they must be trained this way

(R) So, over lunch, I tried to do the simple task of changing the name on our gas bill. I seriously think the people who answer the phone at Laclede Gas are told to be as unfriendly as possible. Here I am, trying to set up a way so that I can pay them money, and the whole process was either making me feel dumb for things I'm somehow supposed to know or being frustrated at having to answer what were obviously dumb questions of mine. Not to mention ridiculous charges involved. The person in whose name the gas bill currently resides called saying I would be taking over the account, then I called saying it's me, put my name on the account, and still I have to make time to be there (somewhere between "7:30 and noon") with a picture ID and signed copy of the lease to meet some guy who isn't doing anything because the gas is already on. Oh yeah, and $36 for them to do this non-installation, and $244 I will get back assuming I don't ever have my service interrupted. And on a side note, the earliest they could send someone was the 30th. Imagine if I didn't have gas, and having to go a whole week without being able to cook or heat water? That's good customer service.

The whole point of computers is that you can open the database, click on the line that says first name, and type n-a-t-h-a-n-i-e-l. And then last name, and so on. Imagine if on the cover of credit card offers it said, pay us $36, and we'll send you a card!

That would be a great sales pitch.