Password Incorrect

We just changed over to Charter at the office  and so far things have gone smoothly.  Today I tried to check my voice mail but when I put in my password it said, "This password has expired."  So of course, I have to call Charter and you have no idea how much I hate calling companies like that - they are mills of confusion.  After going through the usual voice mail labyrinth I started frantically pushing the operator key on my phone. I got a human and was wisked off to "phone repair" - Bill.  He assured me he could help me after I gave him my company name and address (remember that 

because it's important).  Then he said he could give me a default temporary number and I could reset my password.  I asked him if it's standard procedure for passwords to expire because I don't like that and he said we had set that preference.  (yeah right!)  So he spent about five minutes "fixing" things and assuring me that all will be well.  All I had to do was go back into voice mail and type in 1234 and then I could change my password.  Then he gave me a ticket number and I asked him what 800 number was the best if I had more problems.  

I hung up and immediately tried to access my voice mail again.  When prompted I typed in 1234 and was told, "That is an invalid password.  Please enter your password."  

I then dialed the number Bill had given me and had to go through the labyrinth of voice mail again.  Again I frantically (and angrily) mashed the operator key about a buzillion times and finally got a human saying this call might be recorded.   I gave them my "ticket" number and I was again asked for my company name.  I gave them that.  Then they asked for my address.  I told them I hadn't moved in the last five minutes and to get on with it.  We need your address before we can proceed they said.  (sigh)  Okay - I gave them my address.  

Then I told them the 1234 temporary default password didn't work.  "Oh," she said, "we aren't allowed to use 1234 anymore.  So of course it was invalid.  I asked why the repair department didn't know that - but I knew I wouldn't get a coherent answer.  We moved on. 

She put me on hold while she "fixed" the problem.  When she came back she told me it was all better and all I had to do was use the security number on my bill.  

Okay - so see - we keep all of our accounting records in locked file cabinets.  I DO have a key - but what if I didn't.  So I said, "my bill is in a locked file cabinet - I need

to access my voice mail.  I need a temporary password."

She responded, "we aren't allowed to give you one - you have to use the security code on your bill."

I hung up on her.  It is now 43 minutes from the time I began this adventure and my blood pressure is beginning to look like the national debt.

I found the key to the file cabinet and eventually found the ONE bill we have received from Charter so far (we've only had the service for three weeks) and yes - I did

find our security number.  

I then picked up the receiver, pushed line one, got the beep beep beep that tells me I have voice mail and dialed *98.  When prompted I entered my security code and

was told I had to change my password right then and there.  I entered the same password we had last week before all of this silliness began and lo and behold it was accepted.

SO - if Bill was true to his promise to remove the 30 day expiration date on my password, on April 24 next month - I should be good to go.  

We'll see.  I don't trust the new iteration of "customer service."