Until just now.
I didn't realize I hadn't received an invoice for our last order. It must have gotten lost in the mail. I've worked in bookkeeping for over a decade, it's rare but it happens, it's the USPS after all. That's why we contact each other after an invoice is past-due to ask "Did you receive this? Let's make sure that our books match". That's why most companies send you an account statement if you have open invoices.
Instead of calling or emailing or re-mailing an invoice/statement/request for payment about six weeks after the fact, they just put a freeze on our account.
So what happened was I put in another order, instead of shipping immediately I get a call from the "Controller" of the company. The message just says "I'm looking for your accounts payable, please call me when you get a chance." No extra information, since that would be too easy so that I would have the answer when I called back and get to the point. Most messages in this fashion should say "I have a question about a past-due invoice" or something. My books show I have no past-due or open invoices in general, so I could have immediately responded with "We don't have a copy of it, send it over and I'll send you a check immediately!" It's pretty standard procedure for any company to company transaction regarding AP/AR.
I understand collections, I am also a huge fan of freezing accounts when they are repeat offenders and magically drop off the face of the Earth when you try to contact them. However proper manners tend to to give someone at least one warning and it usually takes more than a couple weeks past due to freeze an account. That's tacky, inconsiderate and lazy in my professional opinion.
I called Customer Service, asked them nicely to cancel the order. Then once it was off our pending orders list, made sure to let the Controller know that there are too many other options for what they supply to put up with that sort of behavior. No response from them about my annoyance.
This isn't the worst bad_service by any means but it's obnoxious poor bookkeeping and business behavior!