‘Outrageous!’ Why a $2.50 fee is making Telstra customers furious
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We know that loyalty has its rewards, and when it comes to bills, being a loyal customer should be rewarded rather than penalised.
Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case for one Telstra customer, who recently went public with her frustration and anger over the company's latest fees when it comes to paying bills.
The story starts with a Telstra customer from Melbourne, who, after heading down to her local post office to pay her telecommunications bill, was taken aback at an unexpected cash payment fee.
It's no wonder that this $2.50 unpleasant surprise has sent waves of discontent throughout the loyal Telstra customer community, leaving them both stumped and furious.
The Melbourne customer took to Facebook to vent her frustration, addressing her post to the aptly-titled 'Call-Out Cashless Businesses' group.
'Have to pay $2.50 extra with Telstra because I pay cash at the post office.' she penned online, with a tone of disbelief that has echoed across the nation. 'I’ve not been charged this fee before'.
Similar discontentment is brewing among various Telstra patrons who have paid their bills in-store for many years, be it through cash or card.
It's a bitter pill to swallow but apparently the $2.50 fee is here to stay!
Starting from May 20, Telstra has increased the fee for paying bills in physical stores from $1 to $2.50. Additionally, customers will incur an extra charge of $2.20 for Telstra's issuance of a paper bill.
A Telstra spokeswoman shared, ‘We provide a range of options for customers when paying their bills so they can choose what is right for them. Like a lot of utilities, one option is over the counter at Australia Post.’
They went on to add, ‘When this occurs, Australia Post charges the utility for processing the payment and it is common for companies to pass this onto the customer. The rate we charge our customers is still lower than what we get charged to accept these payments.’
Approximately 65 per cent of customers, consisting of various groups, will be exempted from the fee for paper bills and non-electronic payments.
They stated, ‘You can apply for an exemption if you have a valid Health Care, Pension Concession or Department of Veterans Affairs Card if you don’t have an email address, access to an active internet service or customers living in remote communities including those that are First Nations communities.’
To request an exemption, customers need to provide Telstra with the necessary details of their Australian Government Pension or Health Care Card, either by phone or in-store, if these details have not been previously registered with Telstra.
For those looking to dodge this new fee, Telstra suggests switching to an electronic mode of payment.
'Electronic options are our preferred billing and payment methods which is in step with global and local trends in billing and payments across a range of utilities, telcos and service providers.' the Telstra spokeswoman clarified.
But let's not forget that not everyone is ready to ride the 'cashless wave'.
According to a recent Reserve Bank of Australia survey, 4.5 per cent of Australia still prefers to pay with cash.
The main reasons are privacy and security concerns—reasonable in this era of cyber threats!
What are your thoughts on Telstra's decision to introduce a $2.50 fee for customers who pay their bills in cash? Do you believe it is fair or unfair? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case for one Telstra customer, who recently went public with her frustration and anger over the company's latest fees when it comes to paying bills.
The story starts with a Telstra customer from Melbourne, who, after heading down to her local post office to pay her telecommunications bill, was taken aback at an unexpected cash payment fee.
It's no wonder that this $2.50 unpleasant surprise has sent waves of discontent throughout the loyal Telstra customer community, leaving them both stumped and furious.
A woman from Melbourne expressed her criticism regarding the $2.50 fee she encountered when paying her Telstra bill at an Australian post store. Source: Facebook
The Melbourne customer took to Facebook to vent her frustration, addressing her post to the aptly-titled 'Call-Out Cashless Businesses' group.
'Have to pay $2.50 extra with Telstra because I pay cash at the post office.' she penned online, with a tone of disbelief that has echoed across the nation. 'I’ve not been charged this fee before'.
Similar discontentment is brewing among various Telstra patrons who have paid their bills in-store for many years, be it through cash or card.
It's a bitter pill to swallow but apparently the $2.50 fee is here to stay!
Starting from May 20, Telstra has increased the fee for paying bills in physical stores from $1 to $2.50. Additionally, customers will incur an extra charge of $2.20 for Telstra's issuance of a paper bill.
A Telstra spokeswoman shared, ‘We provide a range of options for customers when paying their bills so they can choose what is right for them. Like a lot of utilities, one option is over the counter at Australia Post.’
They went on to add, ‘When this occurs, Australia Post charges the utility for processing the payment and it is common for companies to pass this onto the customer. The rate we charge our customers is still lower than what we get charged to accept these payments.’
Approximately 65 per cent of customers, consisting of various groups, will be exempted from the fee for paper bills and non-electronic payments.
Like many other businesses, Telstra encourages customers to opt for electronic payment methods when settling their bills. Source: Telstra International
They stated, ‘You can apply for an exemption if you have a valid Health Care, Pension Concession or Department of Veterans Affairs Card if you don’t have an email address, access to an active internet service or customers living in remote communities including those that are First Nations communities.’
To request an exemption, customers need to provide Telstra with the necessary details of their Australian Government Pension or Health Care Card, either by phone or in-store, if these details have not been previously registered with Telstra.
For those looking to dodge this new fee, Telstra suggests switching to an electronic mode of payment.
'Electronic options are our preferred billing and payment methods which is in step with global and local trends in billing and payments across a range of utilities, telcos and service providers.' the Telstra spokeswoman clarified.
But let's not forget that not everyone is ready to ride the 'cashless wave'.
According to a recent Reserve Bank of Australia survey, 4.5 per cent of Australia still prefers to pay with cash.
The main reasons are privacy and security concerns—reasonable in this era of cyber threats!
What are your thoughts on Telstra's decision to introduce a $2.50 fee for customers who pay their bills in cash? Do you believe it is fair or unfair? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
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