AT & T Yellow Pages Update
So, I got yet another Yellow Pages (YPs) the other day, this time from AT & T. Thank goodness, I can know look up the same company at least 4 different ways.
At any rate, you’ve seen my rants before at http://grantingersoll.com/category/yellow-pages/, but I got a little more information today. First, I got a robo-call from AT & T asking me if I had received my new YPs
and that it was properly swaddled in plastic. Then, it said if I wanted to order more I could call 1-866-732-5977. Thinking, that just maybe, I could also opt-out there, I gave it a try. So, I dialed it up and listened patiently to the prompts. Dang, no opt out option. So, I took another chance and pressed “0″, even though it wasn’t an option listed. Lo and behold, a real live person answered:
Operator: “Would you like to order another directory?”
Me: “Actually, I was wondering if I could opt out of delivery?”
Operator: “Sure, I can help you with that…”
She then proceeded to take my info and said that I would no longer receive the YPs from AT & T. So, we’ll see whether it is lip service or whether AT & T can actually (not) deliver!
May 13th, 2008 at 1:02 am
My sense is there should be a much easier opt-out option for people who don’t consult the physical yellow pages anymore. If nothing else, there’s an ecological argument to be made from eliminating thousands of pages of paper wasted.
September 19th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Actually AT&T, from recent discussions with them, is fairly good about the Opt Out for their delivery. Wether or not the guy from the 3rd party company that is throwing them out the window on driveways and doorsteps pays attention is another story. AT&T is supposed to provide them a list of places not to deliver. Most of the other phone book publishers do the same thing. The thing is to get on their list. AT&T is one of the few that actually offers a number to call.
There is a new site out there that people can go to to sign up to Opt Out of the deliver of phone books http://www.ypdnd.com. Unlike YP Goes Green, which sends blind lists to the publishers, this one actually targets the directories delivered, and sends the publishers a comprehensive list with directory name and number along with the unsubscribe information.
It even lets you decide which ones you do or don’t want to still receive.
The thing with the publishers, given my years of experience dealing with them, is that they are not going to budge easily, unless the information given to them is complete. Yellow Book for instance, says that their unsubscribe requests are less than a 1/2 of 1%. Probably because people can’t get a hold of them to tell them to stop.
It is a battle worth fighting though.