I have been a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA) for 30 years. The $57 annual fee pays for itself if I have just one incident during the year where I need assistance – a tow, a boost for a low battery or help changing a tire. They are generally a fine organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their website is absolutely idiotic. I have been unable to log in for a year. I didn’t bother to follow up on that problem until this week, when I was compelled to do so. I received a new membership card in the mail and had to go online to pay my annual membership fee. So I went to aaa.com\/billpay, as instructed by the information that accompanied the card, entered my name, my membership number and the billing zip code and… was informed that the card number was not recognized. This was a new card, just received in the mail. How could the number not be recognized?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I thought the problem might be with my account, so I tried to create a new one. Entered the same information and got the same result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I called AAA. To their credit they answered the phone in less than 5 minutes. But I got a customer service agent who clearly had no clue what she was talking about. She asked, first, if I had tried to create a new account. I had. Was I sure I had entered all information correctly? I was. Hmmm…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She obviously had my account information in front of her, so I was in their system. What could be the problem? She asked if I was in Texas. No, I was in Florida. “THAT’S the problem” she says. The fact that I am in Florida prevents me from logging in? Yes, she says. The system uses my location to determine the login site and I needed to log into the Texas region. “But you are a national organization” I said. Yes, she said, but different regions have separate websites and I am directed to the one that matches the location from which I am logging in. “Can you tell from the account number which region I belong to?” Oh, yes, she said. “So why doesn’t the website automatically redirect me to the right one using the account number instead of the login location?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stumped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am now able to log in if I go straight to the Texas website. But I shouldn’t have to do that. Idiotic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I have been a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA) for 30 years. The $57 annual fee pays for itself if I have just one incident during the year where I need assistance – a tow, a boost for a low battery or help changing a tire. They are generally a fine organization. But… … Continue reading