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To mail or not to mail?
June 15, 2007 10:01 AM
I just re-opened the envelope containing the check for the chiropractor's bill. On the enclosure, I had written:
If you guys want people to pay your bills without complaining, you have got to get a better billing system. If you're not embarrassed by how unprofessional this looks, you should be. Neither this nor the last bill I recieved shows clearly what the charge for services was, what was adjusted by insurance payments, and why the balance is what it is.
No, I hadn't watered that down with any meaningless "Dear Dr. so-and-so" tripe, or any "I feel much better!" crap. Because it is true, that invoice was ridiculously confusing. But should I actually send what I've written as is, or should I just send it to Passive Aggressive Notes? [Yes, there is a blog devoted solely to the glorification of passive aggressive notes.]
I try not to be obnoxious, but how will people know what they are doing wrong if they're not told?
Comments
You should have seen the note I sent to the city income tax people who insisted that I owed them back taxes and that if I wasnted to discuss it I should call them. Which is fine except that I work for a living and they don't have an answering machine...
The best part? So glad you asked...
When they got the letter, their first instinct was to call and leave me a voicemail.....
I wouldn't mess with the taxing authorities, Matt. All a chiropractor can do is sever your spine.
Your note isn't obnoxious at all. It's called customer feedback, and if they're not total idiots, they'll take notice of it. Believe me, that's tame compared to what I would have written (and I haven't even seen the bill!).
UPDATE - Well, her voicemail was fairly pleasant... I received a package yesteday from them that included a personal note instead of a form letter that explained thier point of view. My tax preparer still thinks that they are full of it...but my point was made to them.
Their approach to me since has been one of being a civil servant... I can't argue with results. I'd do it again...and recommend anyone who has issues with tax collection agencies to be firm when stating your issues. On the other hand, I paid them what they asked for when I ripped them a new one, so maybe that had something to do with it...
just pay the damn bill