Creditland Exclusive: Melissa W at Constant Contact explains how to get Multiple Overdraft Fees Reversed

The following is an edited customer service chat that occurred on Friday, December 4, 2009 between a Creditland contributor and "Melissa W" (names have been obscured intentionally) of Constant Contact.

Melissa W: Hi, my name is Melissa W. How may I help you?
Melissa W: Hi!
Creditland: Hi Melissa, How can I cancel my account?
Melissa W: I can cancel your account for you here. Was there a problem with the service?
Creditland: Yes
Melissa W: I'm sorry to hear that. Was there anything I could do to help?
Creditland: The problem is organizational as far as I can determine, so my guess is no.
Creditland: Are you canceling my account?
Melissa W: Yes, I'm sorry that you had trouble with the organization. One moment please while I process your cancellation.
Melissa W: Would you like help exporting your contacts today?
Creditland: All done, appreciate the thought.
Melissa W: You're welcome. Your account is scheduled to be cancelled on January 3rd. You have until January 2nd at 11:59 pm to
export your contacts and use the account. You can reactivate your account at anytime for a $25 reactivation fee. We do guarantee that
your information will remain in our database for 90 days. You will also receive an email confirmation of the cancellation. Does that
make sense?

Creditland: Maybe. Is this some kind of grace period?
Creditland: I will not be invoiced for this period on Dec 6? [Note: Credit Card transactions are processed on the 6th every month.]
Melissa W: You were actually charged yesterday [Dec. 3]. I can submit a ticket to have the account closed immediately to my billing team.
Creditland: Does that mean I will not be charged? My invoices are usually on the 6th, why yesterday?
Melissa W: You might receive your invoices on the 6th, but our system charges your card on the 3rd. I will put in a request for the
refund.

Creditland: I see, thank you. How long should the refund take?
Melissa W: One moment while I get the answer for you.
Creditland: I see another problem
Creditland: I am being invoiced for a plan I do not have.
Creditland: I previously had a plan with more than 500 contacts, then I reduced my contacts.
Creditland: I am still being invoiced for the larger plan.
Creditland: I suppose it does not matter if you are refunding this
Melissa W: One moment while I take a look.

Creditland: This could actually put the account it's linked to into overdraft.
Melissa W: We charge based on the active amount of contacts in your account during your billing period.
Melissa W: I see that you only sent to under 300 contacts in November.
Creditland: I actually reduced the total active contacts at the beginning of November
Creditland: Is it because there were more than 500 for a few days - that determines the rate for the entire billing period?

Melissa W: If you had stayed a customer, we would've credited you the difference. I apologize but our system bills based on the
maximum amount of contacts. You were charged for November on the 3rd and then you were in the new period for December and
you removed your contacts after that billing period started so the system charged you according to the maximum in there, which was
over 600.

Creditland: OK. I get it.
Melissa W: I apologize for the inconvenience. We would've needed to be notified that the contacts had gone down to manually adjust
your numbers for billing.
Melissa W: But, we wouldve taken care of it in a credit form after the fact had you stayed.
Creditland: Don't you monitor that?
Melissa W: We aren't able to monitor all of our accounts like that, it's how the billing system is set up. I apologize.
Creditland: OK. This is all water under the dam.

Creditland: How fast can credit be issued, or your credit processing be canceled? The reason being this may put me into
overdraft.
Melissa W: The refund will be applied within 7-10 business days.
Creditland: So, you can incorrectly invoice me instantly.
Creditland: But it will take 7-10 to correct your mistake?
Creditland: That seems problematic.
Creditland: I was counting on CC to monitor my account, I was never told I had to inform you of changes to the account you
administrate!

Creditland: I was expecting to be charged $15
Creditland: Actually I was trying not to be charged at all.
Creditland: But I admittedly missed the deadline.
Creditland: on Dec 3
Creditland: today being the 4th

Creditland: This could be a boondoggle for my bank.
Melissa W: I'll ask my Billing Team if anything can be done, but we do have go through the proper channels for a refund.
Creditland: But why are the proper channels so much slower than the proper channels for a debit?
Creditland: Whenever you make a billing mistake, Constant Contact holds the customer in jeopardy.
Creditland: We bear the risk.
Creditland: You just invoice improperly, hold too much money that may or may not rightfully belong to you while I get slammed
with overdraft charges for groceries.

Melissa W: I apologize but I'm not on the Billing team.
Melissa W: My Billing Team is advising me that once our Refund goes through, your bank will also refund you your overdraft that was
caused by our charge.

Creditland: Including all overdrafts that occur as a result of your original charge?
Melissa W: They say that if our charge is the one that caused your account to overdraft that they will refund those charges.
Creditland: But other overdrafts might follow, like a charge I made yesterday that goes through today.
Creditland: Will that be overdraft also be refunded?
Creditland: And how can they speak for my bank? Is this a common policy? I've never heard of it.
Melissa W: The bank would refund your overdrafts.

Creditland: Thank you for looking into it. I have no idea how you know this, but if you are right, that is good to know.
Melissa W: The Billing Team deals with customers who have these questions daily.
Creditland: I guess I'm not the only person dealing with overdrafts!
Melissa W: I know them all too well myself. Your account has been cancelled and the ticket put in for a Refund. Was there anything
else I could help you with today?

Creditland: Just as long as the cancellation has gone through as well. I'm all set!
Creditland: I thank you for your help.
Melissa W: Yes, that is all set! You're welcome! Thanks for using Constant Contact. Have a great weekend!
Creditland: And patience through these tedious matters.
Creditland: You too!
Melissa W: No trouble! Have a good one!
Melissa W has disconnected.