Xcel Energy is a very, VERY large company that provides electricity and natural gas for companies and private residences in Minnesota and several other states. Being so large, wouldn't you think that they'd 'get it right'? Not so. Like the other companies listed on my Website, they are so large that they really don't know what's going on. As a result, you and I, their customers, are negatively impacted by their incompetence. For example:
When we moved to Deltaville U.S.A. from Bentonville U.S.A., one of the first things I did was to call Xcel Energy and tell them that we now owned the house served by them and asked that they transfer the electrical and natural gas accounts out of the name of the builder. I also told them I had completed their 'on-line' request for installation of their 'SAVER SWITCH' service to be installed on our central air conditioning. They said they had NO RECORD of our requesting installation of their 'SAVER SWITCH' service and would schedule us for its' installation and transfer the accounts out of the builders name. But a month or so later when we got our first bill, we only received an electric bill. I then called Xcel Energy and asked 'what happened to our gas bill. They stated that the gas account was never transferred to us from the builder. When I inquired as to when they would be out to install our 'SAVER SWITCH' service, they stated that they AGAIN had NO RECORD of our requesting its' installation !! I was then told that they would transfer the gas service account out of the builders name and into ours. They also stated that they would schedule the 'SAVER SWITCH' service installation.
Our next bill reflected the fact that the gas service had been transferred to us but I thought that bill seemed to be high (OVER $65.00) for the month of April alone. And, the electric bill was OVER $70.00 !! I also again called Excel Energy and inquired as to the 'status' of the installation of our 'SAVER SWITCH' service. And again, I was told they had 'NO RECORD' of our requesting its' installation !! But I KNOW I talked to at LEAST one 'live' person as well as filling out their 'on-line' installation request form. Yet, because they are so huge, they can't keep track of the 'details'. Once again I was 'assured' that the 'SAVER SWITCH' service would be installed soon (they said the third application that they received was marked 'INSTALL A.S.A.P.') It is now May 23rd; more than two months after installation of their 'SAVER SWITCH' service was requested and it STILL isn't installed !!
Something else that you'll find interesting and attest to how inept Excel Energy is: On May 17, 2007 I received what looked like another bill from Excel Energy. Knowing that the 'reading date' for our gas and electric meters is the 6th of every month, I thought it odd that we'd be receiving a bill so soon. Closer inspection revealed that this 'bill' actually showed a credit due us in the amount of $69.98 !! So, I called Excel Energy and asked what this was all about. The lady I spoke with said that Excel Energy 'had made a mistake' in calculating the charges on our accounts with them and that they (not surprisingly) 'overcharged' us. She stated that we had a credit of about $106.00 due us. The 'bill' we received showed a credit of only $69.98.
Why the difference you ask? Don't. I didn't. I'll just wait until I get next months bill. Assuming its' not been put back in the name of, and sent to, the builder.
JUNE 6, 2007 UPDATE - Got a call yesterday from the electrical contractor that Xcel Energy uses to install their 'SAVER SWITCH'. They stated that they were calling to make an 'appointment' to come out and install our 'SAVER SWITCH'. I asked them when they would be here and they stated "Either the week of June 14th or the week of June 21st." Ever heard of ANY company setting up an 'appointment' that could span a TWO WEEK PERIOD ? What does the word 'appointment' mean to you? To me, 'appointment' means a specific date, time and place !!
I also explained to whoever I was talking to that I had ordered installation of our 'SAVER SWITCH' LAST MARCH; THREE MONTHS AGO !! They stated that the 'order' to install our 'SAVER SWITCH' that they received from Xcel Energy was dated May 15th. And here's something else you'll find interesting.
When one of their customers has the 'SAVER SWITCH' installed on their central air conditioning compressor, Excel Energy gives that customer a 15% discount on all of their electrical consumption during the months of June, July, August and September. But even though a 'SAVER SWITCH' is ordered before those four 'summer' months', you can't get the 15% discount if the switch isn't installed. Which means that if the middle and end of June is really hot and we have to use the A/C allot to keep our home cool, we won't get the 15% discount. And GUESS who benefits? Excel Energy!! By charging us the 'regular rate' for their electricity instead of the 'discounted rate'.
You'll certainly want to check back and see how this whole fiasco turns out. STAY TUNED !!
JUNE 14, 2007 UPDATE - Got the most recent electric and natural gas bills from Xcel Energy. Because we have BOTH their electric AND natural gas service, doesn't it seem logical that we'd just get two bills? Think again ! We received THREE BILLS in the SAME ENVELOPE instructing us to send them $26.68 for last months gas usage (in the summer?), $63.39 for our electricity usage last month and their third bill instructed us to send them yet another $20.30. That comes out to $110.37 for gas and electrical usage. In June. Can't wait to see July and Augusts bills !!
