FLOW getting on my nerves
THE EDITOR, Sir: I WISH to share with your readers my recent experiences with FLOW, made all the more distressing as I am a disabled octogenarian relying very much on my access to communication services provided by them.
a) In June of this year, I was contacted with an offer to have my telephone and Internet account, which FLOW had taken over from the previous provider, LIME, merged with the cable account I had with them. This was to be what they termed a ‘triple bundle’ service, and I was assured that my total bill would represent a saving on the amount paid for the two bills.
b) I accepted the offer, and in July, technicians came to make the necessary changes. In order to retain my long-standing telephone number, a specific request had to be made in person at the nearest FLOW office. The necessary transition proceeded with a few glitches, which were resolved by visits from technicians.
However, since the changeover, no voicemail service (which I have always had) has been available. The continued report is that this is an ongoing problem experienced by FLOW users outside of Jamaica as well.
c) Effective from August (it may even have been from July), my account from FLOW, which had previously been applicable to the cable service only, reflected the increased total, including telephone and Internet – which is as I expected. I also, however, continued to receive the bill for telephone and Internet with the account number as had been applicable from when LIME was the provider.
CORRECTION NOT COMPLETE
I called the FLOW offices and was assured that the necessary correction had not been completed and that I should ignore this, which I here refer to as the ‘LIME account number’ bill.
d) In September and again in October, the same thing happened. I received the expected FLOW bill for cable, telephone and Internet AND the ‘LIME bill’, which reflected the carryover total from the previous month’s bill. Each time, in response to my calls, I received apologies for the delay in the adjustment, but that I should continue to ignore the other (‘LIME’) bill. I have, of course, paid the FLOW bill, last due October 28 and maintain my record for always paying utility bills.
e) On November 16, I suddenly became aware that no calls were being received and callers were told that my number is “temporarily out of service”. On calling to protest, I am NOW advised by the FLOW representative that I am three months in arrears on the supposedly no-longer-current account and that, while apologetic about my understandable frustration, the only resolution to the situation will require my visiting a FLOW office.
This is is what I get for responding to FLOW’s proposal and seeking to keep in touch with them every step of the way – even including a call made while visiting New York. Anyway, the Liguanea branch office can expect a visit from a wheelchair-propelled customer, and trus’ me, de bredren bex! JOHN MAXWELL jmxwll@gmail.com