RE: Unresponsive information providers

[Elizabeth Lorbeer <ELorbeer@rushu.rush.edu>]

I agree with Ellen Finnie Duranceau's posting.  This year, I have received
poor customer service from companies I considered reputable.  It's
frustrating to keep inquiring when the vendor plans to send the library a
copy of the license agreement or billing invoice.  Personally, I keep a
journal of when I called, who I spoke to, and type of action the vendor
plans to take on what day.  If there is no action, I call again to ask the
status of the situation.  It's ludicrous, but it seems the only way to
conduct business.

The sales representatives are almost useless in helping since they do not
deal with billing or contracts.  They refer you to someone else, and
that's when the level of service is almost non-existent.

Sincerely,
Liz Lorbeer, Collection Development Librarian

Liz Lorbeer, Ed.M., M.L.S.			Library of Rush University
Collection Development Librarian	Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical
Center
ELorbeer@rushu.rush.edu <mailto:ELorbeer@rushu.rush.edu>
312-942-2282


	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Ellen Finnie Duranceau [SMTP:efinnie@MIT.EDU]
	Sent:	Tuesday, March 14, 2000 6:28 PM
	To:	liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu
	Subject:	Unresponsive information providers

I am wondering if I am alone in having great difficulties recently getting
information providers to respond to licensing questions, keep a
negotiation moving, and complete the process in a timely manner. For
virtually all of our major purchases in this fiscal year, I have had to
make innumerable phone calls and send innumerable email messages over
weeks and months trying to get responses to our issues and an executable
contract. These phone calls follow explicit written documentation of our
concerns and questions, so that there is a clear paper trail to pick up
and put down. Despite this paper trail and many calls, in most of these
cases I have still not succeeded in concluding a license agreement.

Is anyone else having this experience? Do information providers have some
insight to share about this lack of responsiveness? Do librarians have
ideas about how to get these deals negotiated and completed in a timely
manner?

This problem did not surface for me here at MIT until this year. In
previous years, using similar methods, I was able to get deals closed
readily.

Any comments, confirmations, or alternative experiences would be most
welcome! Ellen Duranceau

	**********
	Ellen Finnie Duranceau
	Digital Resources Acquisitions Librarian
	MIT Libraries, Room 14E-210A
	Cambridge, MA  02139-4307
	efinnie@mit.edu
	ph. 617 253 7562
	fax 617 253 2464