In my previous position (@ a community college library) I had the unfortunate occasion to deal with this company. They sent us an unsolicited bill (only, never a paper directory). Like most other libraries, we never paid for directory listings nor were we ever interested in being listed in something like their particular publication. After numerous phone calls and letters, we finally sent them on to our county attorney's office. Having been the Acquisitions Coordinator, some days their calls and invoices felt like it bordered on harassment. I am unsure as to how this was resolved, but I believe our attorney was going to issue a "cease and desist" letter.
P.S. On a (strangely) humorous note, I called their bluff about the "recording of your employee agreeing to purchase this item/listing"... I asked them to play it for me, they put me on hold for 12 minutes (I timed it) only to come back on the line to say that "the tape somehow got erased!" At which point, their representative "offered" to void the invoice. When I asked them to put this in writing, she told me "that's not how we do business." and hung up.
Kathleen Salsbury
Library Assistant
Munson-Williams Proctor Arts Institute
310 Genesee Street
Utica, New York 13502
>>> Shannon Van Kirk <[log in to unmask]> 09/20/01 08:35AM >>>
Friends,
I wouldn't ordinarily post a business-related issue on the list; but we
can't be the only library contacted by this company and I'd like to know if
anyone else is having a problem with them,:
Has anyone else been hassled by a company called International Business
Directories? They pressured a new assistant here by telling her that we
had been receiving this title for years, who finally agreed that they could
send us a directory to look at as long as it was free. They sent it; we
didn't want it; we finally talked them into authorizing a return (at our
expense) after threatening us with, "We have a recording of your assistant
authorizing this purchase."
We are STILL getting "past due" invoices ( for $217.00) after returning
this volume.
Anyone else?
--shannon
********** ********** **********
Shannon Van Kirk
[log in to unmask]
Head, Art & Architecture Library
7B Wertz Art & Architecture Library
Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056
tel.: (513) 529-6650
FAX: (513) 529-4159
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