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Telephone Directory Salespeople driving me up the wall
I have a marketing firm which works specifically with Small and Medium businesses. For years these businesses have been inundated with sales pitches by the local telephone directories. Not a spinoff directory, the "real" one.
I am very skeptical of these directories in this day and age. The salespeople tend to call "right at deadline" and never have a printed rate card.
Last week I received two sets of rates from two separate salespeople, one of which is 70% below what the other stated.
I had a contract faxed to me yesterday giving specifics, then found out from my client that this was not what "they" had discussed. Discussions going on without my involvement? Interesting.
A few minutes ago, I got a phone call from the salesperson, who knows full well that my client is out of town in an all-day seminar (he`s the instructor) telling me that all contracts and camera-ready has to be in her hands by 5PM tonight.
Now, I`ve been in this business a while. I`ve seen 99% of the tricks of the trade. This, however, seems to display a definite relaxation of ethics, as well as just plain trying to drive me up the friggin` wall.
Just to prove that this isn`t a simple vent, let me ask all of you...do any of you advertise in the local phone directories? Has anyone ever called you from that advertising? Are you easily searchable on a phone directory web site if the business name is not known?
Frankly, I think their entire print concept is dead or dying and their online concept is absurd. Still, I have to smile and nod and take their nonsense on the client`s behalf, because that`s what I do.
I am very skeptical of these directories in this day and age. The salespeople tend to call "right at deadline" and never have a printed rate card.
Last week I received two sets of rates from two separate salespeople, one of which is 70% below what the other stated.
I had a contract faxed to me yesterday giving specifics, then found out from my client that this was not what "they" had discussed. Discussions going on without my involvement? Interesting.
A few minutes ago, I got a phone call from the salesperson, who knows full well that my client is out of town in an all-day seminar (he`s the instructor) telling me that all contracts and camera-ready has to be in her hands by 5PM tonight.
Now, I`ve been in this business a while. I`ve seen 99% of the tricks of the trade. This, however, seems to display a definite relaxation of ethics, as well as just plain trying to drive me up the friggin` wall.
Just to prove that this isn`t a simple vent, let me ask all of you...do any of you advertise in the local phone directories? Has anyone ever called you from that advertising? Are you easily searchable on a phone directory web site if the business name is not known?
Frankly, I think their entire print concept is dead or dying and their online concept is absurd. Still, I have to smile and nod and take their nonsense on the client`s behalf, because that`s what I do.
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Comments
We used to advertise in print for our customers, but times have gotten so competitive, that if they wanted to change a promotion, or a look of the ad, we had to wait for 12 months to do it in print, that is why online gives you instant gratification and access.
The reason that their online sites are so saturated is that they levy the online ads for you to get the print ads and hence the large discrepancies in prices. They make it up as they go. They have minimums that they can not go below, but can charge up to whatever they think you might go for.
That’s why I never buy anything unless the rate card is published on the web or in print.
And if you have clients that you are doing this for, they should give you your own account rep or manager that will take care of you and not play any games. At the end of the day if you have a decent relationship with your account rep, you can call him on what he is doing, and hopefully he will not do the same thing next time.
Do some google searching and dont rush into the yellowpages. Your stuck with what`s printed, and people have been doing it for a long time, so read up on what works first!
Sounds like you got a dud salesman and as you said his and more unfortunately the stores loss. In these times where component stores are folding left, right and centre each store needs to be very careful who they employ.
www.findbusinesstelephonesystems.co.uk