Xrlq here. Justene is on the road right now. The upside is that this part of the trip is in Orange County, so Mrs. Xrlq and I had the pleasure of finally getting to meet her yesterday, along with her daughter Amanda. The downside is that she isn't in the office and is in a lousy position to respond to the lightning speed demands by Infotel Publicatons and their lawyer, Wayne Brosman. So if you're looking for updates on the Infotel issue anytime between now and the end of the month, your best bet is to keep an eye on my blog as well as this one. The demand letter itself, for example, is right here. With any luck, it will soon be too many other places to count.
Posted by Xrlq at November 17, 2003 01:01 AM | TrackBack)))))))))))))) UPDATE ((((((((((((((((
I Sent a news tip to CNN on their contact us page to up the Awareness of my CAUSE ( Hello Ted)
WHEN POSTING MY COMMENTS I WANTED TO CAUSE A COMMOTION, SO NAMES WERE POSTED. IT WORKED. I DON’T NEED THAT NOW. FACTS ARE FACTS.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO POST MY FACTUAL COMMENTS, FINE. YOU ONLY DO AN INJUSTICE TO AMERICANS.
I CANNOT GIVE MY REAL NAME BECAUSE INFOTEL PUBLICATIONS IS A BIG MONEY OPERATION. WOULD YOU LIST YOUR NAME IN THIS CASE IF PRACTICES WERE QUESTIONED?
BASICALLY I’M SCARED OF THESE PEOPLE, PERIOD!
MY STATEMENTS ARE FACTS AND UNLESS YOU ARE AFRAID OF INFOTEL PUBLICATIONS YOURSELF (YOU WERE CONTACTED BY THEM OR THEIR LAWYER) OR YOU SOMEHOW CAN'T PUT 2 AND 2 TOGETHER LET THIS POST I SUBMIT STAND AS IT IS FACTUAL TO ANYONE NOT JUST A FORMER EMPLOYEE.
INFOTEL PUBLICATION'S DIRECTORY HAS THE SAME INFORMATION POSTED AT WWW.MEDIACORP.COM
CHURCHES, NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, FUNERAL HOMES, GROCERY STORES, RESTURANTS, GAS STATIONS, TRUCK STOPS, PARKING LOTS, DOCTORS, DENTISTS, LAWYERS, HOSPITALS, CLINICS, CONSTRUCTION COMPANYS (ANY SMALL BUSINESS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF) INCLUDING WELL KNOWN AMERICAN CORPORATION OUTLETS ARE LISTED THERE.
THE QUESTION IS: "DO THESE BUSINESSES NEED TO BE LISTED IN A “NATIONAL” DIRECTORY FOR $400.00"? IS A “NATIONAL” DIRECTORY LIKE A YELLOW & WHITE TELEPHONE BOOK WITH A 1/2 INCH BY 2 1/4 INCH ADS BENIFICIAL TO BUSINESS IN THE US?
MAKE A SEARCH AT WWW.MEDIACORP.COM TO SEE WHATS LISTED AND DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS.
"If you're not in the Infotel Business Directories, how will they find you?"
Infotel;"Making the world just a little smaller"
-- Slogans on Infotel Web Site
Look, no one owes you a forum. Right now, Justene is on the road, and prefers to keep the comments down until she returns. That is her prerogative. Besides, it's not as though your comments didn't get their share of exposure; they did. They've been hosted on my blog since Friday.
Last and least, please don't type all caps. It's hard on the eyes, and is more likely to make you look unreasonable.
Posted by: Xrlq at November 19, 2003 06:55 PM (Permalink)To Xrlq,
I am sorry you are offended by the post.
The original purpose of the Forum as I saw it was to gather information on what Justene and others had experienced.
I am aware that Infotel probably settled the invoice and responded to the BBB letter; however, many more American businesses suffer every day from this problem.
I saw your post on another forum requesting a name.
I assumed that “Xrlq here" written above put you in the position to care for this forum.
This forum is open to Posts so I think “Look, no one owes you a forum." is an undeserved remark. Just remove the posts and turned off Comments (I can't read your mind).
