Look kids, it's a brand new shiny 900-number!

CatSlave · Jul 29, 2009

Infocenter says it here: authors have to pay to talk to a 'help desk' but everything else (ordering books) is free.

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=30400

Info Desk! So it is not for ordering- but if you have questions and want to talk to a real person you will now have to go through the help desk at a premium rate 1-900 #.
Is that what the email is saying?

Infocenter:
Yes. Everything else at PublishAmerica is free.

Gillhoughly · Jul 30, 2009

I stand by my previous post:

A Day in the Life of a 1-900 Print Mill.

Dick Stodghill · Jul 30, 2009

I have no way of knowing, but I would bet this is a way of cutting down on foolish, repetitous calls. They must be unindated with them from people thinking their own book is the only one in the works.

circlexranch · Jul 30, 2009

Utterly off-topic, but still fun . . .

Last weekend I attended the Midwest Writers Conference in Muncie, Indiana. Had a rocking good time. I was going through the albums from conferences past and guess who was on the faculty in 1981?

Our very own Dick Stodghill . . . .

I also got some great suggestions on how to save the novel that seemed destined for trunk-dom. Will post more in the appropriate thread when I get the home fires sorted out and burning again.

Just to be a micro-bit on topic, I did invite several folks here to view the PA threads as well as the whole 'bewares' topic.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

CXR

Gillhoughly · Jul 30, 2009

Dick Stodghill said:
I have no way of knowing, but I would bet this is a way of cutting down on foolish, repetitous calls. They must be unindated with them from people thinking their own book is the only one in the works.

It's a way of squeezing more money out of their victims.

Any reputable business of that size will have an 800 number for its customers as a matter of course.

When I have a problem concerning any of my books, I phone my editors on my own nickel, same as always. I've never complained.

A 1-900 set up puts PA right down there with the astrology/fortune teller/phone sex rackets.

.

CatSlave · Jul 30, 2009

Dick Stodghill said:
I have no way of knowing, but I would bet this is a way of cutting down on foolish, repetitious calls. They must be inundated with them from people thinking their own book is the only one in the works.

Employees are not allowed to take phone calls. They don't have phones.
Authors calling in get ported to an answering machine, or to Author Support where a real live person will try to sell them some books.

There has never been any 'help' available other than the confusing PAMB or unhelpful, unfriendly email exchanges, all of which are monitored
closely -VERY closely- and/or written by the upper management.

And now PA wants authors to pay for the privilege of talking to them?
I concur with the above observation that a 900-number puts PA in the same league with phone sex and astrology readings.

Actually, lower.
With astrology readings and phone sex at least you get something for your money and you know what to expect in advance of paying the fee.

Marian Perera · Jul 30, 2009

Dick Stodghill said:
I have no way of knowing, but I would bet this is a way of cutting down on foolish, repetitous calls.

I wonder if PA authors make calls that are not foolish and repetitive.

And if so, what recourse they will have if they need to contact PA, given that several of them say they have emailed support multiple times with no response.

As an aside, I previously answered phones for a company which did get a lot of foolish, repetitive calls. Yet they didn't switch to a 1-900 number; in fact, this company continues to have a toll-free number.

Dick Stodghill · Jul 31, 2009

I understand what each of you is saying, but consider for a moment the questions asked again and again on the message board. Some of those people are undoubtedly on the phone every day. I agree a 900 number is not a good practice but comparing the way most companies operate and the way PA operates is comparing apples and oranges. I though that is what this board is all about, looking at the differences in the way PA operates and others operate, then looking for an explanation. Trying to squeeze money out of people doesn't really add up.

Perks · Jul 31, 2009

Dick Stodghill said:
Trying to squeeze money out of people doesn't really add up.

It certainly can if you squeeze hard enough. It only takes a hundred pennies to make a dollar.

Marian Perera · Jul 31, 2009

Dick Stodghill said:
I understand what each of you is saying, but consider for a moment the questions asked again and again on the message board. Some of those people are undoubtedly on the phone every day.

Consider for a moment the people who have legitimate questions and concerns.

Whether these people are "undoubtedly on the phone every day" or not, what recourse do they have when their emails to support are ignored?

I agree a 900 number is not a good practice but comparing the way most companies operate and the way PA operates is comparing apples and oranges.

Some people believe that PA is a legitimate and reputable publisher. PA and its defenders do their best to foster that impression (for instance, by claiming that P&E's negative rating of PA is outdated and urging new authors to ignore it).

Therefore, we point out the differences between reputable and legitimate publishers and PublishAmerica.

I though that is what this board is all about, looking at the differences in the way PA operates and others operate, then looking for an explanation. Trying to squeeze money out of people doesn't really add up.

Why does it not add up that PA is trying to squeeze money out of people?

Did PA have a different motive in

1. offering framed copies of royalty checks for $19.99 plus shipping and handling?
2. saying that they would consider correcting mistakes in books (specifically, smeared print) if the author purchased fifty or so copies of the book?
3. holding, what, three auctions for advertising space?
4. offering an author the option of not having (possibly inappropriate) advertising if he paid $300?
5. raising the prices of paperback books?
6. charging $4 for shipping and handling - per book?

I'm eager to read of alternative motivations for PA's actions, but then again, I've always loved speculative fiction.

PA has always been about trying to squeeze money from people.

James D. Macdonald · Jul 31, 2009

Q, Why has PA gone to a 1-900 number for author support?

A. Because they want your book, not your money!

Marian Perera · Jul 31, 2009

Another veteran weighs in on the 1-900 number, but does not seem inclined to grant PA the benefit of the doubt.

