September 26, 2011Dear Sir,This month is not uncommon. Today is Monday, September 26, 2011, 8pm. As yet I haven’t seen my BTC telephone bill for August. When it eventually arrives, (they usually do), the invoice will no doubt state a billing date of September 1 and a due date of September 30 with a $4 penalty for late payment. Now, did the BTC mail my bill during the first week of September and it’s the Post Office’s fault for tardy delivery, (heavens to Betsy, surely not!), or did the BTC hold onto the bills in the hope that they would get $4 from lots of customers who haven’t a snowball’s chance in hell of paying before the deadline? Even if it comes tomorrow, I write a cheque and mail it at the General Post Office ($2 for the privilege of parking for 30 seconds) there is no guarantee it will get all the way to Victoria Street by Friday. (The Post Office recently lost a cheque for Government, posted at the GPO for an office within the same building, so I don’t have high expectations).Penalising customers who generally maintain clear accounts is no way to do business and if BTC didn’t have a monopoly on land lines, I don’t believe their draconian penalty policies would stand in a competitive environment. Unless BTC’s goal is to just make thousands of unearned dollars each month I suggest they either mail out their bills in a timely manner, find an organisation that can deliver them in a timely manner or modify the penalty clause to become effective 30 days following the payment due date. It’s only $4, but it is the principle.$2 OR $4 POORERPembroke