Paul the owner has fake callers call in ask for estimates so he can charge the contractors then charges without permission contractors credit cards or accounts, this clown has done this for years anyone who does business with this guy has to be crazy.
I've decided to write this report after several incidents with this company that were not resolved to my satisfaction. After spending 13 years with several Fortune 500 companies including Johnson & Johnson and XEROX in the sales and sales training departments, 7 years as a Area Developer for a top 50 Franchise company, I know a little bit about customer service. Now being a business owner for the last 13 years in several service industries, I know an awful lot about customer service. LeadsByFone knows little to nothing about customer service, Win - Win relationships and/or how to create "Raving Fans" from current customers ( which by the way, is any companys most valuable asset).
Background:
This company offers online lead generation services. When you sign up, you have to give them a credit card to keep on file (which they will debit on a weekly basis), you have to select the geographic areas in which you want to market your services.
When a lead calls into a phone number in which this company provides, LeadsByFone is able to listen in on the conversation. The leads are pretty expensive ranging from $100 for mold remediation call to $275 for water restoration call (this my package, there is another package more expensive than that). For this price, your company is supposed to appear in the top 5, on the first page of google search when a customer is looking for the services that you provide.
Problems that we've experienced:
1. A potential customer called for service, set an appointment for 3 hours later and on that same day. Thirty minutes later, the potential customer called back on the LeadsByFone phone number (in which they can listen in AND they have a recorded wave file of the conversation), they can hear the customer cancel the appointment saying "it was a false alarm, no need to come, they are cancelling the appointment that they set.
* I callled or emailed the support team (getting this company on the phone is very difficult) to make sure they do not billed and hit my credit card for this type of call...................I was told that from their stand point, the call is still considered a lead and the credit card would be hit accordingly. Even after I urged the support person to listen to the call, verify the caller's phone number and other information, LeadsByFone did not care..........they just wanted $275 for the call. So a customer calls back, cancels the appt, you are still getting billed.
2. A potential customer calls to inquire about service. The phone rings 5 times and the customer hangs up. LeadsByFone bills us $275 for the call (not even knowing whether it was for water or mold remediation). Water remediation allows LeadsByFone to get their biggest bang for MY Buck!!
* LeadsByFone response - "It rang 5 times". Really...........do you realize that you serve the disaster restoration industry where disasters often happen to homeowners at the same time, ie hurricanes and frozen pipes so the potential customer may have to wait a little longer than 5 rings. Moreover, since when does an unanswered phone call constitute a lead. That prospect could have been calling for information only OR it could have been one of many telemarketers who seem to have the ability to access their dedicated phone numbers as well.
3. Lastly, the straw that broke the camel's back! A potential customer calls, gets our 24 hour answering service, the answering service writes down the information as they are instructed to do then text me. Within an hour, I inform LeadsByFone that the phone call came from an area in which we do advertise to service. I have them check the large amount of zip codes that we signed up for, just to verify the caller's city and zip codes are not listed in our service area.
* LeadsByFone response - your person/employee/answering service wrote down the customer's contact information so we consider it a lead. WHAT!!.............Even though I called you immediately to tell you that we do not service that area and SHOULD NOT have received the lead in the first place. Their response - it's the several towns over and close to an area that you do service! WOW! This company just doesn't get it!!! Your'e trying to bill me for an area that I did not sign up for? When I asked them not to remove money from my corporate debit card until this matter had been resoloved. What do you think they did?....................yup, took the money out of my account while we are trying to resolve the matter. I'm currently challenging the charge. Get this!! because I'm challenging/disputing the charge, they placed my account on hold and decided not to provide any further leads.
Absolutely the worst customer service I've experienced on a professional and personal level. This company is more concerned about what constitutes a lead for THEM as opposed what is a lead for THEIR CUSTOMER.
Yes, I have gotten some business from their online marketing efforts (they use this as an excuse as to why I should not complain!!) however 15% of my money has been wasted on invalid leads, 10% of that could have been resolved if LeadsByFone was a more customer focused organization.
I defintely would NOT recommend this company to any business owner. I hope a competitor develops a similar platform.........I'll switch to them in a heartbeat!
Leads By Fone Reviews
Owner Paul Steals From Contractors!!!
