Great way to manipulate your customers, Synergy! S...

Great way to manipulate your customers, Synergy! Send a letter using the carrot & stick tactic. A veiled threat, a vague admonition, and a way out, all on one page! Cunning strategy, but obvious and disrespectful to us.
My neighbour & I live outside a country town, each on 2 acres. For several years, I read my own meter, wrote the data on Synergy's card, and mailed it. In a week or 2, I got the bill back & paid it. No hassle, no sweat. Then Synergy decide they want to read my meter for me, for whatever reason, and start doing so a few years back. No consultation.
I guess Synergy is looking for ways to cut costs, as my neighbour & I each received the same letter about 2 weeks ago. Both letters claimed we had "restricted" the meter reader's access to our blocks, preventing the reading. Strange, as Synergy's reading on their account tallied exactly with my neighbour's own reading of his meter. That's the admonition.
The letter also said the reader could return if we chose to pay near $15. That's the threat.
Then they offered a way out, that's the carrot. We could avoid the cost if we began reading our own meters. I had no objection to reading my own meter in the first place, so agreed to this in a phone call.
It's the greasy, manipulative way Synergy went about this cost-cutting measure that angers me. In the phone call, I asked how the meter reader had been "restricted" from entering my block. They checked & came back, saying "a dog". Riiiigghhtt!!!! The only dog on my block in 2 years is said neighbour's toothless ancient Pekingese! It's been on my land perhaps 3 times.
Is it THIS dog who "restricted" (terrific choice of word, spin doctors!) the meter reader? What a coincidence it was on my land at just the moment the meter reader arrived! I wonder what "restricted" the meter reader from entering my neighbour's block? Same dog, or did they trot out a new excuse? Another coincidence.....
Clearly Synergy want us to read our own meters & save them labour costs. Well & good, I have no problem reading my meter & posting the card every 2 months. Not a great ask. I had no choice when they started reading my meter for me.
What I object to is the slimy, calculating methods Synergy used to push us to "volunteer" to read our own meters. If the reader was "restricted" from entering my neighbour's property, how come the "estimation" Synergy made in their bill tallied 100% with the actual meter reading?
Claiming we had "restricted" access to our blocks was manipulative, the spurious claim was to invoke a sense of obligation in us. Following was the threat- if we asked for the reader to return, there would be a financial cost, just under $15. Then there was the reward- Synergy The Great & Powerful, in their omniscient generosity, were offering us an out- read our own meters! Like a papal dispensation for the peasants...
What a slimy effort on Synergy's part! Threat, an attempt at instilling a feeling of guilt or obligation, and a small carrot, IF we do what the corporation wants!
Dear Synergy staff- instead of devious methods, have you even considered just ASKING us? Both of us would have said, "sure, I'll read my own meter from now on". You wouldn't have to insult our intelligence with the obvious lie about the reader being "restricted" from both blocks at the same time.... Nor threaten us.
Large corporations spend huge amounts on PR consultants, ever polishing, maintaining & shaping their image. They clearly have no sense of shame, no feeling of embarrassment as they lie to and manipulate their customers. Here's a tip for Synergy on how to save money- stop treating your customers as if they are naughty, retarded children who respond to greed. Instead, treat them with respect. Who knows? They might return the favour.