Stop Placed on Panda account

eldamo · 10-05-2022 11:34am #1

I never chose to be a panda customer, they just happened to take over the company that the previous resident of my house used when I moved in in 2009.

Up to now they service has just trundled along in the background as one would hope. But today I went to pick up my recycling bin from the curb and it was still full, and all of the neighbors bins were in already.

So, I opened their app to check for contact details and can see a red STOP notification at the top of it. So I look through and I see a notification on my app from 26/04 saying that my bill is due, a reminder on 03/05 saying the balance is now overdue.

So, since the last quarterly payment I have gotten a new phone. Did the android transfer jobby, it transferred over all of my old apps and accounts. But it didn't turn on notifications for this app.

So am I unreasonable to say that they should have tried to have a human contact me at some point before putting a stop on my account? I have been with specifically them since about 2012-2013, have not missed a bill, and this one was hardly massively delinquent. I found out about the outstanding bill an hour ago and it is cleared.

I contacted their customer support and as far as they are concerned, their duty is done and they tried to contact me through the app. Not my mobile phone number or e-mail address that they had. They can't arrange collection until next week, the bin is full and I have a busy family of 5, we are always lucky to make it to recycling day.

They were unable to put me on to a manager but have requested a call back. I have little optimism about that.

I have offered to put the full wheelie bin into my boot and bring it to their depot, but the customer service person didn't know if there would be an additional charge for this.

I am highly tempted to change to another provider out of stroppiness sake.

Ok, that was a bit of a rant, I suppose the long and short of what I want to know is, would it have been unreasonable for a human to contact me before putting a stop on my account?

SouthWesterly · 10-05-2022 11:41am

If they were to call every customer they'd not have enough time in the day.

eldamo · 10-05-2022 11:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040338#Comment_119040338

So, my once in a decade is overburdensome to them?

SouthWesterly · 10-05-2022 11:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040344#Comment_119040344

You're not their only customer

. Its up to you to ensure you maintain your account. I'm sure it's in the t&c's

DoctorEdgeWild · 10-05-2022 11:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040344#Comment_119040344

I think the point is that they wouldn't have the resources to call every single customer who is overdue. You are one of many customers. Each customer is in a different position. A company doesn't have time to individually manage every account so they do things like apps/automated systems etc.

In my opinion, it's fairly straight forward - You didn't pay your bill, they stopped your service, you then paid your bill, they then took you off stop. Pretty simple.

If you imagine how many customers they have, who might be missing payments, you might be able to see why they don't put the resources into contacting each one individually.

eldamo · 10-05-2022 11:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040361#Comment_119040361

I am surprised by this to be honest, they have multiple forms of contact for me. They only needed to copy a text into one, even in the app, it never threatened a stop, just said it was overdue.

Fine I suppose, suck it up, But I think it is pretty shoddy customer service. You hear about people being years delinquent on things and dragging it out, can't believe a month is enough time for them to start leaving filth build up in my gaff.

xeresod · 10-05-2022 12:07pm

If you've never missed a bill surely you're expecting them?

You're an adult, take responsibility for own actions and if you are so reliant on push notifications to manage your life then the least you can do is check that you've turned them on 🙄

Sign up for a direct debit and it'll never be a problem again anyway.

eldamo · 10-05-2022 12:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040440#Comment_119040440

Clearly just misty eyed remembrance of when an accounts department had a job to do, have asked if I can set up a direct debit, everything else is on one, still waiting for feedback.

10-05-2022 12:23pm

this is just very standard.

overdue bill and they don't collect your rubbish

it's a highly effective debt management strategy as you may have noticed

nobody in Panda accounts is fretting over your green bin dying to call you

the whole point of apps and/or web account management is to reduce reliance on such personnel

macvin · 10-05-2022 4:55pm

Your app update failed because you got a new phone, but you expect a company to know that you got a new phone and did not update the app?

Seriously?

Its a minor inconvenience. I had similar when I lived in Kildare. My fault, I did not look to blame someone else (eircom email issue when they started charging). I updated my email when my bin was left unemptied, had a good laugh with the person on the phone and life went on.

I didn't think for one second that I should have got a phone call or letter or pony express from aes and certainly didn't go public and whine about my error

eldamo · 10-05-2022 6:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119041989#Comment_119041989

Jaysus, take it easy ted, I didn't expect them to know that I had changed my phone. I expected another step in the process before my service being cut off. Ho hum. Pain in the hole, getting on with it.

elperello · 10-05-2022 6:53pm

Bin companies have rather robust approach to overdue accounts.

I remember a case where the previous occupant (deceased) had paid a year upfront and when the year was up they never sent a bill to the new owner.

They just sent a van and took away the bins.

If they had looked for the money they would have got it but they just lost a customer.

Flinty997 · 10-05-2022 10:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119040344#Comment_119040344

Most service companies have cut support features to the bone.

Many larger family's around me have got a second recycling bin. The more you keep out of the black bin the better. Takes the stress out of missing a lift.

Sam Russell · 29-08-2022 4:22pm

Why did they not just put a notice on the bin saying - 'Overdue account - renew before next collection or collection will not be made. Sorry for any inconvenience.'

If this is common, then they would have a prepared notice for you.

Stop Placed on Panda account

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