Zen home phone - billing trouble/direct debit only?!?!

Zen,

I was trying to move my phone line to you till I got as far as the billing process...

It wont let me select anything other than direct debit for paying for the phone line even though it shows options for other things.

I'm NOT interested in paying by DD I'll pay as I do now on account from a card of my choice - BT don't have access to my back account (and charge for the privilege) Zen won't get access to my account either.

Can someone confirm if this is a system problem, or you are *forcing* people to pay direct debit only.

If it's the latter then bye bye - you won't get my phone line or any of the other people I was going to migrate to you...

Most suppliers do these days. The only one I know that will let you pay where and by which method you like, even at a Post Office counter with a paper bill, is the Post Office. There is NO penalty for this.
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/home-phone?intcampaignid...

Edited by professor973 (Wed 09-Apr-14 18:51:52)

Can't/wont use post office - too many people have had problems. I was hoping to go to Zen but looks like I'll end up staying with BT for the time being.

What's the point putting the options on the site but not letting you pick them... Poor show Zen. I can think of a number of people for whatever reason who don't want to/cant pay by direct debit... I hope someone picks up on this and comes back with a 'valid' official response.

Far less complaints about them than any other ISP here. What few there are, are about not knowing suppliers. Only problem I found with them was the mail servers down in the evenings.
Until recently, they were managed by BT and their White Label service, which might explain the few complaints there were. For phone only, it's the usual Wholesale Line Rental from BT anyway, so why pay more than you have to.

Edited by professor973 (Thu 10-Apr-14 01:30:35)

In reply to a post by IamQ:

Can't/wont use post office - too many people have had problems. I was hoping to go to Zen but looks like I'll end up staying with BT for the time being.

What's the point putting the options on the site but not letting you pick them... Poor show Zen. I can think of a number of people for whatever reason who don't want to/cant pay by direct debit... I hope someone picks up on this and comes back with a 'valid' official response.

Why don't you just ring them and ask rather than waiting for a response that you might never get. I have both my BB and phone with Zen and I have found that their billing procedures are second to none. I get an itemised invoice for the services that they provide and confirmation when the bill has been paid. This might answer some of your billing queries. It does seem that Zen only offers credit terms to its business customers::

http://support.zen.co.uk/kb/Knowledgebase/Manage-You...

I'm working shifts and only awake when Zen are sleeping... I don't expect to have to call up and talk to people in this day and age to be honest...

I don't have to call BT when I have an issue, I don't have to call my electric company when I have an issue... They reply to twitter, email and web chat... Some even do it 24/7

Edited by IamQ (Thu 10-Apr-14 17:33:25)

Hi,

Can you PM me your username please and a member of accounts will get in touch with you.

thanks,
Phil.

Edited by deleted (Fri 11-Apr-14 12:17:32)

Thank you Phil, PM sent.

There are very few companies I'd say I trust implicitly but having dealt with them for over three years Zen are one of them and you'll definitely be in safe hands, if you do happen to talk to them you'll find it is a breath of fresh air compared to BT and a very pleasant experience.

Most companies prefer DD as it takes out the card processing cost and gives them a bit of security against card declines.

First landline moved when they started the service and main one moved last year, only moved the broadband away as at the time the usage allowance was too low and was subject to BT line management which didn't work well on my long line.

Now on their LLU service which is very good indeed.

Card processing cost isn't really much of an excuse in this day & age, depending on the card it costs so very little its a case-less argument.

Most companies prefer DD as they can dip into your account when they feel like it and take as much/little as they like... - Any account error or problem or payment issue the money just gets taken - then you have to wait for the refund after you have called up to resolve the matter. Set & forget is what people like till something goes wrong or there is a dispute. It also makes people lazy so they don't always know what there paying for & never question anything which may be wrong.

I can think of countless people (individuals & companies) who have been caught out with DD issues.. Anyone remember the charity who made a decimal place error one year round Xmas/Boxing day? I forget who it was now, but someone giving £10/Month DD suddenly found they had given £100 etc. then they had to wait for refund some days later.

If your credit is not in question and have a standing relationship with a supplier then I don't see there should be an issue as to how someone pays a bill - provided its paid on time and within terms etc. I've never had any payment or billing issues with Zen over any of my services including those managed for others. It not a matter of 'trust' in that respect, its more a matter of I want to pay for a service in a fair and reasonable way the say as I currently pay for existing services with the same supplier.


My situation is in hand anyway following a couple of calls.

Edited by IamQ (Tue 15-Apr-14 22:18:51)