Paul the owner has fake callers call in ask for estimates so he can charge the contractors then charges without permission contractors credit cards or accounts, this clown has done this for years anyone who does business with this guy has to be crazy.
LEADS BY FONE STAY AWAY CONTRACTORS!!!!
Buyer Beware!!
I've decided to write this report after several incidents with this company that were not resolved to my satisfaction. After spending 13 years with several Fortune 500 companies including Johnson & Johnson and XEROX in the sales and sales training departments, 7 years as a Area Developer for a top 50 Franchise company, I know a little bit about customer service. Now being a business owner for the last 13 years in several service industries, I know an awful lot about customer service. LeadsByFone knows little to nothing about customer service, Win - Win relationships and/or how to create "Raving Fans" from current customers ( which by the way, is any companys most valuable asset).
Background:
This company offers online lead generation services. When you sign up, you have to give them a credit card to keep on file (which they will debit on a weekly basis), you have to select the geographic areas in which you want to market your services.
When a lead calls into a phone number in which this company provides, LeadsByFone is able to listen in on the conversation. The leads are pretty expensive ranging from $100 for mold remediation call to $275 for water restoration call (this my package, there is another package more expensive than that). For this price, your company is supposed to appear in the top 5, on the first page of google search when a customer is looking for the services that you provide.
Problems that we've experienced:
1. A potential customer called for service, set an appointment for 3 hours later and on that same day. Thirty minutes later, the potential customer called back on the LeadsByFone phone number (in which they can listen in AND they have a recorded wave file of the conversation), they can hear the customer cancel the appointment saying "it was a false alarm, no need to come, they are cancelling the appointment that they set.
* I callled or emailed the support team (getting this company on the phone is very difficult) to make sure they do not billed and hit my credit card for this type of call...................I was told that from their stand point, the call is still considered a lead and the credit card would be hit accordingly. Even after I urged the support person to listen to the call, verify the caller's phone number and other information, LeadsByFone did not care..........they just wanted $275 for the call. So a customer calls back, cancels the appt, you are still getting billed.
2. A potential customer calls to inquire about service. The phone rings 5 times and the customer hangs up. LeadsByFone bills us $275 for the call (not even knowing whether it was for water or mold remediation). Water remediation allows LeadsByFone to get their biggest bang for MY Buck!!
* LeadsByFone response - "It rang 5 times". Really...........do you realize that you serve the disaster restoration industry where disasters often happen to homeowners at the same time, ie hurricanes and frozen pipes so the potential customer may have to wait a little longer than 5 rings. Moreover, since when does an unanswered phone call constitute a lead. That prospect could have been calling for information only OR it could have been one of many telemarketers who seem to have the ability to access their dedicated phone numbers as well.
3. Lastly, the straw that broke the camel's back! A potential customer calls, gets our 24 hour answering service, the answering service writes down the information as they are instructed to do then text me. Within an hour, I inform LeadsByFone that the phone call came from an area in which we do advertise to service. I have them check the large amount of zip codes that we signed up for, just to verify the caller's city and zip codes are not listed in our service area.
* LeadsByFone response - your person/employee/answering service wrote down the customer's contact information so we consider it a lead. WHAT!!.............Even though I called you immediately to tell you that we do not service that area and SHOULD NOT have received the lead in the first place. Their response - it's the several towns over and close to an area that you do service! WOW! This company just doesn't get it!!! Your'e trying to bill me for an area that I did not sign up for? When I asked them not to remove money from my corporate debit card until this matter had been resoloved. What do you think they did?....................yup, took the money out of my account while we are trying to resolve the matter. I'm currently challenging the charge. Get this!! because I'm challenging/disputing the charge, they placed my account on hold and decided not to provide any further leads.
Absolutely the worst customer service I've experienced on a professional and personal level. This company is more concerned about what constitutes a lead for THEM as opposed what is a lead for THEIR CUSTOMER.
Yes, I have gotten some business from their online marketing efforts (they use this as an excuse as to why I should not complain!!) however 15% of my money has been wasted on invalid leads, 10% of that could have been resolved if LeadsByFone was a more customer focused organization.
I defintely would NOT recommend this company to any business owner. I hope a competitor develops a similar platform.........I'll switch to them in a heartbeat!