I called Xcel Energy and inquired about why we got THREE bills for just TWO of their services. The 'Customer Disservice' representative I spoke with was apparently having a 'bad day' but I was finally able to drag out of him that the bill for $20.30 was what we REALLY owed them because of the credit that we had coming from last month because they incorrectly billed us. (Plus how many other of their customers.) One bill (two at the most) would have been sufficient; he didn't have an explanation as to why we got three asking us to pay money we didn't owe. Where's the Excedrin??
JUNE 20, 2007 - While cutting the grass last Friday, I noticed that the 'SAVER SWITCH' has now been installed. More than THREE MONTHS after requesting it !!
SEPTEMBER 7, 2007 UPDATE - Ever since the 'SAVER SWITCH' was installed, I have been trying to get Xcel Energy to understand that it was THEIR fault that it wasn't installed by June 1st; not ours. We ordered installation of the 'SAVER SWITCH' during the first part of March 2007 after we bought our new house. But Xcel Energy, like other huge conglomerates, is 'too big' to keep track of what's going on and they 'stated that they NEVER received our request to have the 'Saver Switch' installed. Never mind the fact that we 1) Applied for it on-line and 2) Called after a month or so asking when it would be installed (they had no record of our installation request) and then 3 & 4) Called a couple of more times after that wondering why it hadn't been installed.
While this may seem 'trivial' to you (and well it might be), there's a 'principal' involved here. If a company, regardless who they are or how big or how small they are, advertises a product or service, it only makes sense that an ample 'supply' of that product or service be available to meet the demands of the consumers or potential consumers. The number of 'SAVER SWITCH' installers required to meet the demand for the installation of the 'SAVER SWITCH' fell far short of what it should have been. Hence, people like us didn't get it installed by June 1st. Not having it installed at the beginning of the four month (June, July, August & September) summer period, meant that we wouldn't be eligible for the 15% discount on our electric bill for that (those) month(s) that it wasn't installed for the full month.
We're not talking about a huge amount of money here; we're talking about principal. Realistically, the amount of dollars and cents is only about $18.00. But again, it's the 'principal'.
I made numerous calls to Xcel Energy explaining to them that it wasn't our fault that they didn't have the 'SAVER SWITCH' installed before June 1st; we ordered it during the early part of March and made follow-up telephone calls trying to get it installed. Because Xcel Energy 'dropped the ball', we didn't get our 15% discount on our electric bill for June. Xcel Energy shouldn't make their problem OUR problem, but that's exactly what they did.
Several telephone calls during the next few weeks were met with an unwillingness of Xcel Energy to issue a credit of 15% of our electric bill. True; I DID speak with one Xcel Energy employee and explained our 'dilemma' to him and he was somewhat sympathetic and understanding. Imagine my surprise when he told me that he would "See what I can do; it isn't your fault." That was the last I ever heard from him. In the meantime, we received our June electric bill in July and there was not 15% discount shown. However, the bill received in August for electrical usage in July, DID show the 15% 'SAVER SWITCH' discount. And, presumably, the electric bill that we get this month for last months electrical usage, as well as the bill we receive in October for September's electrical usage will all reflect the 15% discount.
But what about the 15% discount that we never received in July for our June electrical usage. Like I said, there's a 'principal' involved here. It was evident that no one from Xcel Energy could 'give a rip' about our 'problem' . Finally, last Tuesday, I decided that this simply isn't fair, to us or to any other of Xcel Energy's customers. I can't dictate what others in a similar situation should do, but this has gone far enough.
I called the Customer Service number for Xcel Energy and after going through the 'electronic maze' just to be able to speak with a (hopefully) living, breathing and warm human being, my call was answered by that type of person described. I didn't even bother to try to explain my 'problem' (again) to them, instead; I asked to be connected to the President, CEO or whoever or whatever Xcel Energy employee is paid the highest salary. I further went on to state that I had been trying to resolve our 'issue' with Xcel Energy since last March and am 'getting nowhere' going from the 'bottom up'; now I'm going to 'attack' my 'problem' from the 'top down'.
This totally befuddled there Xcel Energy Customer Service Employee that I was talking to but it resulted in me getting a local telephone number for Xcel Energy's 'corporate' office in Minneapolis. BINGO!! I just found out how to 'get to where I wanted to go'.
