[LINK] sydney water bill payment

[Jan Whitaker]

At 09:37 PM 22/10/01 +1000, Bob Bain wrote:
>   They conveniently keep records of whom you've paid in the past using
>B-Pay so that if use the pull down list-box it will not only inform
>you of the B-Pay code for Sydney Water, but also the associated
>account number details (or credit card details if paying a credit card
>debt)....

This is an interesting topic.  I've not done the online BPay with Westpac, 
but I have used the phone version.  Bob's comment about keeping the prior 
info is problematic with at least one account I pay this way.  Can't 
remember which, one of the utilities.  The problem is that your PERSONAL 
number changes with each billing!  So you end up listening to the whole pay 
process, then having to enter a new personal acct ID, then having to listen 
to the whole pay process again to be sure you put in the 15 numbers correctly.

In this case the problem isn't with the bank, it's with the supplier.  I 
must call them directly the next time it comes up.

Second point.  EFT from an account.  I just did sign up for internet 
banking with WPB [really the Bank of Melbourne which I always preferred 
because it wasn't one of the big four, but got taken over so I feel 
hoodwinked once again and tell them at every chance I get when something is 
screwing the customer again and again.]  I thought it would be great way to 
move funds to other people instead of writing cheques.  Problem:  their 
brochure doesn't indicate there are limits, it's all buried in the fine 
print of the terms and conditions which are on screen, about 85 pages 
[exagerating here, but it feels like it - mind numbing stuff], after you've 
gone through the signup process.  Then if you want to increase the limit, 
they are all agog that you may need to pay someone more than $1500 in any 
one day.  They then tell you you must open a business account in order to 
get a decent amount approved which takes 10 DAYS, all sorts of extra 
signatures, etc etc.

So much for efficiency. They are quite intent on being problematic.  They 
have me in tears at last once/quarter because they can't seem to get it 
right.  Sure glad I have an alternate account with the Bendigo Bank who 
really do try to help.  <-- blatant plug

Jan


JLWhitaker Associates
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit@primenet.com  --  http://www.primenet.com/~jwhit/whitentr.htm