Yesterday, I arrived home to my usual pile of mail which in this case included a parking ticket. My first in years.
I noticed on the bill that my payment options included:
- via Internet at ottawa.ca (Visa or Mastercard only, with payment of a service charge)
- By Telephone (24 hours, 7 days a week, Visa or Mastercard only, with payment of a service charge)
- By Mail (address was provided, no service charge)
- In person (hours provided, no service charge)
Being a net savvy surfer I chose the internet, surfed over and within two clicks had my infraction up and paid it. However, I noticed the service charge was listed as a Convenience Fee.
How Officially Screwed is this?
I can pay via electronic means, putting money directly into the city coffers (read no delay in them getting interest on my money), with no human interaction (read no insane salaried employee needed), without wasting gas to drive there (read being environmentally friendly), without wasting time (read being productive to society by not taking time out of my busy day), without waiting in a lineup (read without generating heat which the city’s air conditioners must compensate for), etc etc etc. Yet I am the one paying the convenience fee. The city should be giving me a discount instead of charging me additional service charges.
The choice to pay via the telephone is similar. The savings to the city when people choose this format is just as pronounced as using the internet.
Yet, should I go in, where a real live person needs to deal with me, or if I mail in my checque which a real live person must handle, process, verify, and deposit, I get off without paying the additional $1.50.
I am not griping about the $1.50. I believe it is a good price for a convenience fee. However, I do believe this convenience fee, should be going the other way.
Officially Screwed … again.