Amerigas: Worst Customer Service in the World (well, maybe not that bad but it ain’t good)

(Note: This post contains several updates.)

I use Amerigas up here in Clare County. I use them only because the former owner of my property leased the tank from the company so I have continued to do so. However, I wish I didn’t. Amerigas has the worst customer service in the world.

Here’s the story: I have an online account with them and recently needed to change my credit card number because Amerigas couldn’t bill me. My bad. I had not updated my credit card with them.

When I attempted to do so, I was unable to get into my Amerigas account using the password I had been using. No big deal, I thought  so I requested a new password using the Amerigas online system. Sadly, their online system would not respond. I tried again and again got the same lack of response. So I gave up and decided to call instead. Then suddenly a temporary password showed up from Amerigas in my mailbox. Problem over, I thought.

Wrong, as it turned out.

The system would not let me in using the new password and finally locked me out. So I tried to call them using the phone number in the email. The email also said their call center was open until 8 p.m. EST. Very convenient I thought as I called one early evening.  I went through the many prompts on the Amerigas phone system only to be told the office closed at 5 p.m. Thinking I was mistaken I reread the email. “Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.” it read.

So I tried again the next day about the same time after receiving yet another email from them that gave the 8 p.m. closing time. Same result.

So the third day I called earlier and was placed on hold. After a time a message came on saying I could just leave my name, account number and phone number and someone would try to call me back within the half hour. So I waited. And waited and waited.

The few days later I called again. This time midday. Was placed on hold, left a message when prompted and waited. Still no response. Today I called yet a third time and the wait continues although more than two hours has already elapsed.

So each day, Amerigas tries to bill my account and sends me an email when they are unable to do so. And each day I call. I am happy to report however that their email now gives the 5 p.m. closing time so that’s a step in the right direction. But not a big one and it doesn’t change my opinion of the company.

I have always hated Amerigas and I don’t hate too many companies. It stems from a few years ago when I didn’t lock in my rate for propane because gas prices were low and the price of propane (which is petroleum-based) basically follows the price of gas. Also, by not locking in my rate I saved $100.

Amerigas monitors my tank and normally come out whenever the propane level in my tank is 30 percent or less. On this particular day a few years ago, the tank was nearly full when the truck came out. I was not alarmed. They were there so they filled the tank.  When I got the bill however, I about hit the ceiling. Amerigas had charged me around $5/gallon for propane.

I immediately called their call center (this time I had easily gotten through). Their explanation: On that particular day the price of propane had spiked for some reason to $5/gallon in that region. Just that day. No, they didn’t know why. No, they couldn’t tell me anything more. No, they couldn’t cut my bill. No. No. No. And yes, I should have locked in the rate. Luckily for me my tank hadn’t been  empty or I would have been looking at a $3000 bill.

I should have left them that year but with fees for turning off service and disconnecting service and picking up the tank I didn’t. And that’s why today I sit and wait for Amerigas to call me back although I realize the call may never come.  So while I sit and wait I continue to hate. Amerigas sucks. Stay away.

Dec. 20 Update: Amerigas called me back at 7:15 p.m. last night but I was not available to answer the phone so I called them back this morning (Dec. 20) a few minutes after they opened. I was on hold for 10 minutes before a polite gentleman named Jason answered the phone and reset my password. All my delays and time spent waiting for something that took Jason all of two minutes. I thanked Jason for his help and told him Amerigas customer service was horrible and asked that he pass that up to the powers-that-be within the company. I reset my password and updated my account. For now, all is well.

Dec. 22 Update: I thought all was well with my Amerigas account but I was sadly mistaken. Yesterday I received an email that Amerigas had successfully billed my new credit card for a $20.09 payment. Now this payment attempt goes back to early December when I received the first indication that I had an invalid card attached to my account. And while I tried to get it all sorted out, I DID send them the payment via check so my account was up to date. In fact, when I talked to Jason he assured me it was up to date and when I was able to access my account online I verified it was up to date. Well, apparently with everyone but the computer at Amerigas, which billed my credit card. Thank goodness it is a relatively small amount. Had it been my entire bill for propane it could be devastating to my account. I contacted Amerigas yesterday to ask that the amount be credited. I have not heard back from them. My battle continues.

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