Infocenter,

I dont know what executive made that decision to use a 900 number but you need to kick them in their butt, fire them and ban them from humanity. That is the most stupid, foolish business decsion you could have made.

I have a 900 block on my phone, my phone company will not allow 900 calls to be made because they have adjusted off to many charges and lost too much money.

I am very upset over this and feel that PA has now caused us to loose sales and that is NOT COOL.

spike · Jul 31, 2009

Dick Stodghill said:
I understand what each of you is saying, but consider for a moment the questions asked again and again on the message board. Some of those people are undoubtedly on the phone every day. I agree a 900 number is not a good practice but comparing the way most companies operate and the way PA operates is comparing apples and oranges. I though that is what this board is all about, looking at the differences in the way PA operates and others operate, then looking for an explanation. Trying to squeeze money out of people doesn't really add up.

Dick, I have to disagree with you. I've worked phone support in tech fields and general customer service. I've had 10 hour days where there wasn't one question that couldn't be answered by reading the materials the company provided to the consumer. Didn't matter, all clients were treated as if their call was the most important one of the day and that we were the only ones who could have solved their problem.

This is how business works. When someone is buying your product or service, you don't make them pay for the call. No matter how moronic their questions are.

And for some of us, when we look at how PA operates, we must try to figure out why. Otherwise, our boggled minds will explode.

Marian Perera · Jul 31, 2009

spike said:
When someone is buying your product or service, you don't make them pay for the call. No matter how moronic their questions are.

I was employed by a medical laboratory network. Very few patients were buying our services, given that lab visits are free here in the Land of Always Winter.

They still didn't have to pay to call us.

Dick Stodghill · Jul 31, 2009

Just noticed your comment about the Midwest Writers Workshop, Terri. It's a good one. From 1981 through 1989 I was on the commitee (I was writing a daily column for one of the two newspapers in town and also was having short myseries published). Starting sometime around 1983 I was the "Consultant in Residence," meaning I'd sit around the hospitality room looking wise, eating more than I should and drinking far too much coffee. Believe it or not I was paid $300 for this and it didn't affect my newspaper work. The downside was that some people actually wanted to consult. I have never had the heart to tell someone that what they have written is garbage so a few times I had to say stuff like, "I really like the way you capitalize the first word in every sentence." But some of the people have done very well and gone on to be published. Being acquainted with people in the mystery field helped me line up speakers such as Clive Cussler, Larry Block, Bill Kienzle and Joe Hensley. It all was fun and I'm glad you founf it that way.

DaveKuzminski · Jul 31, 2009

It's easy understanding how PA operates. You're in the Hindenburgh and PA is pumping in more hydrogen for a fee to keep you in the air.

merrihiatt · Jul 31, 2009

The note to Infocenter mysteriously disappeared. Imagine that, a post raising a concern about something PA is doing going ** poof **. No Negative Nelly's on the PAMB! Only Happy Harriett's, please, er... dammit!

Marian Perera · Jul 31, 2009

Perhaps PA is trying to cut down on the number of foolish and repetitive posts on the PAMB as well.

tlblack · Jul 31, 2009

It's sort of easy to figure out really - Unanswered questions to PA support and nobody with answers on the PAMB; they are left with only the 900 number to contact PA. Most won't have access with their phones to 900 numbers and those that do won't be able to afford the call, so that leaves PA happy because nobody is able to get through to them to complain.

merrihiatt · Jul 31, 2009

tlblack said:
It's sort of easy to figure out really - Unanswered questions to PA support and nobody with answers on the PAMB; they are left with only the 900 number to contact PA. Most won't have access with their phones to 900 numbers and those that do won't be able to afford the call, so that leaves PA happy because nobody is able to get through to them to complain.

Exactly! PA might even be able to eliminate a few employee positions and save some money because they won't have as much work to do answering those pesky questions from their authors. The audacity of authors to have questions!

JulieB · Jul 31, 2009

Dick Stodghill said:
The downside was that some people actually wanted to consult. I have never had the heart to tell someone that what they have written is garbage so a few times I had to say stuff like, "I really like the way you capitalize the first word in every sentence." But some of the people have done very well and gone on to be published. Being acquainted with people in the mystery field helped me line up speakers such as Clive Cussler, Larry Block, Bill Kienzle and Joe Hensley. It all was fun and I'm glad you founf it that way.

You just made my weekend. Thanks.

Bartholomew · Aug 20, 2009

Dick Stodghill said:
I have no way of knowing, but I would bet this is a way of cutting down on foolish, repetitous calls. They must be unindated with them from people thinking their own book is the only one in the works.

Hey, cool. I didn't know the Pipe had an AW account.

Since I missed you when you came, welcome! o/

cdoctor13 · Aug 24, 2009

Does anybody know the 900 number? is it in effect? Just curious.

merrihiatt · Aug 24, 2009

As a PA author, I haven't even been notified that there is a 900 number! Nice, huh?

Look kids, it's a brand new shiny 900-number!

Mah tale iz draggin.

Grumpy writer and editor

rest in peace, Mr. Stodghill - we miss you

Terri Coop has been known to write

Grumpy writer and editor

Mah tale iz draggin.

starting over

rest in peace, Mr. Stodghill - we miss you

delicate #!&@*#! flower

starting over

Your Genial Uncle

starting over

Mostly Ignored

starting over

rest in peace, Mr. Stodghill - we miss you

Preditors & Editors

Writing! Writing! Writing!

starting over

nothing simple here

Writing! Writing! Writing!

I grow my own catnip

Comic guy

Writing! Writing! Writing!