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You have to admire the tenacity of a company soliciting you, sending a second piece of mail for the same insurance, trying to sell you something of possibly questionable value. It is to a significant extent almost a duplicate of the original "offer":
- It uses the San Jose Water Company logo
- It purports to be "Important"
- Mr. Robert Day, Director of Customer Service, San Jose Water Company signed it, again!
To be fair the light gray small text was removed, thanks, us "old" folks won't need a magnifying glass to read the text. The point is made SJWC values "their" customers, which is why they are passing along the enclosed information............ I feel an immense feeling of warm fuzzies that I'm such a valued customer and got a second letter. Let's take a look at a key point:
What is San Jose Water Company getting for letting Home Emergency Insurance Solutions use their corporate logo? What are they getting for having a member of SJWC management using his name and title to "seemingly endorse" their solicitation?
Other water companies have "disclosed" what financial benefit they are getting for supporting this program.
Alameda County Water District, gets 10% of the insurance premiums
Dublin San Ramon Services District
gets 10% of the insurance premiums,
plus $25,000 upfront for staff services
Dublin San Ramon Services District
gets 10% of the insurance premiums,
plus $25,000 upfront for staff services
Why doesn't San Jose Water Company disclose what the deal really is! Where is the money they collect going? Did our ratepayer monthly utility payment fund San Jose Water Company staff involvment and support of this program? or will SJWC management again say,"we don't have to legally tell you anything about this" .
Thank you, James Hunter, for such a thorough and well researched commentary on this very unacceptable behavior by our water company. I was shocked to receive the same solicitation in my mailbox today. I previously received a post card with the SJWC logo which solicited voluntary/optional sign up with HEIS. I researched HEIS on the web and found that they were essentially a scam operation preying on unwitting water company customers but NOT really providing any service (look it up yourself). I wrote a letter to SJWC and the Calif. Public Utilities Commission complaining that this was not a good business practice for our water company. I received a copy of a reply from SJWC to the PUC (Re: IC274347) from Drucilla Redwine (Customer Service Superintendent) which "respectfully disagrees with Mr. Richard's (sic) opinion."
ReplyDeleteHer response emphasized the OPTIONAL nature of the offer and that "the postcard referenced served as an introduction to the program and was not intended to provide comprehensive information about the product or SJWC's association..... SJWC is not collection this premium for HEIS. All agreements and payment arrangements are between HEIS and the customer, and not with SJWC." And further, that "Any customer can request to be removed the mailing list by contacting HEIS..." My suggestion that SJWC distance itself from HEIS and withdraw permission for HEIC to use the SJWC imprimatur immediately was completely ignored. I let the issue rest until today when I have received a more extensive solicitation for the same service. I am outraged that SJWC would continue to associate with these crooks.... and, yes, permitting HEIS to use the cover of SJWC is an association. It may be time to write to the PUC again and request a reply.