My Xcel Energy

I have never been more annoyed at an app and website than Xcel Energy. It’s not user friendly. Here’s a story. You have to get the app to initiate auto pay. I help my parents deal with their utilities online. Just recently, Xcel Energy removed the auto payment because my parents changed up their bank account without letting me know. Unfortunately, Xcel Energy didn’t even notify me there was an issue either. Not a big deal but as I went to start up the auto payment again, the app doesn’t have the program link available anymore and it wants to take me to Kupra. That will incur a fee every time I pay through that site. On the app, it basically says bank accounts cant be used to pay for the Xcel account. Just today I googled “kupra xcel energy” to find out what the deal was and as I scrolled down, I saw “ways to pay” and there’s an auto pay option on the page. WOW, it takes me to the app where I can start it again. So we CAN use auto pay still with bank accounts. Why was it not even offered right on the app??? Im pretty sure I clicked everywhereeee on the app/website before to look for the auto pay option and now I finally seeing it after googling a few weeks later? That’s stupid.

You took a perfectly fine and accessible app and ruined it. You have made it inaccessible because of not using a passcode on my phone for personal reasons. It is now more expensive, more difficult and all around a complete pain to do anything with your company. Unfortunately due to the monopoly you have on the energy service in my area I either pay you more money for changes you made making it more difficult for me to pay my bill or I say screw it by selling everything moving away to a different part of the state or country with more friendly service providers. Not that you obviously care judging by the poor ratings of the app and refusal to make it more accessible for everyone. You are the only company I have ever dealt with ever requiring the use of a stupid passcode and refusal to offer other free alternatives to pay besides this crappy app.

So if you were ahead of the game and proactively purchased an eco thermostat like Nest model T3008US, then forget about qualifying for and eco discount programs unless you purchase an overpriced eco thermostat from the Xcel online store. Grrrr I’m a disabled veteran on a fixed budget, I believe it’s unfair to be penalized for being proactive. Perhaps Xcel might be a little selfish if we didn’t by their overpriced items. Other electric companies are offering $100 in savings credit for connecting an eco thermostat that does not have to be purchased from them, my Nest model included. The model I have is full featured including fully capable of online programming and control by third parties like Xcel.