My issue is that I am paid once a month like most Social Security Retirees, SSD, SSI and many teachers, state and local employees.(Millions of people in all).
Seems all the cell phone service providers I've contacted, (regarding the monthly, no contract service plans) adhere to an auto payment program that works strictly on a 30 day cycle. You have to opt for a 1 to 2 year contract to get a set monthly billing date. (Not to mention the credit check that some of us on a limited income can not qualify for).
It is to T-Mobiles benefit to have their non-contract customers set up an automatic payment plan, rather than trusting them to remember to renew their monthly plans or physically go out and purchase and activate a new card. It is also very convenient for a customer to not have to worry about the rigors of physically paying their mobile phone bill by opting for the automatic payment program. (Especially us disabled people).
There are only four actual months with 30 days. (April, June, Sept. and Nov.). So why this 30 day interval?
There are seven months that have 31 days. (Jan., Mar., May, July, Aug., Oct. and Dec.).
Feb. has only 28 or 29 days. (Depending on leap year).
If you were to offer a monthly automatic billing plan on a set day each month, (regardless if there were 28, 29, 30 or 31 days between billing dates) I would think you would get a lot of customers from your competitors to jump ship and choose T-Mobile so that they can take advantage of your easy, automatic payment option.
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All SSI and SSD recipients must have a bank account now to electronically have their monthly benefit checks deposited into. SSI recipients get their Benefit Check deposited on the first of every month and SSD or retirees usually get theirs by the 3rd. (It also depends on if their deposit falls on a holiday or a weekend day).
It seems to me that many businesses are missing a golden opportunity to cater to this guaranteed monthly revenue and market segment. It would simplify monthly billing cycles to have it set on the same day each month, (like the anniversary date the customer started their service) instead of this ever changing 30 day cycle.
This current 30 day philosophy causes double withdraws on some months with 31 days, and lapses in service until the consumer can get their next monthly, account deposit to resume services again. This is not an ideal set of circumstances to be subjecting your customers to and doesn't promote continuity in the services you are trying to offer.
Is it worth losing loyal customers over 4 or 5 days of unpaid service during the course of a year with 364 or 365 days? It only amounts to a $10.00 refill card.
Example: A customer with a $50.00 unlimited monthly plan, multiplied by 12 months equals $600.00 per year of guaranteed money on the auto play program. Most business people and/or companies would gladly offer a $10.00 discount to keep a customer that is sure to spend $600.00 a year with them.
I'm surprised some corporate executive or marketing expert hasn't thought of this angle to gain a larger share of the cell phone consumer marketplace. I like your new marketing concept that allows your customers to change/upgrade their services/contracts whenever they want instead of when they are told. (Or so your advertisement claims). That is innovative thinking.
Maybe more of us should complain or request a change in this archaic billing practice so the service industries will see that there is a large market of potential customers that they are missing out on. What do you all think?