Take a Breath

I stopped using Verizon. My DSL service wasn't that fast. I tried to convince myself that it was but I watched a download with Cox service and I had to admit it just wasn't as fast. So, I decided to drop Verizon altogether and go with Vonage for my phone service and Cox for my internet. I am very happy with both decisions. I am getting better performance for much less.

Then, I get a bill from Verizon for service that I no longer have. I called and they said I had no bill. I thought it must be one of those computer generated mistakes and forgot about it. Today I got a letter from a collection agency. They said I was delinquent in my bill to Verizon.

I contacted Verizon to verify when my service ended but the customer service representative wouldn't give me that information. He first told me to contact the collection agency. They had told me to contact Verizon. He then would not give me the information. Can I say I was a little miffed?

I decided to go online to see what others were saying about their service with Verizon. Of course, that led to so many people complaining about whatever service they had.

Do I feel entitled to good service and accurate billing? Should I? Would accurate billing and disclosure of my own billing information actually mean that companies would have to hire competent individuals who would cost so much that I could no longer afford the service?

I spent a lot of energy talking very hard to people who had nothing to do with my problem. It really doesn't matter much in the great scheme of things anyway. Sometimes the best response to an affront is to take a breath.

Tomorrow I will call Verizon. Who knows, maybe I really owe them the money. If I do, I will pay and wish I had never spent such energy thinking I was right.

Yes, I just took another big breath. Things already look better.