The worst thing I find about the ease of use from computers is how much organisations make use of ‘automated mailouts’ or reminders that only subtract and do not add to existing communications.
Councils do it like mad: letters to actually confirm a payment, made to worry you by saying ‘please see the back of this letter to see any outstanding payments.’
Firstly, these unnecessary mailings cost us, the taxpayer. The senders never see the brunt of their confusing, sometimes stressful and downright unnecessary mailing. Do they have a deal to keep Royal Mail in business or something?
I got a parking fine through the post before the weekend. I pay it on Monday and get another notice today. Just to let off steam, I write to them:
1. I’d paid 3 days ago online (this is the digital age, not horseback post)
2. I worried it was another charge, as it didn’t say ‘If I have paid please discard…’
3. I had to call an automated 0844 number to double check. More on phone bill.
A parking ticket by a beach at 9am is ENOUGH. No further punishment required. Thank you for added and unnecessary extra stress and DON’T send out reminders without ‘if you have paid in last 3 days please discard this notice’ on if it takes you THAT LONG to process and you send out reminds THAT QUICKLY.
Dairy of A Nonny Moose 