Attention All Poddies: Billing Error, costly 99c error

RJ

I agree with your comments on another thread:

1. "I think CPod would enjoy more customer goodwill if users who were inconvenienced by the many unresolved technical glitches were somehow compensated, even if were only by extending their subscription for one week."

2. maybe CPod lost some customer goodwill when it made the controversial decision to implement mandatory automatic recurring billing on customers' credit cards."

Baba how can you ignore ethical slights on one side but not the other? Not that I am defending big ears but......maybe they got what they had coming.

bababardwan

RJ,

Im no fan of recurring billing, but the two things are worlds apart. Man, I can only respond on iphone this w/e which makes it frustating to fully explain my views. Persoally I would prefer opt in to recurring billing, but I dont see it as unethical, though I do understand and sympathise with those caught out by it. I use recurring direct debit for all sorts of bills...itjust makes things convenient , and I gather Cpod were also receiving all sorts of complaints from folk who had loss of service when their subscription ran out...so u cant please everyone. I do think if someone was genuinely caught out by it, and could show they had not used the service in any way since the subscription ran out that they should b able to put their case forward....I think CPod are v reasonable...but in reality it may b v difficult to demonstrate non use, and so u couldnt have everone claiming it if it couldnt b proven. I dont think this would in any eay justify ripping off cpod. And my guess is its probably not even happened to those who are trying to use it as justification.

Right-Wingnut

"And my guess is its probably not even happened to those who are trying to use it as justification."

Exactly who was trying to use recurring billing as justification??

bababardwan

Ah, that was poorly worded. I wasnt referring to anyone specifically...it was hypothetical...I was responding to RJs last comment...that if there were people using the recurring billing thing as justification for paying 99c then my guess is it hadnt even happened to them.

Right-Wingnut

If you were indeed speaking generally/hypothetically, what would lead you to arrive at that guess? That is, why would people who are using this as justification for paying 99c be less likely to have been previously affected by the automatic billing? (Are you sure this isn't one of those 'oops how do I get out of this' responses?)

BTW, what's up with your avatar? You haven't changed it for a year now. There used to be something predictable in your unpredictability.

podster

I did not mean to imply that CPod "deserved" to lose out. Let anyone whose conscience tells them that they owe CPod make it up to them. For anyone who believes in "take everything you can and run, devil take the hindmost" well, that's probably the premise of a lot of commercial transactions. Hence the need for lawyers. Nothing to be gained by hectoring any one individual, and we all agree that CPod has provided value to us, or we wouldn't be here. I hope in future "being here" will be more about discussing Chinese. I think that's the best way to "show the love" to CPod, especially under their current circumstances. Peace.

bababardwan

Yes I was speaking hypothetically because it all followed on from Podsters and then rjs comments neither of whom cited a specific instance. Im not saying im right, thats why I said it was my guess. But the reason it was my guess is because my guess is the actual number of folk caught out by recurring billing is in my mind likely a lot fewer than those who were only charged 99c for 9 months, and a lot of the negative feeling about recurring billing was expressed by people not actually caught out by it but rather concerned they may forget and caught out by it. But as I said its a guess and im not asserting that im right

bababardwan

Oh and avatar....im not stuck on the current one...just been v busy this year and also spent some of what spare time i have on other languages so much less active on this site in general...so not got around to changing it

bababardwan

Podster,

I know u didnt say they deserved to lose out. I saw your original post and knew u werent saying that. I was responding to rjs last comment which I disagreed with. Im sorry this has dragged on thus and I dont want to upset anyone but I didnt like seeing him rub jennys nose in their losses...felt something had to b said and then it kinds got dragged on. But anyhow, enough, made my point, so yeah peace

RJ

Baba, sorry to ruin your vacation but I have to chuckle at the thought of you frantically trying to type on that phone with those fat super fingers. You chose the lesser of the two sins in my opinion. cpod should have offered short extensions for everyone during times of technical mayhem during roll-outs or other such situations and some folk even asked. Instead they deal out double talk and or silence. Anyway I was exaggerating a bit and you ran with it. I dont want to put words in Podsters mouth but I do think there have been ethical slights on cpods side that may contribute to the attitudes of folk that may then not bother to bring a 99 cent error to their attention. Im sure cpod does monthly financials and if this had been a significant hit it would not have taken 9 months to catch it. Evidently it blended in with normal monthly fluctuations in cash flow. I think you also make the mistake of not separating the cpod folks we know and love from cpod management. Even if your good hearted effort to get everyone to cough up (and I dont know if its just rain man or 100 folk) they (management) wouldnt care, and it wouldnt change or save anything. I agree with podster that we should just get back to Chinese and let this go.

bababardwan

Well, while Ive noticed technical problems from time to time and obviously they should be addressed, I havent personally noticed a significant disruption to service to the point where I thouhht I should b compensated in some way. I know there are often tech complaints but i havent paid heed to them as im less active in general and dont have time to read them...I would if I struck a problem...thus I did not comment as its not been my experience that i agreed...but now u have asked me to comment

Well if its just one person that person should still pay...i dont believe in such rationalisation

Yes well jenny said it cost dearly so I took that it was significant

Oh, and I was going to drop it but now youve addresses a comment to me was going to drop

RJ

I know you mean well and are sincere (a rare thing these days and worthy of some respect in its own right). Perhaps you could garner a group of Cpodders (I hate the word poddie) that would be willing to add a $5 monthly rider to their bills to help out, and perhaps you can even cut a deal with cpod to bring back lost talent? See how that goes.

RJ

well they have to get that 99 cent money back somehow. Thank you for your contribution.

As for Kermit, I do remember someone saying they had downloaded it but I cant remember who it was. I never thought to capture it.

podster

Maybe they can release a "bloopers and outtakes" CD and sell it to raise funds. I would go back and look to see if I had a copy of the "frog" voice, but I don't remember which lesson it was in. If I find it I'll send you my Paypal account info. Hey, I'm just joking. Anyway, its worth listening to for a few seconds, but too annoying for repeated listening. What is Pete doing now anyway?

Right-Wingnut

I think you left off a couple of zeros (at least).