking account and billing me for four hour conversations with Costa Rica that were never made did not leave me looking at them favorably..

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RE: Automatic billing/renewal experiences - 6/15/2015 4:25:54 PM

Kaliko

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Paperless payments, yes. Automatic billing? Only when I'm forced to. I've never had a bad experience with it, that I can think of. I just don't like it.

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RE: Automatic billing/renewal experiences - 6/15/2015 4:33:02 PM

Casteele

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From: Near Sacramento, California, USA
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FR

As another pointed out, paperless billing and automatic payment are generally two very different things. But I can agree that companies which push paperless/automatic on you should offer you discount as an incentive.. if they're saving money, why aren't they passing on a portion of those savings on to you?

For the most part, I've not had any troubles with paperless billing. I've had a few problems with automatic payments, however, and avoid it like the plague.. not because of the problems, but simply because I lose control of when and how it gets paid. But I also have multiple bank accounts and cards, and switch which one I use to pay a particular bill for that month, depending on when it's due, which account has the money needed, etc. It also makes sure I don't "forget" a bill was due to get paid, and accidentally overdraft myself.

If you have the option to go paperless WITHOUT it also becoming automatic payment, go for it. For automatic payment, I think that should be something you have to decide for yourself if it's a good fit for you, your lifestyle, how you manage your money, etc.

C.

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RE: Automatic billing/renewal experiences - 6/15/2015 11:08:05 PM

ShaharThorne

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Mom has some bills that are automatically deducted from her checking account. I help her out by going to these sites, going ahead and paying them off early. She prefers getting the regular mailed bill so I can write on it what day I paid them for her bookkeeping system.

I have a few accounts that are deducted from my checking account (Medicare part D, life insurance policies, dental, internet). I also have a Paypal account hooked up to my checking account for when I have to pay off Ebay or when I buy something on there (currently getting books or clothing). I have gone paperless and only get my monthly bank statements (I get daily updates from the bank in my email account). I enjoy going paperless because my desk is already cluttered up.

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