Ford, Toyota adopt Netflix technology for bill paying
The long-time comeback for inquiring creditors has always been the once fail-safe "The check is in the mail." That oldie but goodie won't work anymore if you've purchased a new vehicle from Ford or Toyota's credit arm. The two automakers have adopted bar code scan technology that tells each company whether or not your check actually is in the mail. The same technology is used by Netflix to determine when a subscriber has sent back a DVD, which enables the cloud-based DVD rental service to send that customer another DVD before the first actually arrives back.
Though the bar code scan technology can be a hassle for people trying to get credit companies off their backs, it actually helps them, as well. If a payment was lost in the mail or some unforeseen natural disaster like a hurricane puts your check under five feet of water, the credit companies will know and you won't have to pay a late fee. Also, if your check really is in the mail then they won't bother with the annoying phone call all together, as they'll already know it's headed their way.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd, photo by billaday | CC2.0]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Allan 12:40PM (9/02/2008)
Autopay online FTW. Paper checks FTL.
Literally the only thing I ever write a paper check for is rent.
Reply
paul34 12:46PM (9/02/2008)
Does this system also including throttling people who actually use what they paid for so much that oftentimes DVDs take several weeks to arrive and "process" upon return?
Sorry, I am a bit bitter as you can see.
Reply
JayP 1:08PM (9/02/2008)
Thanks for saying exactly what I was thinking.
Tourian 12:56PM (9/02/2008)
I guess people with no money can just send back an empty envelope to buy themselves some more time,
Reply
Alex 1:01PM (9/02/2008)
My pop's has netflix and everytime his dog eats a DVD (quite often) he calls netflix and complains that he has yet to receive a new DVD and he mailed out the old on days ago. Two days later he gets another DVD.
I see a similar situation happening with Ford and Toyota.
/still a good idea.
Reply
C.W. 1:03PM (9/02/2008)
i guess that makes your pops a liar. too bad.
here;s an idea.. just pay your bill. be accountable. it's a funny concept these days,.
Polly Prissy Pants 1:09PM (9/02/2008)
Yep, it's people like this that ruin things for everybody else. Way to be 'that guy.' Kinda sad how some people actually take pride in stealing these days.
Polly Prissy Pants 1:05PM (9/02/2008)
I guess I'm just stupid but how does the barcode tell them when I've mailed something? I don't scan it so I could drop it in the mailbox and technically it would be on it's way yet never be scanned. Does the mailman do it? The postoffice?
Reply
MikeofLA 1:59PM (9/02/2008)
Once your mailman picks it up and brings it to his hub it gets scanned. So, if you drop it into a curbside on a Saturday afternoon, they won't know until Monday when it gets processed.
Scott 9:58PM (9/02/2008)
Yeah, I don't think this is how Netflix works... the barcode on the outside envelope does not correspond with the dvd inside, and I often shove two disks into one return envelope. Scanning that barcode wouldn't tell them much. I've never seen them mail a new dvd until the ones I've sent them show as returned on the website.
Donovan 1:09PM (9/02/2008)
strange, GMAC requires you to have auto withdrawal, I was not even given a choice, I had to provide a blank check.
Reply
Tourian 2:47PM (9/02/2008)
They do not require it here. I can't imagine it being different state to state.
spookiness 1:28PM (9/02/2008)
Who on earth writes checks anymore?
Reply
stopperbank 2:30PM (9/02/2008)
What's a check?
Reply
stevev 3:15AM (9/03/2008)
The cheque has magnetic ink along the bottom line which tells a computer that your account can be debited.
Cheques are surprisingly computerised these days.
They even scan the image to store it online so if theres a query about the signature the teller can call it up with acouple of clicks.
I mean if the post office can store all possible addreses on line its no big deal to store online all cheques written for 7 years
Reply