(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – If you’ve found yourself waiting on hold longer than normal to talk to a ComEd representative, a new computer system may be partly to blame.
Utility officials say problems with paying bills online or auto pay-by-phone that happened during the switch to a new computer system last week have been fixed.
But one thing that persists, according to Senior Vice-President of Customer Operations Melissa Washington, is that people paying online or by auto pay-by-phone do not see their payments reflected on their accounts in real-time.
She says that has prompted many of those people to phone the ComEd call center to talk to a live representative to confirm the payment went through.
“Even though the self-service tools are restored, customers are calling to the call center and we’re seeing longer-than-normal hold times because of the additional calls that are being driven there,” she said.
Washington says customers should see their payment “pending” for 24 hours after paying a bill online, via ComEd’s app or auto pay-by-phone.
Meanwhile, the utility’s senior vice-president says because all ComEd customer account numbers are being replaced with customer IDs that will go with them even if they move, people who pay via their bank’s scheduled bill payment system will have to update their bill payee info with the bank.
People who are on ComEd’s auto-pay system do not have to make any changes.
ComEd says it will not penalize customers who had problems resulting from the computer switch.
Some people found their bills listed incorrectly and shockingly at just under $10,000. Washington says that issue was fixed quickly.
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