Circular Incompentency
What happened was...
I closed my AOL and CompuServe Accounts. I'd had these accounts from way back when these were primarily "information services" and they were the source for information, files, software updates and add-on, etc. It'd been over ten years since I'd really used these accounts. The Compuserve account was one of their original pay as you go accounts, so I wasn't being charged for having it ...except the 30ยข (or so) a month for the time it took me to periodically clean the junk out of my email account. The AOL account was their minimum account and had been costing $4.95 a month, but I kept it because it made it easier to commulicate with the many friends who weren't exactly computer savvy and used this service.
Well, AOL raised it price to $6.95 and I said "no". I cancelled the account -- after having to get really nasty with the guy who was determined to convince me to keep it. I took this opportunity to also terminate the Compuserve account. In each case, I requested a letter of confirmation stating that the account was closed. No biggie, right? Well, you'd think so.
I received the AOL letter promptly, but the one from Compuserve never arrive. Now I'm an [retired] accountant. I'm all about details and follow through. So it mattered that I'd never received the confirmation. I know for many, this would be unimportant and they would simply say "don't sweat the small stuff" at which point I'd go spare. Anyway, I called Compuserve and gave them the reference number of the cancellation and requested the confirmation.
First off, [she] could find no reference to that number. So, I gave her my old username. She informed that there was no one with that username. So, I gave here my user ID number. "Oh!", she said. "That's a classic account. I'm showing that that has been closed." Well, Duh!
So I re-stated the details, this time speaking - to - her - as - if - she - were - 10 - years - old. What I'm requesting is the letter of confirmation. She responded -- now get this -- "I can't send you a letter because the account is closed."
I could feel the expletives forming in my brain, so I simply hung up the phone before they made their way to my mouth. No, I never did receive the cancellation confirmation. hrmpf!
...And then, I get a letter from AOL letting me know that they're offering me a free email account with my old username. This is evidently a service they're extending to [the many] who've cancelled their accounts. You see, that old email account still exists. That explains the few people who've inadvertently sent me mail to that old address wondering why I never responded. For a second ...and just a second... I considered retaining that email address, but now that I'm free from the clutches of AOL, (who also now owns CompuServe), I think I'll let well enough alone. My few AOL friends ...the ones who've not yet jumped off that sinking ship, will just have to put forth the effort to use my new address.
I closed my AOL and CompuServe Accounts. I'd had these accounts from way back when these were primarily "information services" and they were the source for information, files, software updates and add-on, etc. It'd been over ten years since I'd really used these accounts. The Compuserve account was one of their original pay as you go accounts, so I wasn't being charged for having it ...except the 30ยข (or so) a month for the time it took me to periodically clean the junk out of my email account. The AOL account was their minimum account and had been costing $4.95 a month, but I kept it because it made it easier to commulicate with the many friends who weren't exactly computer savvy and used this service.
Well, AOL raised it price to $6.95 and I said "no". I cancelled the account -- after having to get really nasty with the guy who was determined to convince me to keep it. I took this opportunity to also terminate the Compuserve account. In each case, I requested a letter of confirmation stating that the account was closed. No biggie, right? Well, you'd think so.
I received the AOL letter promptly, but the one from Compuserve never arrive. Now I'm an [retired] accountant. I'm all about details and follow through. So it mattered that I'd never received the confirmation. I know for many, this would be unimportant and they would simply say "don't sweat the small stuff" at which point I'd go spare. Anyway, I called Compuserve and gave them the reference number of the cancellation and requested the confirmation.
First off, [she] could find no reference to that number. So, I gave her my old username. She informed that there was no one with that username. So, I gave here my user ID number. "Oh!", she said. "That's a classic account. I'm showing that that has been closed." Well, Duh!
So I re-stated the details, this time speaking - to - her - as - if - she - were - 10 - years - old. What I'm requesting is the letter of confirmation. She responded -- now get this -- "I can't send you a letter because the account is closed."
I could feel the expletives forming in my brain, so I simply hung up the phone before they made their way to my mouth. No, I never did receive the cancellation confirmation. hrmpf!
...And then, I get a letter from AOL letting me know that they're offering me a free email account with my old username. This is evidently a service they're extending to [the many] who've cancelled their accounts. You see, that old email account still exists. That explains the few people who've inadvertently sent me mail to that old address wondering why I never responded. For a second ...and just a second... I considered retaining that email address, but now that I'm free from the clutches of AOL, (who also now owns CompuServe), I think I'll let well enough alone. My few AOL friends ...the ones who've not yet jumped off that sinking ship, will just have to put forth the effort to use my new address.
posted 03 August 2006
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