HL Computer Systems Inc.

WPS encourages
customers to contact us any time they have questions or concerns about their
overall bill or specific charges they see on their billWe are happy to help answer
these questions
When a customer
asks to be enrolled in our Budget Billing program, a customer
service
representative discusses how the program works as well as penalties and actions
that will be taken if payments are not made by the date they are dueThis
information includes our policy of removing a customer from the Budget Billing
program if a past due balance is carried for greater than consecutive days
on the accountWe make every attempt to work with our customers through the
budget billing process, including, in this case, setting up a payment
planThese offers were available to this particular customer, but were
declined

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Hello! This is *** ***I'm emailing per your request my complaint with the WPSNo one had explained to me when set up on payment plan any procedures, deadlines, or what ifs that could happenAnd after them charging me a $fee, I called and asked whyOnly to be told it was because I was removed from the payment planThey told me it was charge for being taken offAfter speaking with a few different people, I realized that none of this was told/communicated to meAnd as an end result felt that I should not be held liablePlease if you have any questions please contact me on my cell.
Regards,
*** ***

Wisconsin Public Service works diligently each day to
provide accurate billing and payment information to our customers on their
monthly bills and in our conversations with customersOur goal is always to
work with our customers to establish acceptable payment arrangements prior to
any credit and collection actions ensuing
In an effort to remedy outstanding questions and set up a
payment arrangement, both a phone call and an email was sent requesting an
opportunity to assistIn the time since we were notified about the additional
concerns, we have made contact with the customer and have come to a resolution
on bill payments moving forward
Wisconsin Public Service appreciates our customer’s recent
response and contact with the Care Center
For future questions on billing and payment options, please
contact us at 1-800-450-We are available around the clock to answer any
billing or payment questions

Dear Ms***,
This letter is in response to your inquiry regarding a complaint filed by a customer on March 10, (ID number is ***)As requested, here is Wisconsin Public Service’s (WPS) response to the concerns expressed by Ms***
WPS offers several different payment
options to our customers, one of which is Quick Payment, which allows a customer to instantly pay their bill and avoid late fees or a possible disruption of serviceWPS contracts with an outside company called Bill Matrix to process credit, debit and check-by-phone paymentsTo provide the Quick Payment option, Bill Matrix charges a customer a processing feeThis fee is listed on our website, wisconsinpublicservice.com, under the “Quick Payment” section, and it is also something our customer service representatives notify customers about prior to transferring them to Bill MatrixWithout Bill Matrix assessing the processing fee, costs for processing payments made via Quick Payment would be shared by all WPS customers instead of only those who choose to use that payment option
In addition to Quick Payment, WPS offers customers multiple other methods of paying utility bills, including Automatic Payment, which automatically withdraws the amount due from a savings or checking account, and e-Bill, which provides customers with an electronic copy of their bill that they can pay onlineThere are no additional costs associated with these optionsCustomers can also mail their bills or drop them off at designated WPS pay stationsInformation on pay stations can be found on our website as well
When Ms*** contacted our customer care center, she was notified about the processing fee for the Quick Payment option prior to being transferred to Bill MatrixOur customer service representative also provided her with information about the Automatic Payment and e-Bill options as wellMs***, however, declined the opportunity to use those payment options
WPS encourages all of our customers to contact us any time they have questions or concerns about their billOur customer service representatives are happy to help answer any questions customers may have about their bill, specific charges they see on their bill, or methods for paying a bill
If you need any additional details from WPS regarding this complaint, please do not hesitate to contact me
Sincerely,

Wisconsin Public Service strives to satisfy our customers every day, and is committed to working with them to address any concerns or answer any questions they may haveWe currently are working with Mr*** on a resolution that does not prevent his stated property development plans and allows us to continue providing affordable, safe and reliable electric service to our customers in this areaWe are hopeful that this resolution will accomplish both MrBarrette’s and our goals in this area

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
There is not adequate room to snow plow with the huge box occupying the space that we filled in and use for snow removal. The line of sight to pull out safely onto the highway will be compromised in the winter. We have talked to an attorney and will hold both Wisconsin Public Service and Steve Schott, personally, responsible for an accident caused by the huge box interfering with safety. The statement that Wisconsin Public Service communicated with us prior to and during construction regarding the project and progress is a blatant lie. NEVER was there ANY communication at all! We had no idea that we would have the huge box at the end of our driveway. In fact, for the majority of two months this summer, we had no idea if we would be able to pull in and out of our driveway, receive our mail or have garbage pickup. Safety was a huge issue with trucks blocking the driveway and having to wait in the highway for them to move to drive into the driveway and pulling out not being able to see around the trucks and equipment. There was no communication at all! We are shocked at this lie!Just because Wisconsin Public Service has a right to put the huge box at the end of our driveway does not make it the right thing to do. It could be put across the road where nobody lives or at another place along the highway, not right at the end of someone’s driveway!
Regards,
*** ***

