Frequently Asked Billing Questions- Article no. 3772

Introduction

Follow these quick tips for basic billing information in BOLT

Resolution Steps

Balance Due

• General Ledger tab: Account aging area displays charges in each bucket (current, 1-30 days, etc.) 
   
• Collections tab: Account aging area displays charges in each bucket (current, 1-30 days, etc.)

Payment Due Date

• General Ledger tab: Statement Listing sub tab | Due By column

Monthly Service Charges

• Services (Svcs) tab: Shows the current Monthly Services (monthly rate), estimated taxes and combined total

Payment Date and Method of Payment

• Mop/Pymt Hist tab: Post Date shows payment date / Source column shows the payment method
   
• Payments usually post in 3 business days; many within a day
   
• Smartphone third party apps may take an additional day

Payment Methods and Fees

• Free: lockbox (mail), via the mobile app with a tablet or smartphone, in person at a local office
   
• $1.00: via Selfcare (MyAstound, MyGrande, etc.) using a computer, tablet or smartphone
   
• $2.95: through the IVR (automated phone system)
   
• $9.95 convenience fee: On the phone with an agent

Change Payment Due Date

• In most cases, we can change the payment due date for customer convenience

Internal Information

My Bill Went Up ($5, $10, $15...) Unexpectedly. This may have occurred due to an annual pricing roll off.

WOW / AAB areas: promotions came over to Astound exactly as-is during conversion using prorate method Always 

• Example: if the statement bills from the 15th to the 14th of the next month and promo was added on the 2nd, it expires on the 2nd of the month promo ends
   
• The customer sees the promotional rate from the 15th to the 2nd, then a prorate for the rest of the period at the non-promotional rate
   
• As customers repackage using the Astound standard promo sets, this campaign prorate method changes to Extend

All Other Areas: 

• Use prorate method Extend: this helps prevent prorates / customer confusion because the promotion extends to the end of the bill period
   
• Customer sees the promotional rate the entire bill period with no prorate; then the non-promotional rate displays on the next bill
   
• Check the Campaign tab and the Services tab for the anniversary date of existing campaigns
   
• We typically notify the customer an acquisition promo is expiring the month before the price roll off; letter is in customer's statement
   
• A bill message trigger code ONMESD1, ONMESD2, RTRGD01, RTRGD02, RTRGT01, RTRGT02, RTRGC01, RTRGC02, may be added in the month the bill message is to appear
   
• Verify the customers increase amount matches the amount stated in their letter; once the bill message prints, the trigger code is disconnected
   
• Price roll off messages do not appear during the annual rate increase event

Trouble Call Charges

• Trouble Call Charges are generated by an automated process based on the technicians solution code used to close out the job
   
• A description of the charge appears on the General Ledger and on the customer bill; BOLT notes are not generated

Itemized Bill: Bill was Itemized Last Month. This Month It Isn't

• This would only occur due to a configuration error; the package code drives what shows as packaged on a bill
   
• When there is no package code, then the services display as non-packaged and will be itemized
   
• A missing package code report is worked daily to correct missing package codes