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View Full Version : Whatever happened to service?


Nzoner
04-21-2006, 10:08 AM
So I get a phone call this morning from my new yellow pages rep,he's wanting to know if I want to make any changes to my ad for the upcoming book.

While we're talking I ask him are they not coming to see us in person this year to which he replies no but he's in KC if I want to come see him.

Long story short I finally got out of him that my company was no longer considered a big enough customer to be seen in person because we only spent a little over $1500 last year.

Maybe it's because I'm in the ad business but personally I think this is bullshit.It's one trip for an ad that stays the same for a year.I have clients that spend less than that with me and I see them once a month.

Sorry if you think I'm pissing and moaning here but what ever happened to service?

Bob Dole
04-21-2006, 10:11 AM
Didn't you get the memo?

Service has been outsourced.

StcChief
04-21-2006, 10:15 AM
Didn't you get the memo?

Service has been outsourced.

Yeah. your lucky you are not talking to Habeb in Pakistan or India who doesn't know or care about your business.

Nzoner
04-21-2006, 10:19 AM
Yeah. your lucky you are not talking to Habeb in Pakistan or India who doesn't know or care about your business.

I see your point,however,if he really cared wouldn't he want to face me eye to eye and at least try and upsale me by telling me some benefits of running a larger ad.

morphius
04-21-2006, 10:22 AM
Companies are getting cheaper and leaner, especially large companies. In doing so, incentives to do certain things have been limited.

seclark
04-21-2006, 10:22 AM
I see your point,however,if he really cared wouldn't he want to face me eye to eye and at least try and upsale me by telling me some benefits of running a larger ad.
agree...in a case like this i'd think both parties would benefit dealing face to face.
sec

Fish
04-21-2006, 10:23 AM
It was in the TPS report..... Didn't you read the TPS report?

Bugeater
04-21-2006, 10:36 AM
If the necessary business can be conducted over the phone, why should he burn up $3/gal gas just to come out to schmooze? Maybe you should thank him.

Nzoner
04-21-2006, 11:01 AM
If the necessary business can be conducted over the phone, why should he burn up $3/gal gas just to come out to schmooze? Maybe you should thank him.

yeah,thanks for taking the time to visit business x just a half mile from me because they spend more than I do per year.

StcChief
04-21-2006, 11:03 AM
I see your point,however,if he really cared wouldn't he want to face me eye to eye and at least try and upsale me by telling me some benefits of running a larger ad.

I thought of that...He should have asked how much you think spending $1500 for Yellow pages ad helped your business.

My parents always asked customers where they heard of them in their small business...
When they found most was word of mouth in Counties surrounding.
Very few people looked in Yellow pages for their service.

They cut ad space to a rate accordingly a token presence.
They didn't get enough from Yellow pages to amount to sh1t for business.

Your mileage may very, if you trust the old saying (probably from advertising industry) 'Advertising doesn't cost...it pays'

Measuring this 'cost' becomes important to grow your business.

Know way Yellow pages guy could know that. unfortunately.

morphius
04-21-2006, 11:04 AM
I thought of that...He should have asked how much you think spending $1500 for Yellow pages ad helped your business.

My parents always asked customers where they heard of them in their small business...
When they found most was word of mouth in Counties surrounding.
Very few people looked in Yellow pages for their service.

They cut ad space to a rate accordingly a token presence.
They didn't get enough from Yellow pages to amount to sh1t for business.

Your mileage may very, if you trust the old saying (probably from advertising industry) 'Advertising doesn't cost...it pays'

Measuring this 'cost' becomes important to grow your business.

Know way Yellow pages guy could know that. unfortunately.
Being that he is in the Ad business, he may already know that. LOL!

morphius
always one to go out on a limb.

StcChief
04-21-2006, 11:14 AM
Being that he is in the Ad business, he may already know that. LOL!

morphius
always one to go out on a limb.

I didn't know that....doh, mindreading is turned off today.

I'm just relaying my experience with family small business growing up.

Good luck figuring advantages of Yellow page use, seems like a crap shot to me...

plbrdude
04-21-2006, 11:23 AM
If the necessary business can be conducted over the phone, why should he burn up $3/gal gas just to come out to schmooze? Maybe you should thank him.


the necessary business probably could have been completed online, negating the need for even a phone call. of coarse i think meeting face to face, eye to eye, and finishing with a hand shake would have been the way to go. it's not a good feeling to be made to feel your business isn't important enough to warrent the same service as the bigger guys.
a good feeling is being a 1 man shop, and having your supply house people treat you like you're one of their bigger accounts and they don't want to lose your business. i can see zoner's point

morphius
04-21-2006, 11:23 AM
I didn't know that....doh, mindreading is turned off today.

I'm just relaying my experience with family small business growing up.

Good luck figuring advantages of Yellow page use, seems like a crap shot to me...
Maybe it's because I'm in the ad business...

Didn't take any mind reading, just reading the thread starter would have worked :D

Nzoner
04-21-2006, 11:24 AM
I didn't know that....doh, mindreading is turned off today.


Maybe it's because I'm in the ad business


Just flippin ya some shit.

I do agree though with it being a crap shoot,in my line of business I get very few calls from the yellow pages in fact since I've got to call my rep back I think the mrs and I have decided to drop down to the minimum.

morphius
04-21-2006, 11:26 AM
Just flippin ya some shit.

I do agree though with it being a crap shoot,in my line of business I get very few calls from the yellow pages in fact since I've got to call my rep back I think the mrs and I have decided to drop down to the minimum.
I guess it also doesn't need mentioning that you are also older and slower then morphius either :D

...but have way better toys.

morphius
jealous

58-4ever
04-21-2006, 11:26 AM
read Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut...soon we will all be replaced.

StcChief
04-21-2006, 11:28 AM
Just flippin ya some shit.

I do agree though with it being a crap shoot,in my line of business I get very few calls from the yellow pages in fact since I've got to call my rep back I think the mrs and I have decided to drop down to the minimum.

Good for you.... Have an Internet site? Put it on your 'flyers' other types of ads that you do yourself. even the yellowpages ad..

Dave Lane
04-21-2006, 11:30 AM
I see your point,however,if he really cared wouldn't he want to face me eye to eye and at least try and upsale me by telling me some benefits of running a larger ad.


They get a 3% commission on these sales and generally only if you increase ad size. that =$45 and 120 mile drive. I see his point but agree with you he should find a few other businesses near by to hit up while he's there.

Dave