Tell us why here...Residential electric and gas service was set up in the name of Household Employee for the address *** *** *** *** *** ** *** ** *** by our residential customer service department per an email request received to start service as of 12/1/14. There was no personal
contact name provided for this account. This account was incorrectly started in the name Household Employee as WPSC requires that a business name be a valid legal entity that can be confirmed through the Wisconsin Department of Financial Service and this is standard practice by the WPSC Business Center that handles most business accounts. Household Employee was not a business name filed for through the state of Wisconsin as a corporation, LLC, etc. The account remained in this name until electric service was disconnected for non-payment 7/28/15.After disconnection, WPSC received a Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) complaint with the name Household Employee on it and through concerns from the PSCW regarding if someone actually resided at this location and being unable to determine this because of the account name, WPSC placed a call to the landlord to determine if the location was occupied and it was found that *** ** *** resided there and that she had a prior write off with WPSC of $(currently at a collection agency).Through on-going interactions with the customer, *** *** although she first identified herself as Zip Lee when calling WPSC after disconnection, along with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, WPSC was advised that by the PSCW that WPSC may bill *** ** *** for all the charges from 12/1/through 7/28/if she was able to provide down payment to have services reconnected and because she was the resident that used the gas and electric service provided. Electric service was not reconnected until 8/11/after the required down payment was made because the customer would not agree to be billed for the service using her personal name since the Household Employee name was not a valid entity (she was advised that her previous write off at a collection agency would be transferred to the WPSC account in her personal name). Because the customer provided proof of filing for a LLC on 8/7/called Household Employee LLC, and once reconnection safety precautions could be covered with *** ***, the registered agent of the LLC, electric service was reconnected in the business name Household Employee LLC on 8/11/15. This account continues to be billed residential electric and gas rates. After the service was reconnected and the new account started as of 8/11/being billed to Household Employe LLC, corrections were made to bill *** ** *** for service for 12/1/through 8/11/and all payments made to that prior Household Employee account from 12/1/to 8/11/were also transferred to this account in *** ***’s name. If payment or payment arrangements aren’t made (and kept) for the account in the name of *** ** *** for the 12/1/to 8/11/timer period, this account will be transferred to a collection agency in the future and they may choose to report it to a credit bureau. WPSC does not currently report accounts to credit bureaus but is considering this for the future. Please note that when service was reconnected on 8/11/15, WPSC staff neglected to update the meter reading dates on the order for reconnection from 8/10/to 8/11/as the order initially was set up for 8/10/15. Due to being unable to cover safety reconnection precautions (for both field personnel and customer) with the customer 8/10/15, the order was not completed until 8/11/15. Using the incorrect date caused the customer to be incorrectly billed the fixed electric and gas customer charges (they are billed based on number of days in bill) and when this incorrect date was discovered, corrections were made to show that the service was reconnected 8/11/and a corrected bill was issued. I attempted to contact *** *** at the phone number provided in the past and on a current PSCW complaint on 10/22/and 10/26/and received the message that the voice mail had not been set up yet. Please see the letter attached sent to the customer to address her concerns about her PSCW complaint and her Revdex.com Complaint. WPSC will does not agree to make any further changes to any of the accounts involved.This complaint and response was handled by *** ***, Credit and Collections Department at Wisconsin Public Service (not the log in employee)

Wisconsin Public Service offers several billing and payment options, one of which is our Budget Billing programBudget Billing is designed to eliminate the highs and lows in a customer’s energy bills, so bills remain stable from month to monthCustomers with outstanding balances on their accounts are not eligible for Budget Billing without a payment plan If a customer who is enrolled in Budget Billing carries a past due balance for more than days, they are removed from Budget BillingWhen this occurs, any difference between what a customer paid in budget billing installments and the actual cost of the energy they used throughout the year will be applied either in the form of a credit or a debitBudget Billing is a voluntary program offered to all customers, and does not have any fees associated with discontinuation of the programWPS calculates a customer’s estimated yearly energy cost by looking at the previous year’s energy use while factoring in weather and price forecastsThe projected cost is divided into equal paymentsBudget Billing accounts are reviewed every six months, and payment amounts may be adjusted to more closely reflect a customer’s actual usageA customer’s bill for the last month of an annual Budget Billing cycle includes any difference between what they paid and the actual cost of the energy used throughout the yearIf a customer paid too much, we will apply a credit to their billIf they paid too little, the balance is spread out over the new Budget Billing year Thank you,

