Billing always goes out on the 20th and is due on the 1st.
Locks are usually done on the 10th. Depending on what say of the week it falls on.
1st month for $1:
If an account is set up during the 1st 2/3's of the month (1st - approx the 17th) the current month gets the 1st month for a $1 (credit cards, debit cards or autopay only of course) and the following month will be pro-rated.
For example:
a customer sets up on the 7th, they will be charged $1 for that month and the following month will be pro-rated by the 1st 7 days.
This way they are not paying for time that they were not a customer. The customers that wish to have the 1st month for $1 need to understand that we want them to keep this method of payment. They can't set it up with a credit card just to change it to a check the following month. This defeats our purpose. As far as support is concerned, to get the 1st month for $1.00 requires Credit Card a permanent method of payment.
Autopay:
Customer must have a signature on file. The bank will not allow me to do an autopay without a signature on file, this is part of the reason the customer has to either fill out one of the forms we send them or write a letter included with a payment, signing the letter giving us permission to take the monthly payment from the account that the payment they are enclosing is drawn on. I can get all the bank information from the check.
3 month promo:
We MUST have a reply to the 3 month promo e-mail that we send to these
customers. Regardless of the time of the month they set up the 4th month
will be pro-rated from the date of set up.
For example:
if a customer sets up on the 23rd of December as a 3 month promo the first billing will be March 2005 but it will have been pro-rated by 23 days.
If a customer wants the 3 month promo but does not have a credit or debit
card they are welcome to talk with me to see what we can do. Most often I
will agree if they are willing to pay the contract amount up front. They
need to understand that if they do this and decide to close the account
early there will NOT be a refund.
If a customer needs to close their account for whatever reason and are on
the three month promo, they need to talk to me. There are times that I
will agree to take payment for the full time of usage, including the 1st
three months, then let them out of the contract. but that is something I
will discuss with the customer.
Cash and Check accounts:
If set up during the 1st 2/3rd of the month the current month will be pro-rated, if set up around the 17th or after the the current month will be pro-rated and the second month will be billed at the same time. This is because the billing goes out on the 20th.
Special payment arrangements:
All special payment arrangements MUST be made by the accounting department.
Unlocking NP (Non-Payment) accounts.
If you can get a promise to pay or a credit card unlock the account and forward what ever information you have to me.
If you see MUST TALK TO ACCT, you can pretty much figure there has either never been a payment, we've made payment arrangements that the customer broke or the credit card on file is not good. You can take a new cc and let me know and unlock otherwise the customer needs to pay or talk to accounting.
Always, if you change something in Useradmin I need to know so I can make the same change in the billing software.
If you don't know the answer to the customer's question:
Don't be afraid to say you don't know, it's much better than pulling something out of your ass and being wrong.
The best answer when you don't know it "I''m not sure, but I can find out for you."
If it's a situation where the person or persons you need to ask will not be here until tomorrow or Monday simply ask the customer if it's all right that so and so calls you back when that person is in or give them the business office number and tell them the hours.