This years "Directory Renewal Poor Service Award" goes to Paul Richardson of Yell.com. I received the standard renewal phone call about 10 days before my Yell.com entry was due to expire, told Paul that I would call him back after I had sorted out what coverage I wanted, and duly called him last Thursday to place an order.
Since then I have had at least a dozen phone calls or messages and two faxed order forms. The phone calls include being asked if I wanted certain coverage because I had it last year, even though I explained when placing the new order last Thursday that the new order was to replace my existing coverage.
The first order included a service that I didn't want but, again, I was told by Paul that I had it last year, as if that justified its inclusion. I don't know if the YP sales force, if it can be called "sales" by simply phoning around existing customers for renewals, gets docked if certain renewals aren't made, but to simply include things that weren't ordered is wrong in my book.
The second order form was for less than it should have been. During one of the many phone calls from Paul, and on a faxed request, I asked what exactly I was being invoiced for?
Today I got another call and after I stated that the figures Paul gave me don't match those on the order form it went pretty much like this:
Me: "What exactly am I being invoiced for?"
Paul: "Yell.com."
Me: "I know that. Am I being invoiced for coverage in the Glasgow area, Edinburgh area...?"
Paul: "The four books you ordered."
Me: "I ordered five."
Paul: "No you didn't, you ordered four."
Me: "I ordered five."
Paul: "No, you ordered blah, blah, blah and blah."
Me: "Don't renew anything, I'll consider what I want to do about my Yell.com advertising."
At that exact moment my faith in Paul, which wasn't very high anyway, disappeared. Here was a man who was arguing with me that I ordered less than I was quite clearly trying to order and have been since last Thursday, just to be proved right! Paul, you and your ego have won. Hurrah for you!
If anyone from Yell.com can be bothered to phone me up, take a simple order without being rude, and confirm that simple order, I may renew. It's not the biggest order in the world but it is four figures and if Yell.com don't want it I will put it to other, maybe better uses.
Maybe this is a blessing in disguise, maybe I won't bother renewing at all.
Be happy,
Dave.
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