Cranky Customer

I just went through the most frustrating experience with PB.

they notified us in December about a new rate increase that could be downloaded directly to our system for $132.00. We did not need the new rate structure because 1st Class was not changing and that is all we do.

Today, my paralegal added 500.00 more postage to our machine and the new rate chip increase was automatically downloaded to our machine without our permission and contrary to our wishes.

I called customer service, was transferred to "Postage by mail", waited 16 minutes on hold, was then transferred to the "technical dept", who said I was in the wrong place, outside the country to two different men who kept me on hold 10 minutes apiece before telling me they couldn't help me.

When I complained about being on hold 42 minutes, the last gentleman purposely disconnected me.

I will never, ever do business with PB again. I thought Hasler was bad, but with PB, you can't even get a live body who knows where to send you for help.

Never again. And in the meantime, I'm going to get a bill for $132.00 for a rate increase download I didn't need.

Well it hardly seems worthwhile to add my voice here, but I to am so done with Pitney Bowes. We have been using the free service from Dymo Stamps. The service is free, you have to buy the printer at about $130.00 but you by it once and you are done- that is about waht I was paying per quarter with Pitney Bowes. They have returned my phone calls and have done everything they said they would do. Just any FYI the fax number for the CEO and CFO of Pitney Bowes is 203-351-6835 I suggest that you fax them and let them know how dissatisfied you are. I really wish though that they would just cease to exist. hopefully their bad service will start to impact their bottom line.

In June 2008 I was contacted by our Pitney Bowes rep telling me that our contract was about to expire and if I didn't sign a new contract I would be without equipment. I also checked out a few other companies. I even told him so in his persuing conversations telling me if I didn't sign they would be coming to get my equipment in October. This went on for three months. I finally signed with another company. When I called in October for them to come pick-up the equipment I was told my contract went through September 2009. So I wrote to the office of the President and got a response from some local sales manager, he came and took notes, agreed the rep really dropped the ball. Would get back in a couple weeks. Four weeks later I'm calling to find out what's going on. He's now rude and "will get back with me." I finally get a letter a week later telling me it is the "leasees responsiblity to make sure all claims are true and valid and to get it in writing." I'm supposed to assume their rep is lying and ask for everything in writing? So I file a complaint with the Attorney General and copy the Office of the President. I get a letter response from Customer Advocate and the Regional Director stating stuff that never happened. I immediately call the Customer Advocate. She agrees with me that I would have should no reason to doubt the credibility of the reps statement. She'll check further. Then I get a call from the District Manager who said he asked the rep and "he looked him right in the eyes and denied ever saying my contract was to expire." I told him he was flat out lying to him. This is unethical and voilate the Federal Trade Commission Act 45(a)(1) and Florida Statues - Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices 501.202 (1)(2)(3). And isn't it amazing how they never put start or end dates on their contracts?

I'm not surprised to read all of these postings. I signed a contract with Pitney Bowes in 2007 and until now have had little or no problems with them. If you disregard the constant attempt at trying to nickle and dime you to death.

But, now it's a whole new ball game. We deal with Purchase Power (The Pitney Bowes Bank) when ordering more postage for our machine. In December of last year I was notified that due to the low activity my credit limit with Purchase Power was being reduced. Well, it couldn't have happened at a more opportune time. Our company has recently landed larger accounts and the postage activity is growing by leaps and bounds. When I contact Pitney Bowes and Purchase Power to request my credit limit be increased back to the ORIGINAL AMOUNT, I was denied due to the "low activity". I have always paid my bill on time and fell like this is very unjust!

I am looking into other meter companies as we speak. After all they expect us to do what we have agreed (pay on time) and I expect them to do what they agreed to (offer the same credit limit I accepted in 2007).

If anyone has any info on other meter companies they would like to share please do!

For thos who want to contact the company right away call 203-356-5000 and ask for the President Department or for the president directly Murray D. Martin.

I just got of the phone with them because braking a lease with them cost more then actually buying the machine or letting the lease run out.

We are a small healthcare company and had been a customer of Pitney Bowes since 1996. In early 2007, we began reviewing our PB leases (12 leases total) and we looked into competing products. We met with our PB rep, who presumed that we would renew. We felt that PB and its representatives exhibited the arrogance of a market leader and we chose to go with Neopost instead.

Once we made this decision and notified our rep, all communication ceased and serving us as a client quickly stopped. Since October 2007 until Feb 2009 we are still trying to resolve the billing problems. We wrote a letter to Murry D. Martin, President of PB, and they responded, but this only worked for a short time. We continued to be billed for machines we no longer had in our possession, and we PAID Pitney Bowes to pick them up.

We then filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, which then prompted the Office of the President to contact us. Then, only a few issues were resolved. They continue to bill us for equipment and leases that expired almost a year ago. They are not honest in the way business is conducted. It's become almost a game for me now to call them and tell them I received a bill for a machine they have in their possession. They must be really stupid.

NEVER again will we do business with Pitney Bowes and I'm trying my best to discourage anyone else from doing business with them. They are a nightmare to deal with!

I am a rep for another postage meter company. I have over 30 years in the meter business. For years I have been telling customers that PB will nickel and dime them to death. As their competitor, it just comes off as sour grapes. The truth is there are 4 meter manufactures certified to rent meters in the US: PB, Neopost-Hasler, Francotyp-Postalia, Data-Pac. I happen to know that Postalia (fp-usa.com) has no ad on fees. The price is the price. Because they operate as dealerships, you can get great service and pricing.

We've had nothing but trouble with Pitney Bowes too. But once you have signed a contract you can never get rid of them because severance fees, asset recovery fees, or whatever they can make up exceeds the cost of staying with them.

Even after you have a new contract they'll continue to call you with rude and pushy salespeople who won't hang up. After you tell them you have are already a customer they'll respond that your machine is obsolete and you'll be without service within a few months, or there is a new better deal. We think they must be using outside sales companies who have a goal of selling, not servicing the account.

The scene of when their inspector comes in to look at the machine is a big joke. He comes into the office, flashes a badge as if he is with law enforcement, and then orders your employees out of the room containing the postage machine so he can do his inspection without interference - hahahahaah!

The latest is that a pushy and rude representative called to say that we hadn't been cleaing our machine properly since her records showed we hadn't ordered a cleaning kit. She told us we'd be responsible for the repair of any malfunction in the machine. We said we would clean it. She responded that we can only clean with authentic Pitney Bowes products and they could tell if we didn't do so. We relented and purchased an overpriced "cleaning system" which turned out to be just an off-the-shelf box of swabs, hand wipes, and a can of compressed air! There was nothing special about this product, and Pitney Bowes would never know if the customer used their product or another one! What a rip-off!

Anyone have any advice as to how to break your lease with PB. We are a small struggling showroom and we no longer need our PB equipment. When I call they say the lease is up in 2012 and the only way out is to have another company buy it out or settle. I know if I settle it will cost my company a fortune that we don't have. Any suggestions? DON'T EVER SIGN A CONTRACT WITH PITNEY BOWES!!!!!!

Ray, New York -- In same boat as you! I did not sign contract and I'm only binding corp signature, but PB are having none of it. Have you had other replies, or have atty we can both use...perhaps go to Andrew Cuomo on PB's usurious/abusive practices.