Happy Holidays: National Grid Hates You

My level of disgust with National Grid and their outrageous fees (the “gas delivery fee” is double the price of the actual gas, which is like the pizza guy showing up and saying, “That’s $11 for the pizza and $22 to deliver it.”) I thought had reached its peak until about four minutes ago, when I got this email:

We are reaching out to you, as a National Grid gas customer in Massachusetts, to make you aware that there will be a delay in sending your November 2010 natural gas delivery bill.

On April 16 2010, National Grid filed a comprehensive proposal to set new gas delivery rates with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. New rates will be effective on November 2, 2010. Due to the timing of our billing cycles, you may experience a delay in receiving your November bill. Indeed, your November and December bill dates and payment dates may be in close proximity to one another.

We apologize for any confusion that this delay may cause. If you would like more information, please visit us at http://www.nationalgridus.com or contact Customer Service at 800-732-3400.

Note: Please Do No Reply to this e-mail. It was sent from an automated address. You will not receive a response.

So you’re (I have to assume) going to charge me even more for gas to heat my home, when it’s already impossible in a dual-income home to afford monthly payments without using the budget billing plan. And even though you knew this was coming, because you couldn’t get your act together, you’re going to be late in sending me my bill. And rather than push the December bill date a week later, you’re going to squish the higher bills and their payment due dates closer together in the smack dab middle of the holiday season?

The salt in the wound as someone who works on a daily basis in customer service and marketing is that the very last line the customer is left with is “You will not receive a response.”

No shit.