I called the number I was given and again encountered the 'electronic maze of telephonics' that we all hate. But, I persevered and continued pressing "0" until I received another real, living, breathing and warm human being. Her name was Wendy Jaede and while she wasn't one of Xcel Energy's highest paid executives, she seemed interested enough to listen to my 'problem' with her company. Even more, she seemed sincerely concerned enough to get my 'issue' with her company resolved. WHAT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR SHE WAS !!
Wendy listened to my 'story' from beginning to end, learned exactly what my 'issue' was and what I thought would be the 'right thing' for her company to do. She assured me that she would 'get back to me' in the next day or two after doing some 'checking'.
Sure as heck and right as rain, Wendy called me back yesterday, as she said she would, and stated that my 'issue' was a valid 'issue' and that Xcel Energy was issuing me a credit for seventeen dollars and some change as our 'SAVER SWITCH' discount for the entire month of June. That's all we ever wanted, I can't begin to tell you how many people from Xcel Energy that I've spoken with to try and get the 'problem' resolved. And it only took SIX MONTHS to resolve our 'problem' !!
I should have called Wendy Jaede months ago and eliminated all of this nonsense. She's a 'customer service oriented person' and an excellent example of what good Customer Service is all about. Excel Energy is fortunate to have her as employee; allot of their other employees could learn volumes from her.
By the way, if you encounter a 'problem' with Xcel Energy that you can't get resolved to your satisfaction through their 'normal channels' call Wendy Jaede. Her telephone number is (651) 639-4513.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2007 UPDATE - We received our Xcel Energy bill today and just as she promised, there was the June 'SAVER SWITCH' credit.
FROM THE DELTA DICK SHOW WEBPAGE.............
A COMPANY SO BIG,
THE RIGHT HAND DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE LEFT HAND IS DOING
February 4, 2009
Yesterday was the day that our gas and electric bill was due to Xcel Energy. I called their Customer Service Department yesterday and made a 'check by phone' payment to them. I assumed that would take care of everything. Well, as you may now have guessed by now, Xcel Energy had no record of the payment being made yesterday and this morning, we received the 'automated' telephone call from them stating that our account was past due.
It isn't.
Secondly, when I went through the 'maze' of voice commands included in this demeaning, automated telephone call that we received this morning in a (vain) attempt to speak with a live person instead of a machine, I was 'cut off'. (But not before I was told to "Press 1" to pay your bill.)
I then called the toll free number back that appeared on my Caller ID. My call was answered by someone who identified himself as 'Joe Strictland' and he started off the conversation by telling me that our gas and electric bill of $316.99 was past due.
It isn't.
He then asked if we had recently made a payment that hadn't posted yet.
We did. Yesterday. (I don't run their billing department; don't ask ME why the payment wasn't posted' !!)
He replied that the payment must not have 'posted' yet. Xcel Energy is suddenly making THEIR problem, OUR problem !! Xcel Energy needs to get it's fact 'straight', FIRST, before making their demeaning, impersonal and inappropriate (automated) telephone calls to their customers !
Mr. Strictland then tried to 'redeem' his company's unwarranted collection efforts by stating 'Maybe it's because of the economy.' He further stated that it is Xcel Energy's 'policy' to call it's customers every three days until the bill is paid. That, to me, seems a little bit excessive. (And, at NO TIME during our conversation, were we ever offered to set up a 'payment arrangement'.)
If it's Xcel Energy's 'policy' to call their customers every three days until the bill is paid, why did they call us today? This is only the FIRST day since the due date of our bill !
Xcel Energy's telephone call to us today was harassment; pure, plain and simple and was made especially more egregious by the fact that their company is making these threats and demands based on incorrect information and/or information that their employees don't have.
For Xcel Energy to generate an automated telephone call to us telling us that our account is past due, WHEN IT ISN'T, is 'bad business'. Then, to make matters even worse, I got 'cut off' from this automated 'dunning' telephone call and when I called their company back, I'm met with someone who doesn't have his facts correct and tried to blame Xcel Energy's insolence on the 'economy' !
Xcel Energy STILL has miles and miles to travel to bring it's customer service, in this area alone, up to an acceptable level. To prevent this type of reprehensible action against us in the future by Xcel Energy, the toll free telephone number from which this inappropriate, computer generated call originated, has now been blocked from being received by our telephone number.
I've asked Xcel Energy to (please) give this matter their prompt attention and to initiate whatever steps are necessary to ensure that we, or any of their other customers, don't have to encounter this type of irresponsible comportment and harassment in the future.
From their 'sloppiness', it makes one think they might be owned by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. (See below.)
Stay tuned to see Xcel Energy's (who will also be receiving a DELTA DICK DOOR KNOB AWARD) response. And for more information about Xcel Energy, CLICK HERE !!
