Voice, Data & Internet
The Key to Successful Business

I can’t believe this topic!

I have been fighting for months over this whole taxes and surcharge issue. I swear, I am going to blow it up like Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, but I have to take this another direction. I never thought I would see what I have seen over the last week!

When you sign a contract with a carrier don’t you expect to pay that same price for the entire term of the contract? Well, carriers have added surcharges and taxes that are not really taxes to your bill over and over again. This week I learned just how far a carrier will go to screw the customer!

I am not going to name the carrier just yet, because I am hoping they will see the error of their ways when customers start breaching their contracts and leaving them high and dry. I already have four customers that are ready to start a class action suit.

Let me start with a little background. Most of you know that my agency is based in Chicago. We have some pretty weird local calling areas. I have yet to see anywhere in the country that works like ours. Basically, we have three local calling zones. Our lines are very cheap and we charge for every call you make. If you make a call in Band A it is a call that is roughly between 0-8 miles. Band B is roughly 8-15 miles and Band C (sometimes called local toll) is 15 miles to the end of the LATA.

A few years ago most vendors went to an expanded price for unlimited local. AT&T called unlimited local Bands A and B. They charged Band C as a long distance call. So, the CLECs started including Band C in their “unlimited” calling area to compete with AT&T. Everyone offered unlimited calling and included all three bands to compete. It was written into every contract.

Recently, a major national CLEC decided to cap local calling at 19 miles. They basically changed the terms of their contract to every customer in the Chicago area. Suddenly, Band C changed from 15 miles to the end of the LATA to 15-19 miles. I have a customer in the Western Suburbs that makes a lot of calls to downtown Chicago that received a local calling bill of $1000.00. These were calls that were previously included in their contract and suddenly were not included anymore. These calls were 20 miles in distance.

They questioned the bill with the carrier and were told that section……of their bill states that they could make this change. While legal is it the right thing to do? They had their lawyers look into it and realized they could screw the customers and make more money. Customers contacted their lawyers and were told that it is legal and they are on the hook for the charges.

I currently have four customers that called it a breach of contract and switched to other carriers. The vendor sent them to collections. Now I am out commissions because the customers refused to pay. Is this right? I will withhold the name of the carrier if they do the right thing. If they do not do the right thing I will call them out in a future blog. They know who they are and need to fix this ASAP. Please don’t make me call you out!

This is a totally random thought…

I recently attended a Cubs v. Sox game at the Cell.  I would like to disclose that I am a Cubs fan.  This is not a “my team is better than yours” rant.  I want to talk about the feel/vibe of the ball park and the attitudes and actions of fans.  I went with a mixed group of Sox and Cubs fans.  I was wearing a Cubs jersey.  After having 1 beer thrown in my direction, getting into 2 verbal altercations I realized something.  Most (not all) Sox fans hate the cubs more than they like the Sox.  Let’s think about that for a minute.  They would rather watch the Cubs lose, then a Sox win. When they pick up the paper to check the box scores its “did the cubs lose” then “I wonder how the Sox did.”  At the game Johnny Sox fan did not care that the Sox and Cubs were playing an exciting back and forth ball game that was won in the last at bat.  They were too busy screaming at every Cubs fan in sight. Hurling gay jokes, racial slurs, and all types of other mindless blather.  But nothing was mentioned about the game.  Then a 55 year old man stood up on his seat and pointed at every Cub fan he could see and yelled “F- YOU”, “F-YOU”.  This type of behavior continued the entire game.  Until the Sox won 8-7.  They spent the whole time rooting against the cubs as opposed to rooting for the Sox. 

This opened my eyes a little bit to some other issues we face as Americans today.  Today Americans are engaged in 2 hot wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  And 2 cold wars in North Korea and Iran.  I think they same thing is true in all 4 of these conflicts.  The enemy hates The USA more than they love their country/religion.  It made me really think about our troops over seas fighting for my freedom and the huge challenges they face every day.  On this July 4th weekend I hope everyone can set aside a few moments to think about our troops.  Happy 4th of July.

It simply amazes me that AT&T does not have complete coverage for DSL throughout the Midwest. I still have customers who have to use Comcast and have no choice.

It is summertime again. We need to remember that this was a rough winter for everyone in the Midwest. Prospects are more likely to be leaving earlier on Fridays to start their weekend.

One suggestion is to call early in the morning and do clerical work in the afternoon. I know as salespeople we despise the clerical but it needs to be done.

If the front door is closed why not try the side door or even the back door?  As we all know these are extremely difficult times for everyone so how can you distinguish yourself from others?  Let’s be honest and most decision makers/IT managers do know want to get a phone call about LD and local service.  How can you peak their interest these days?  How about talking about network redundancy or Internet security?   All companies are relying on the Internet more than ever and backup solutions are extremely critical to have in place along with a secure network.  This way you may get an appointment to discuss different network options and now you have an in to sell the standard services as well.  I believe this will also bring you more value when you finally meet with the customer because you are looking out for their entire network.  What are some of the rest of you doing to get in the door these days?

I recently had an opportunity to participate in a sales workshop. We worked on our elevator pitch. I know what you are thinking “waste of time” but it wasn’t. It was good to review and to practice the pitch. We all get a little lazy and it was good to go back to the basics.