Help Me Hank: Automatic Payments

Black hat, stripey slicker, yellow boot, firefighter blue hat, white pants, red socks, baseball hero. Blue shirt, blue pants, white name tag auto mechanic at Whitman ford.

With these guys too--It's all about the uniform.

To keep the Whitman Uniforms office manager Deena Labaron knows they've gotta stay clean.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"You don't want someone in a greasy uniform working in your car."

So to prevent a big time laundry load.Deena hired a uniform supply company.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"If you leave five dirty uniforms next week they'll bring back five clean ones."

Its efficient and computerized and paid automatically:

but one day checking her files Deena did a double take..

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"Uh oh they're billing us twice for one person."

All of the mechanics get 11 shirts and 11 pants,but Deena found onewas charged for 22 pants. Was someone purloining pants?

She counted up to 11. The bill was wrong. Twice what it should be!

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"Somebody made a mistake somewhere."

Next question: Deena wondered how long they'd gotten 11 pants--and paid for 22?

A week? A month? Nope.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"It had been that way for four years."

Four years! they'd paid for one-thousand pants too many.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"And I said uh oh they owe us $1900."

Documentation in hand, Deena called the uniform company-- and they agreed to a refund. Sort of.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"He said what if we credit you $30 a week."

The problem was the fine print--to get her refund, they told her she had to sign a new five year contract.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"Blackmail almost. "

Deena tried calling the uniform company and even sent a letter of protest

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"I was mad."

but she couldn't get an answer.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"I saw Help Me Hank and said ah-ha, I'll send her an e-mail tomorrow."

Making a refund owed from the old contract Contingent on signing a new contract? No can do.

They'd double billed we said now they had to make good double quick.

Now, Deena's mechanics are outfitted in freebies now being paid for  by four years of refunds.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"Oh I'm thrilled, I'm really glad."

And Deena knows automatic billing doesn't mean its automatically correct.

Deena LaBaron,Whitman Uniforms
"Question it and if you don't like the answer you get, call you guys."

Its easy to overlook over-billing with those automatic payments. So check what you're being charged to make sure your bottom line is what it should be.