For the record: I’m all about vertical search engines, especially the ones related to real estate.

If “Zestimates” are the only Zannoyances you’ve had to deal with in your real estate career, count yourself lucky. Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of dealing with Zillow’s customer service.

Approximately a week and a half ago, we noticed a peculiar charge on our bill. Upon investigation, we found that the same charge had been placed against our corporate credit card every month since April.  Since I had no recollection of ever authorizing anything that had to do with ad sales (the description on the bill), I decided to call the toll free number provided on the billing statement.

The first call was pleasant enough. I spoke to an outsourced call center rep and inquired. He told me that he saw no charges being billed to our company, but that he would look into it if I faxed the credit card statement to him. After constant assurances that I would be called back within 24 hours, I faxed over the paperwork and waited.

Zillow's customer service staff

48 hours later, I called again. A different rep informed me that there were no charges being placed against the account attached to my email address. I asked him if there was a possibility that the charges were being made with a different e-mail address. After learning that there was, indeed, such a possibility, I proceeded to give him the 5 e-mail addresses of the people that have access to the card number in question. Still, no dice.

After hearing, “You are not being charged anything” several times in a row, I asked to speak to the billing department. His reponse? There is no number to reach the billing department. At this point in the conversation, I begin to lose my patience.

“Is there any possible way you can find out why we’re being charged this amount on a monthly basis?” I asked.

“Yes, sir, please fax over the credit card statement with the charge in question.” I bit my tongue and faxed over the statement again, but not before I asked how long it would take for the issue to be resolved. “24 hours,” I was assured.

48 more hours passed and I was on the verge of driving to Seattle myself. I called the 800-number once more and was greeted by a soothing, pleasant, female voice:

“Thank you for calling Zillow, how may I help you?”

“I apologize in advance if I sound a bit brash, ma’am, but I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of a very curious charge that no one can seem to tell me anything about.”

“What is your e-mail address, sir?” I told her my e-mail address, along with the fact that I was having the same conversation with her that I’ve had with two previous people.

“I’m sorry, sir, but there are no charges associated with that e-mail address.” I turned my thumb and index finger into a gun and pointed it at my temple, pulling the trigger.

“I would like to speak to the billing department, please”

“There is no number to the billing department, sir.”

“There has to be a way to get in touch with your billing department to find out why we’re getting charged the amount we’re getting charged.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but the billing department is completely different from

Zillow customer service = crap

customer service, and there is no number where you can reach them. I can’t even reach them. All I can do is put your inquiry into the system. If you could fax over the-”

“I already faxed over the bill. Twice. You have to be able to tell me why we’re getting charged. Are you telling me that you have a billing department that is not only inaccessible, but also charges companies monthly fees and has no idea why they are charging the amount they are?”

“That is correct, sir.” That is correct? I was in disbelief. I had to ask the question again.

“Wait, so you’re telling me that you have an entire billing department that has no idea what it’s doing?”

“That is correct, sir.” It was the first thing that made sense since I began this tiresome quest. “Perhaps if you emailed the credit card statement to me?”

“I am going to email this to you, and I want you stay on the phone with me and tell me when you get it, ok?”

“Ok.”

And so we sat on the phone in awkward silence as I waited for her to receive the email. Finally, she told me that it arrived. I asked how long it would take for someone to get back to me. “24 hours,” I was assured.

56 hours later, I received a phone call from a Zillow employee. The issue still remains unresolved, and we will probably be charged again next month.

The moral of the story? Stick with Trulia.