Tell us why here
The previous response indicates why corrections were made to bill *** ** ***. It was confirmed with the apartment owner that she was the occupant and there was no valid business name to bill until filing for a LLC later occurred. This does constitute fraud action by Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPSC) and there were also concerns by WPSC when *** *** made contact after disconnection and identified herself as Zipp Lee. Wisconsin Public Service would appreciate *** ** *** sharing any other fraud concerns she has regarding other citizen accounts as she states she is aware. We can address those concerns with the respective account holders. There is no validation of WPSC having a history of fraud charges, fees and illegal actions.
The account numbers for past and current accounts and corrections made were explained in the letter attached to this complaint, mailed to the customer and provided to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. The account balance of $being billed to *** ** *** is in accordance with how Wisconsin Public Service Corporation was directed by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. WPSC is a regulated utility and must apply Wisconsin Administrative code fairly to all customers and may not alter practices on a case by case basis or handle this concern differently than others. We must bill for gas and electric charges used and must bill the appropriate party
Further information is needed to understand why *** ** *** is stating copies of documents, bills, interactions, and applications prove this is not her bill. *** ** *** had numerous contacts with WPSC while trying to get service reconnected and did not state she did not live here or provide another person’s name as responsible No additional information was provided during multiple phone calls other than the non-valid Household Employee name, prior to filing for a LLC
This full case has already been reviewed by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and has been determined that Wisconsin Public Service Corporation is unable to make any further changes. If *** ** *** is in agreement, WPSC could provide the full narrative documentation of the Public Service of Wisconsin Commission complaint.
This response was submitted by Tina Lewis at Wisconsin Public Service Corporation

Wisconsin Public Service strives to provide the best service possible to our customers every day. We continually work to improve the reliability of our electric and natural gas distribution systems, and we value the input from property owners on how our upgrades will impact their land, homes and...

businesses. We incorporate that feedback into our efforts and work to minimize any inconvenience or disruption to residents and the surrounding area.   In 2014, Wisconsin Public Service began an effort called the System Modernization Reliability Project, or SMRP, with the goal of reducing electric service outages by placing overhead lines underground. If an SMRP project segment runs through private property, we work with the current property owner to receive an easement that allows us to install facilities on their property. To ensure we can provide safe, reliable service, the easement must allow us to access the property and the facilities that have been installed.   Each signed easement applies to the physical property and is not voided if the property is sold. If a signed easement exists at the time of a sale of the property, it is the responsibility of the seller to notify a prospective buyer about the easement. If a customer wishes to have a portion of our facilities relocated, regulations established by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin require the customer to assume responsibility for the costs associated with moving our infrastructure.   Wisconsin Public Service is committed to providing as much information as possible about improvements to our distribution systems, and we welcome our customers to contact us if they have questions about how a project will impact their property. Our customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day to answer questions or direct a customer to the appropriate contact for a project.  Thank you, [redacted]

Please find a letter and photos attached.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
Regards,
[redacted]

Wisconsin Public Service works diligently to provide accurate and easy-to-understand billing statements. When a customer is at risk for disconnection of service, they are notified with a detailed explanation that is printed at the bottom of their bill. The disconnection notice includes:  The...

customer’s past due balance The minimum payment option to avoid disconnectionThe phone number for the Customer Care Center to make arrangements A phone number to pay instantly through BillMatrix, our third-party payment processing service. In addition to the information printed on a customer’s bill, they also receive a disconnection insert and a phone call informing them of the status of their account. To protect our customers’ confidential information, the primary customer of record on an account must authorize, either verbally or in written form, another individual to be able to access account information.  Additionally, collection phone calls are designed to encourage a customer to contact us, and by design do not include many details if left on an answering machine. It’s important to note that we make every effort to help our customers avoid an interruption in service. Disconnection is always a last resort. Our Customer Care Center is open 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week to serve our customers.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
[Hi I am very confused on the content of your response, My complaint is the fact that I did contact your department when I got an easement from you, sent to me the new owner, asking me to sign a easement on my property which I called your company and talked to a person who I thought was very nice that told me that it is my right to not sign the easement that they would do a work around and I did not have to worry about this easement anymore. Then 8 months later while I was the owner you did it anyways after telling me not to worry? I did exactly what you just stated in your response called and talked to your department and you ignored it because it was easier for your company to use the existing easement even though I explained I was going to build a garage. I talked to [redacted] and got a qoute to move the line it is $7,000 plus.  I do not think that is fair, you knew I was the new owner and was planning on building on the land and could of asked me to put the line in the spot I now have to pay over $7,000 to move. Does sound to me a company that put customers first. enclosed easement paper sent to me for my signature I called the number on the attachment 920 433 1555. ]
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I was contacted promptly by a WPS representative, who apologized for the inconvenience, and conveyed their appreciation of my husband for his service to our country.  The late fees have been credited back to the account.  The error was a result of a simple miscommunication, and has been addressed and resolved to my satisfaction.  I appreciate the prompt response and attention to good customer service that I received from WPS following this complaint.  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Hello! Per your request. WPS never went through or told me any of the payment plan details. Also could not review call to prove since they told me they do not keep calls recorded. Then was told over the phone the $50 charge was for being removed from said plan. I continue to only get bills maybe every other month.
Regards,
[redacted]

