customer service issue

I totally empathize with you. I have had problems with NICOR in the
past, most recently today. I have been paying my monthly payment on
time each month. I don't know if they didn't explain it to me
correctly (which knowing them I'm sure this is the case), or if I
understood it incorrectly, but I received a disconnection notice that
will take effect this Friday. Apparantely, I have been paying the
incorrect amount every month since January (today is Aug 10) and now
they are shutting off my gas. I asked them why nobody advised me all
these months that I was paying the wrong amount. They are very rude
people to deal with. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was told
someone would call me within 48 hours. This is totally unexceptable
for any business! I knew no one would call me back, so I insisted to
speak to a supervisor. He was no help either. I tried to arrange a
payment plan with them to pay off my balance, but they said I must pay
the full amount. I advised them that I don't have the full amount or
I would pay it and would like to speak to someone about payment
arrangements. He said I could not make arrangements and my only
option was to pay in full. So I asked him "You're telling me that
NICOR will not work with me to pay my bill?" and he said "Yes maam."
I'm sure NICOR would go out of business if they had any competition!!!

pretty interesting. I just switched. Can't wait to get my vacation,
I'm going to go to AZ to visit some friends who moved down after
college.

Manuel

I have had too many problems with Nicor to list here. They shut my
gas off mid-winter on Friday night which is typically their practice
it sounds like, to make you wait extra days before it can be turned
back on. I have also found the customer service very lacking. I
recently came accross an alternative to Nicor at
http://omnisupply.joinambit.com and it is working great for me. Hope
this helps somebody. Read below:

***************************************************
Ambit Energy, L.P., announced today that the company is open for
business as an Alternative Gas Supplier (AGS) in the State of
Illinois. As of noon on May 27, 2008, Ambit Energy began gathering
customers from among 2.4 million households in the Nicor Gas
territory, which comprises most of the northern third of Illinois,
excluding Chicago and the North Shore suburbs. The retail energy
provider also serves deregulated markets in Texas, the five boroughs
of New York City and most of Westchester County, New York.

Co-founder and CEO Jere W. Thompson, Jr., stated, "Our vision is to be
the finest and most respected energy supplier in the country. That
means our Illinois customers can expect to receive nothing less than
the highest quality service."

Ambit Energy Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Chris Chambless
said, "As the newest Alternative Gas Supplier in Illinois, Ambit has a
lot to prove. That's why we have created a savings guarantee for
customers in Illinois." Ambit Energy guarantees their Illinois
customers an annual average savings of at least 1% under the Nicor Gas
published rate for natural gas supply. The company also offers one of
the most attractive customer loyalty rewards programs in the
industry.

Mr. Chambless also stated, "We continue our commitment to our growing
team of Independent Ambit Consultants. By launching natural gas
service in Illinois, we've made this income opportunity even more
attractive to entrepreneurs who are able to see the value of
participating in this enormous wave of energy deregulation."

My daughter has had the same experience I think it is about time we
all banned together and wrote the governor or something regarding the
monopoly that is Nicor in ILLinois It is worse then the mob, They
don't have to do anything because they are the only game in time.
They can be as rude as they want and even after you have paid the full
amount they make you wait more then two weeks before they turn the
power on. Come on people it is time to fight this baloney.

don't feel to bad NICOR SUCKS -
do to a computer problem with nicor, my gas was shut off.
i have been on the budget plan since i moved into my house and for
over 10 years noe i have been paying my plan amount that came in on my
bill every month of $55 i get a shut off notice in april so i call
nicor and ask what the heck is this, i don't owe you any money i am
looking at my bill that i just recived and it is only asking for the
$55 theirs no balance showing i was told that because of a computer
glitch on thier end i was never charge any increse for the past 10
years i owed a balance of $800 and i had to pay that off or my gas
will be turned off.
i asked to speak to a supervisor and was told that NICOR does not have
any supervisors that speak to customers that i need to leave a message
and someone would call me back 3-5 days (still waiting)
to get the problem fixed for the time being i made payment
arrangements to get it paid off at least till i speak with a
supervisor because it's not my fault that your computer screwed up. a
month later my gas was shut off because i still owed 600 (still making
the payments)- (still waiting for that supervisor to return my 5
calls) even thou there are notes on my account stating that that i was
makeing payments & it was a glitch on their end - had to borrow money
to get it paid off had to wait a week for it to be turned back on -
(still waiting on that super visot to call) i am now calling daily
leaving about 5-10 messages a day depending on what i have going on.
and i just get my NEW bill it still shows the $55.00 and no balance
amount?! - i just may go all electric - and forget about nicor gas

Just when you think you know what you are talking about you may be
wrong. They advise that they will send you a warning but when you
call and advise you never received it they do not have any
verification that they even sent it, My daughter received a letter
from the company and she called and asked to be put on the payment
plan and paid 250.00 thinking everything was fine and she did not owe
any more money until the next month she was surprised when they turned
her gas off the next week. when she called to find out what happened
they advised they had no record of her wanting to be on the payment
plan only that she called and advised she could only pay 250.00 this
month Used to be as long as you paid something towards the bill they
worked with you until you get caught up but not Nicor because you have
no other choice in Illinois.

So one minute you're hangin at the Meijer, waiting in line with a
skinny blond reader, and the next you're getting your gas service shut
off. There is something wrong with this mental picture.

Call the PUCO...or whatever the Utilities Commission is called in your
state and email them a copy of this letter along with either a ref# or
copy of your paid receipt. You should have this turned back on in less
than 24hrs.

Also try to make payments during the winter months to keep your
account active. You can usually set up a payment plan for the winter
months. Generally after March 30th the utility companies will
terminate unpaid services as winter is basically over.
Not that springtime is that much nicer usually but they can do this.
Good luck with this. And let us know what happens with the utility
commission.

Do you have a Public Utility Commission in your area - I'm sorry, I
don't know if they are a Federal agency or only in the state of PA.
If so, CALL THEM, they can intervene on your behalf.

Call the media - get some attention. I cannot believe that if your
bill is paid in full that they can let you go for 8 days with no heat
or hot water!!