How Not to do Online Utility Billing

Not to put down people's hard work, but I am yet to encounter a utility company website that has any sort of sensible usability. Multi-digit pin number login names, split into little textboxes, that are frustrating to enter? Check. Only 4-digit passwords? Check. Emails me a PDF attachment that just asks me to go to their website? Check.

Each time I move (and get a new utility co), new surprises await. My latest utility company apparently uses a slew of Gmail accounts to massmail the statements. Sigh.

Screenshot: http://dennis.posterous.com/why-are-utility-company-websites...

I particularly enjoyed the first line: "the internet is inherently insecure..."

Okay, joke's over, everyone pack up and go home. Last one please turn off the lights...

Alternatively, this could be some kind of philosophical comment on the futility of life. "The world is inherently unsafe. The only certainty is in uncertainty."

I always wonder what bit is twiddled on my account when a provider can't access it. It's happened to me countless times.

Oh, our integration code doesn't account for you not having a middle initial. Please call customer service to complete registration so our agent can push Submit instead.

Or Comcast automatically picking an @comcast.net e-mail for you, then not letting you sign up for online bill pay because their systems aren't integrated. I've gone through at least three iterations of "account" with Comcast.

As to the disclaimer, I think it's fighting back at the fact that many people (rightfully) refuse to talk over the phone because there's no paper trail, but companies are scared of actually being held to account for what their employees agree to.

If I were ever to have a remotely contentious situation with a company, I'd do it in writing, and if I absolutely had to do it by phone, I'd record the call.

Con Edison and Time Warner in NYC both have fairly usable and quick services.