And I don't dare do it in RL on Facebook so I'll just do it here if you don't mind.

OK, so I know you can't expect the lads running the different branches to be up to snuff on paperwork, but you would think they'd still use a bit of common sense, but no...

I get a call from one of the other locations. Internet is down and can't access the accounting software. The IT person has the day off so I'm stuck with it. First get EVERYONE in the whole damned company to log off so I can reboot the server. No luck, they're still down. Then --- the facts start coming out. Oh, I just remembered Comcast was calling last week about the bill and were threatening to shut us off (did he ever call the main office and mention this? Noooo). Why is the bill not paid? Because when they moved locations Jan 1, Comcast sent the billing to the new location instead of the Seattle one where there are people who open mail and pay the bills. Even so, you'd think a Jan 18 bill should have got to me by Feb 13, wouldn't you?

Noooo.  They only get the mail about "once a week since it's all junk". So he runs out to get the mail he only gets "once a week", and finds not only the past due notice from Comcast dated 1/18 (I think that's longer than one week), he also finds a freaking $13,000 check with a 1/26 postmark (we'd already told the customer the check was lost and they'd issued a new one).

Soooooooooo, I start my long Monday morning journey through the phone web of Comcast trying to get it sorted out. It might be a duplicate account opened up, or it might be a valid bill, but they're not turning the damned juice back on until we pay the bill (we can get our money back later).  Get the billing address changed so it goes to the right place. Call the customer and play dumb and say they just found their check, would they please change the mailing address so it goes to someone who recognizes a freaking check and will get it in the bank sooner rather than later (seriously, $13 just sitting in an effing mail box when we've had to sit on checks the last few weeks due to crappy cash flow after the big snow and what not. The boss will be so pissed if he hears about this).

**HEAD DESK**

The only thing funny out of all of this is how similar his "only get the mail once a week" sounds terribly familiar to the answers you get when you ask them how many beers they've had.

I think I feel better now. Have the next two days off so management can clean up the aftermath of this little kerfuffle.

Feel free to give the customer my name and address -- I promise I won't let a $13K check sit around for a couple weeks.

Checking mail just once a week??? Yep -- I can see why your head and desk met up with each other -- glad you have a couple days off!!

You have my sympathies!

Hey,

Please share stories.

Mary S

Hah. When the mail that was being picked up "about once a week" finally got here, I had stuff from December AND January. Even statements from the new landlord. Gawd.

Sounds like time for a new system.  Me thinks.