Yes,
I also received the email from BELL about the upcoming *NEW* $2 / MONTH charge for a paper bill in the mail.
This generally / definitely seems to be a *NEW* company / Corporate TREND.
Charging the customer, now, for the "Priviledge" of receiving a hard copy paper bill in the mail - that used to be FREE before.
I think in the business world they call it "EXTERNALIZING" costs and expenses.
The TD / Canada Trust bank did the same thing awhile ago - stating that I would now be charged to have my regular, hard copy, Chequing Account monthly statement - mailed to me. ( a very important financial document )
AND - I started a THREAD on that TD Bank issue myself - awhile ago.
Quoting the EMAIL I received from BELL :
"...we are pleased to let you know that as of June 2012, Bell is moving to e-bill as our standard method of delivering invoices ... "
" ... you will be charged a $2 monthly fee for paper bills."
" ... we would like to invite you to choose e-bill only. "
" If we don't hear from you by June 1, 2012, we will continue to deliver your paper bill and the $2 fee will apply."
I should ask BELL again ... if they understand the meaning of "CANCEL SERVICE !"
Regarding the TD BANK ... I went in and had a discussion with a Bank Rep about the *NEW* hard copy mailed chequing acct statment charge.
I asked the Bank REP:
"Does the bank plan to start increasing that charge in the near future, say every 6 months, like what the CABLE companies Do ?
Does the Bank plan, in the near future, to start to use this charge as a new source of revenue and profits? For the CEO and Shareholders?
Answer: NO. I Don't think So. (which is a straight LIE - my opinion)
I also heard / read somewhere ... that it's TRUE ! ... That BANKS are starting to behave like UTILITIES (ex CABLE co ) - and treating customers like sources of revenue, rather than investors, and charge their customers for every little service they provide. ( this we see already ) Because I certanly do NOT receive any INTEREST on my money in any of their chequing accounts.
I guess, with interest rates low, BANKS need to find new sources of revenue.
BELL - with competition - too - it seems - must need to find new sources of REVENUE. (or at least ways to SHOVE OFF their Responsibilites and business COSTS on to their CUSTOMERS )
YEESH. Imagine it now - being charged for the Priviledge of receiving your hard copy bill.
They don't even want to send you the bill anymore.
Perhaps time to just CANCEL that BELL service.
And go with something else. Or nothing else.
Totally agreed with Original Poster- That company has GALL telling me, the customer, we're gonna charge you to send you our bill. Or else, we invite (force) you to go to e-billing.
We're gonna use the service YOU pay for - to send you your bill.
[ What if I decided to ask them / PROHIBITED them from communicating with me in any way - via the on-line service that I pay them for ? EH ? ]
[ Dear BELL, You will communicate with me, the customer, ONLY with a written hard copy letter ? You will NOT email me. I do not wish to communicate with you in any way via email or on the internet - for personal reasons. Thanks. ]
What a bunch of Corporate Welfare Cases.
Don't even wanna send you the hard copy paper bill anymore.
Wanna charge you for it.
They figure it's should be *your* cost and expense to get your bill / and not theirs.
Hello BELL? Anybody home?
Because I thought YOUR COMPANY's BILLING WAS YOUR RESPONSIBILTY - not mine.
Oh ... and by the way ... I am expecting a TWO DOLLAR a MONTH reduction in my monthly service fee - to re-imburse me for the money your company will be now saving, for a service that you previously provided to ME, your customer, that you now wish to charge ME for.
Because you are POCKETING that savings now. Or else charging me now for your "cost of doing business".
Or perhaps ... I will now charge you FOUR DOLLARS a MONTH now, my personal service charge, for my time, and my trouble, and my use of my own on-line service, which I pay YOU for, to do your BILLING functions for YOU.
( since you're too cheap and lazy to do it yourself anymore )
Where the heck are we going with this nonsense ?
Cancellation is high on my mind for this BELL "service".
Talking to my Member of Parliament is high on my mind for the TD BANK stunt.