Are Your Systems Out of Date with Current Technology?

I paid a bill using my banks online bill payment. I included in the memo portion of the check my name - reason for payment - account number. Bill needed to arrive 2/1/2011 - it did ... company cashed the check the same day and funds were transferred to the company on 2/1/2011. I verified online that my account had be debited for the check amount on time.

Received a late notice on 2/10/11 that my payment had not been received and that I would be charged a $50 late fee. That was interesting sense they had my money for 10 days.

Called the company on the morning of 2/11/2011 with the check number in hand to prove my case. They looked up my account and said - oh yes we received your payment on 2/1/2011. They added that because I sent via my bank's online bill payment we didnt receive the "payment coupon" , so it took nine days for your bill to clear in our system so it appeared late.
Excuse me? I had my name - reason for payment - account number in the memo section, I said. They said well without the "coupon" (which by the way is really a "statement" - imbeciles) we can't process your payment for several days. Uh couldnt the idiot that took nine days to figure out the lack of coupon issue see that my payment was credited on 2/1/2011?
So without a SPECIFIC PIECE OF PAPER this company can't credit a customers account despite the fact that the customer provided name - reason for payment - account number on the check. Info that is completely sufficient for other companies. But they were able to cash my check and credit my account but not that I paid it on time.
Does any of this makes sense to you folks?
If your business is this dependent on paper - update your processes immediately. Its wastes everyone's time.
FYI - no late fee for me.

Must be a member to become a member?

This borders on the absurd...
I am looking for professional organizations for the event industry to promote http://localeventplanner.com/
Meeting Planners International has links to membership but when you click JOIN it prompts for the username and password...

So you have to be a member to become a member?
http://www.mpiweb.org/Membership

This beyond ridiculous...I wonder what their membership numbers are like???
---------------------------------------------------
Join our affiliate program