PAC: Consumer bills for being made wait on phone

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2000
PAC: Consumer bills for being made wait on phone

WELLINGTON, Aug 22 DPA - A New Zealander has launched a consumer revolt against companies
who isolate themselves from customers with automatic telephone systems that make it impossible
to speak to a person and do not reply to facsimile or e-mail messages, reports said today.

Mike Van Lokven, who estimated he spent 90 minutes hanging onto a telephone, waiting
for someone at power company TransAlta to answer him, has started billing the company
$NZ100 ($A77.12) an hour for his time, The Press newspaper of Christchurch reported.

His actions followed those of a Wellington consumer who billed another power company
for his time and received a cheque, The Press said.

Van Lokven said he acted because TransAlta kept sending him an electric bill that he
had already paid and all attempts to contact the company failed. "It's a very time-consuming
process," he said. "I was pretty sick of it."

TransAlta spokesman Mervyn English told a radio show: "The organisation is struggling
a bit. I am well aware of the distress, the frustration and irritation that our customers
feel."

He would not guarantee to pay customers who billed the company for their time, saying
every case would be considered on its merits.

DPA arb

KEYWORD: NZ CONSUMER

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