My comment that no one owes you a forum was not an objection to the fact that you posted a comment. It was a reaction to remarks like this one:
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO POST MY FACTUAL COMMENTS, FINE. YOU ONLY DO AN INJUSTICE TO AMERICANS.
and this one:
MY STATEMENTS ARE FACTS AND UNLESS YOU ARE AFRAID OF INFOTEL PUBLICATIONS YOURSELF (YOU WERE CONTACTED BY THEM OR THEIR LAWYER) OR YOU SOMEHOW CAN'T PUT 2 AND 2 TOGETHER LET THIS POST I SUBMIT STAND AS IT IS FACTUAL TO ANYONE NOT JUST A FORMER EMPLOYEE.
Go ahead and post comments here if you like, but until Justene returns, you'll probably get more mileage out of posts to my blog (xrlq.com) instead.
Posted by: Xrlq at November 19, 2003 08:23 PM (Permalink)Xrlq
What caused my comments was the Cablog shutdown and Justine’s comment......
"If you ordered a directory from Infotel, you must pay for it. If you did not, contact the Better Business Bureau. The BBB has no enforcement powers but is willing to deal with Infotel for you and try to reach a resolution. When I contacted the BBB, the matter was resolved QUICKLY and the person who called to resolve it was VERY NICE. "
The whole idea is that these are "Never Ordered" and BBB letters to Infotel just get them to call the complainer and settle, in this case Justene's Invoice was certainly cancelled. That leaves other honest posters out in the cold with their problem. I felt my post undermined.
There are too many businesses with these problems today; this Telemarketing business is closing in on itself.
I post because I was personally cheated by these guys.
I will concentrate on being less energetic in my posts, working more on answering posts in the future.
I think we are on the same track, just opinionated differently. I am Hebrew.
Former employee. The comments to that posts will be reopened when I return. Your comment will reappear sans personal info then. The reason I put the part about -- if you ordered, you must pay -- is because I received an email from someone who said he ordered and changed his mind. I posted that BEFORE I got a letter from their attorneys so it wasn't fear. It's the lawyer part of me making sure everyone understands their rights and duties in general.
Posted by: Justene at November 20, 2003 12:47 PM (Permalink)I don`t know what the law is in California, but where Infotel operates its` main operation, consumer law states that there is a cooling off period after any such sale, during which, the consumer can cancel the transaction.
Even if something is ordered, you can still cancel it within a certain number of days.
INFOTEL PUBLICATIONS TID-BITS (The art of running a perfect Scam)
BY FORMER EMPLOYEE NOW CALLED INFOLIE
(Special thanks to that somewhat special who translates my verbal conversation)
SALES: Located in Montreal at two locations and in Toronto. Sales have a huge turnover, because your sale has to pass the VER.
The sales script calls say “Would you like to be “Re-listed “in the Directory of American Business”, “Your Company always orders it”. “It’s the Yellow / White Pages, the National Directory”; “You were previously listed” etc, etc. This call is not taped.
DO-NOT-CALL-LIST: This does not exist and requests are ignored unless a BBB or AG letter has surfaced.
COOLING OFF PERIOD: Canadian law stipulates that there is a cooling off period after any such sale, during which, the consumer can cancel the transaction. At Infotel Publications any customer calling to cancel after the VER is told he/she is speaking to Customer Service (same telemarketer as the collector), a message is taken and included in the file. When the customer says I want to cancel the rebuttal is: I do not have the details of your file, I will forward your message to the agent in charge of your file. If the file is not assigned the customer is not called back.
VER: The follow-up taped call is made one day or more with, “This is so and so calling from the shipping department of Infotel Publications. (Not shipping department, just another telemarketer) You had spoken to so and so regarding the Directory of American Business, I’m calling to confirm the details of the order and give the approximate shipping date. This call is quickly made rambling off the name, address, telephone number etc. to get to the crucial moment when the person is asked the correct spelling of their last name and “Does your company require a purchase order for this or the directory and invoice sent to your attention. It also does indicate here your are authorized to make the purchase”. This sets up the unauthorized person for the “authorized purchase.” The tape calls are done on standard Radio Shack cassette recorders. All tapes are numbered. VER people are also credited on their ability to get the ok from the customer. Recently the words “This call may be monitored for quality purposes” have been added according to a colleague of mine. If you fail too much you are not a good enough VER-ER.
