Biden-Harris Administration push new efforts to crack down on customer service headaches
WASHINGTON (WTVD) -- There are new efforts to crack down on business practices that waste your time and money.
The Biden-Harris Administration announced several initiatives that take on customer headaches. The goal of this initiative is to make it easier for you to cancel subscriptions, talk to a live person and get a refund automatically as opposed to going through several obstacles.
When you have a problem with a business and want to file a complaint, instead of getting a real person, many times you end up stuck with an automated recording or online bot. This is what the Biden-Harris Administration calls customer service, "doom loops" and they want to end that headache.
"Beginning the process of allowing consumers when they want to talk to a real person. they don't want to deal with the chat, but they don't want to deal with the automated recordings. They'll be able to do so by pressing a single button and getting connected directly to that person," said Chad Maisel, Senior Policy Advisor to the President.
Maisel said besides that initiative, the Federal Trade Commission is finalizing a new rule that would make it easier to cancel subscriptions and recurring payments, like gym, cable memberships and apps.
"If it took two clicks on a website to sign up, you should be able to cancel with two clicks on the same website," Maisel said.
Another initiative aims to allow you to submit health claims online as opposed to mailing them in and also provides clear information about what health plan providers are in-network. It also makes it easier to find information on how to appeal claim denials.
"Companies do this because they want to make it difficult for you to get the money that you're owed. They want to make it hard to talk to a customer service agent or to get a refund, and so this is about again setting new rules of the road that all companies have to follow through on and be held to," Maisel said.
You can also see changes when it comes to airlines and getting a refund as opposed to a flight credit. The Department of Transportation's (DOT) new automatic refunds rule requires airlines to pay you back the airfare when your flight is canceled or significantly changed for any reason and you are not offered -- or choose not to accept -- alternatives such as rebooking. DOT's rule also puts an end to airline runarounds by requiring refunds to be automatic and in the original form of payment.
The White House is asking for other ideas on how federal action can give you your time and money back. You can submit your ideas here.
