Does anyone talk to each other?

[#1]

I had the task of phoning PN Customer Services earlier today as my sister recently died but I wanted to keep her phone line and broadband connection live till I remove her computer from her home and so I can check 1571 in case anyone has been trying to contact her. I was asked to give my Debit Card details for her subscription to be collected that way once her DD had been cancelled.
When I checked her email, I was surprised to find this message - 'username' is her name and not mine:
Your username: xxxx
Dear Miss xxxx,
Your Direct Debit mandate for your Home Phone service has been stopped,
we're not sure why, it's usually at the request of you, the customer, or
your bank.
You can change back to Direct Debit at any time -
http://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=direct_debit

Need help?
----------
Check out our Home Phone help
http://www.plus.net/support/phone/home_phone/

Got a question?
---------------
Instead of replying to this email, contact us using the Help Assistant -
http://{$isp_url}/wizard/

Kind regards,
Plusnet Customer Support
http://portal.plus.net
Email ref: E0296
--
Plusnet plc
Registered Office: Internet House, 2 Tenter Street, Sheffield, S1 4BY
Registered in England no: 3279013

[#2]

Mods, thinking about it, this might be better in the 'Your Feedback' Forum.
Main point is that I had told the CS person she'd died but an email was sent out addressed to her (CS person didn't ask for my email address, though I said I too was a PN customer).

[#3]

Hi Mad Moggies, We're sorry to hear about your loss.
If a direct debit is cancelled (unless its done by us) those e-mails are sent automatically. As we knew the DD was due to be cancelled we should have either warned you that this may happen and to ignore the message or cancel the DD for you (which I've now done) in favour of using the card details listed.
I'll keep a close eye on the account as prior to me cancelling the direct debit today, the notifications on the account tell me that the payment that's currently pending will fail anyway. So within a few days we should get notification of the direct debit failing, when we do I'll clear the outstanding balance using your card details.
Adam

[#4]

Thanks for your reply Adam. I actually thought the CS person I spoke to cancelled the DD when I rang rather than me.
BTW, there shouldn't be a pending payment as it's not due till 02 Nov 2010.
Aaargh! Just had an email now saying MY DD has been cancelled (my sister's obviously has been, and by yourselves following my phone call, as evidenced by the automatedemail). Have just been on the phone to sort this out with CS, who were unable to reinstate my DD and have had to set up a new one. Meanwhile, I HOPE my payment, due in the next few days, gets taken from my CCard and that there's no interruption to the service.
I thought it was perfectly clear in my first message that she lived in a different house and I didn't identify myself by username when I gave my debit card details, so there was no way to link the two accounts.

[#5]

Apologies,
That's a mistake I made on your account. I'm sorry to inconvenience you at a time like this.
Could you please reinstate a new direct debit so billing isn't interrupted this month and I'll keep a very close eye on your account to make sure your service is not disrupted.

[#6]

Yes, I did that immediately I saw your reply but doubt there's time for it to become active by the date the payment is to be taken. Got the notification today and it's due to be taken before the end of the month.

BTW, why do you think the pending payment on my account was showing as likely to fail when I had done nothing to it? There's no problem with my bank account - just checked to make sure.

[#7]

Hi Mad Moggies,

Quote

BTW, why do you think the pending payment on my account was showing as likely to fail when I had done nothing to it? There's no problem with my bank account - just checked to make sure.

It was a straight forward, honest mix up between the two accounts, I'm sorry.
Adam

[#8]

Checked my online banking account and see DD has been bounced back. There's a DD still showing to PN in my list but with no ref no, either old or new. Now awaiting the charge to appear on my credit card account, which it hadn't when I just looked!

[#9]

Any bounced payments from direct debit may not be reflected on our systems for a few days. I've just checked and there's nothing showing just yet. I'll keep checking regularly for you so I can prevent the account from being restricted in any way.

[#10]

I've now had the 'Failed Direct Debit' email, so do I just wait for the amount to be taken via my credit card (as it used to be before I changed to DD early in 2008) or is there anything I should do?
From what I can see, the new DD should be all set up before the end of this week anyway.

Ah! It's OK! I visited 'My Questions' and found a link to pay using my existing saved card details, so that's all done now and hope the new DD kicks in properly next month.

[#11]

Thanks for letting me know, we're not in any risk of getting your account restricted as such restrictions don't kick in until the 14th day after a payment has failed.
I'll check this again tomorrow for you as there is no indication of a failed payment showing on your account yet.

[#12]

I've just realised I've actually paid more than I should have this month. The amount I was asked to pay didn't include my referral discount and was more than the failed DD. Hope I'll get that back next month!

[#13]

You will do, I can confirm that (you'll get both months discounted from your next bill).

[#14]

Thanks, Matt. I'll keep an eye on it anyway.