Our customer's concerns are very important to us and we hope to answer and resolve any dissatisfaction expressed whenever possible.
To help alleviate our customer's concern regarding their power outages, an investigation was created on July 1, 2015. An engineer will investigate the cause of any outages the customer has experienced. Once the investigation has been completed our customer will be contacted with the results.
Regarding the fixed charges on the bill, all charges accessed have been approved by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Through the rate approval process it is the utilities responsibility to validate the necessity for any changes. For our 2015 rate structure the following details may assist in better understanding the changes:
·   Typical residential customers who use about 600 kilowatt-hours (kwh) of electricity and the average small business customers’ overall monthly bills won’t be affected by the rate structure change.  While the fixed charge has increased, the price per kwh or therm has decreased.  
·    This structure is common within the energy business.  Rural cooperatives have been including higher fixed charges on their bills. 
·   With the new structure the customer charge will continue to be less than $1.00 per day. 
·   Seasonal Customer—Even though they may not be using the property over the winter we still maintain the equipment (wires, pipes, transmission lines etc.)
Thank you,
Wisconsin Public Service

One of the goals at Wisconsin Public Service is to provide a positive experience for our customers. Our apologies for the inconvenience of not receiving your bill in the mail. WPS will provide a credit for the late payment fees. Our records reflect that the service at your property in Wausau was...

finalized on 8/4/16 and three subsequent final bills were mailed on 8/8, 9/16, and 10/17 to a Rhinelander mailing address associated with the account. We appreciate the prompt payment on the account.  The $3.50 charge on the bill is for the quick payment. This is fee that is a pass-through charge from the vendor who processes the credit/debit card payments.  WPS does offer several options to pay your bill where no pay or a low pay is an option. Please feel free to visit our website at wisconsinpublicservice.com or contact our 24x7x365 Care Center at ###-###-####. Thank you.

Hello Mrs. [redacted]:
I contacted Mrs. [redacted] and spoke to [redacted] regarding their concern over the electric increase. 
Our records indicate two power outages were reported in 2014, on September 04 and on October 14.  In 2015, two outage calls have been reported, on April 06 and on May...

17, respectively. 
On January 01, 2015, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved a 2.5% electric increase for WPS Wisconsin customers.  The Commission also approved WPS’s request to decrease the volumetric (per KWH) charge and increase the customer fixed charge to help ensure that rates better reflect the actual cost to serve customers.  Fixed charges include those costs that don’t change with the amount of energy used, such as meters, poles, transformers, generation, substations, billing, etc.   
The daily customer charge increased from $0.34190 per day to $0.62470 per day for Standard Service.  Mr. Jim Geiger is on a Seasonal Service.  This is the same as Standard Service, except that customers are billed only six months during the year.  Because of not being billed year round, the daily customer charge is billed at $1.24930 per day during the months of May through October.
Regarding the frequent outages, I offered Mr. Geiger to open an investigation to have this looked into.  He said that the line coming from the meter to his house is buried, but all other lines, including the primary and secondary lines still run overhead.  He declined this offer and said he wants his electric rate decreased.  I explained we need to treat all of our customers equal.  He said he will close his complaint with the Revdex.com and open his complaint somewhere else, maybe with Congress. 
Please let me know if there is anything further you need.
 
Thank you,
[redacted]

Good Afternoon,
This complaint was researched and found to be accurate with the customer's statement. There was some confusion between what the customer's expectations were for the handling of the lawn repair, and what actions our contractor performed on the area. I spoke directly with the...

customer and explained that the seed mix utilized contains a certain percentage of weed for erosion control, and that with proper maintenence, the grass would grow well.  The customer advised that the area was not able to be maintained by the customer due to larger stones and rocks that she felt would damage her lawnmower. I then worked with our Operations Supervisor and contractor, who mowed the area, picked up all stones and rocks by hand, dropped a new load of black soil, and re-seeded the area. The customer was very satisfied with this resolution. The customer also had a question about the slope in which the area was graded, as it did not match how it was previous to the maintenence. I advised that due to city mandate of Luxemburg, the slope and contour was not able to be exact as before due to drainage issues. The customer was also satisfied with this response. Please let me know if anything further is needed at this time.
 
Thank you,
[redacted]