FILES & COLLECTIONS: Files containing the invoice and call-up VER sheet with tape #’s are kept until a customer call is received or kept sleeping until it is distributed to collectors after the file grows old enough. The collector then calls about the invoice which is now past due. Standard rebuttals are shown to the newbie but each collector is on trial for three months after which double digits (10+ files or payments) are required or you’re out the door. Call dates & notes are written in the file folder. When Infotel moved from Decarie Blvd to Bucan Street in Montreal computers were added, however, the transition is still not complete so collectors use file folders.
INVOICES: The first invoice arrives after the Directory is shipped by UPS. Follow-up invoices with interest are sent as required helping out the collector. Collectors can “Settle” the invoice with waived interest and shipping, a one year listing, or setup fees.
The company is called and re-called about the unpaid invoice until the Owner, President etc pays the invoice in full, one year or the setup fees. If this doesn’t happen the file is dead.
CC and PAP: Infotel started accepting Credit Cards and Pre Authorized Payments. These forms of payment are most important in the collection room which holds daily or weekly contests.
MASS FAXING: When working a file the collector always try’s to get to speak to key people in the decision making process. All these people are faxed the invoice with a cover sheet with “Past Due” and/or other comments written. Other faxes include a POD, a PAP, a PROOF, and 1 YEAR FREE LISTING. The fax machines run around the clock and I’ve seen many worn out machines thrown out.
COMPLAINTS: Complaints from customers claiming they did not order as in letters (called fan letters) are added to the file but don’t close the file. Not even lawyer’s letters stop the collector, the lawyer is even called.
DEAD FILES: Dead files are reworked for $50.00 - $89.95
PAID FILES: Paid files are setup for LOADS.
LOADS: A load is a Re-Invoice for the second year which was written on the original invoice (2-yr listing Ad) this is where you have to convince the owner that the original invoice was only for one year. The word Load (a telemarketing slur) is never used in the collection room it is more appropriately referred to as an “Established Account.” Re-Invoicing or Loads are Illegal and can shut down a Telemarketing setup immediately if they are caught.
LISTINGS: Only two year listings are sold. The “Established Account” is really for the newbie.
PROOFS & 1 YEAR FREE LISTING: When a customer has ran out of steam arguing his point that the person on the invoice was not authorized He/She sometimes checks the Directory (or online) and may find errors. The collector then gets a proof (a correction) and a 1 year free listing letter and faxes it over to the customer. This is the perfect setup for the Load because it usually turns into a full payment.
DIRECTORIES: Directories are shipped out “with” or “without” you’re Ad (returns are reused). Many returned directories are also reshipped back to the customer. Directories sold are unknown but if 10,000 were sold at $400.00 we can understand the power this pirate business can generate.
POD: Proof of delivery by UPS is also a tool used when the customer has not seen the directory.
BBB and AG: When a customer complains he/she will contact the BBB, the file is handled with care, if a threat of Attorney General is heard, the file is DEADED.
When I worked at the new location on Bucan, tapes were just on a number of desks. I have learned from a colleague that they are now in a room like the old place, however for a long time I took one here and there. I also took invoices and VER sheets in case I was ever harassed or had to Testify. (HELLO TED)
How they do it so good?
http://www.ksi.edu/people/students/charliechen/charthesis/char01.html
How do you fight it?
http://www.junkbusters.com/script.html
http://www.scn.org/~bk269/polite.html
5101 Buchan suite 250, Montreal, QC H4P 2R9 (CURRENT LOCATION)
5250 Decarie Blvd suite 150, Montreal, QE H3X 2H9 (CLOSED)
33 Elm Street, Merrimack, NY 03054-6400 (CURRENT LOCATION)
5 Cotton Lane, Champlain, NY 12919 (CLOSED)
94 Main Mill Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (CURRENT LOCATION)
Pretoria Road Chertsay, Surrey, UK KT189LW. (CURRENT LOCATION)