Feb 3, 2010 10:42 pm US/Pacific
Call Kurtis: What's the 4-1-1?
ELK GROVE (CBS13) ―
Business owners like Jackie Pometta need every advantage they can get, just to survive. And being listed in the national 411 directory is huge.
"Remember my problem with the telephone?" Jacquelyn Pometta asks Debbie Smith, a familiar customer, as she walks through the front door. "Yes, I do. I called several times and couldn't get your salon," responds Debbie.
Debbie was there with Jackie from the beginning.
"I think I was the one who told you," Debbie says.
And Jackie still can't get her new Elk Grove salon listed in the national directory.
"And with the economy the way it is nowadays, I need help getting the customers in here."
Business could be better. When she opened Jacquelyn's Salon last June, she went with Comcast for her phone service. The agreement was clear in stating 411 directory listing would be included.
Yet six months later, there is no 411 listing. Oh, she called Comcast to correct the problem. The first time she says they promised it'd take two weeks to fix. Three weeks later: "No listing," says Jackie.
She says this happened three more times. She also says at one point they asked her if she really wanted to be published.
"I said I'm a business. Why wouldn't I have my number published? That would be financial suicide."
Four repair orders later and no results.
"I've been very polite… I've given them enough time... I don't think they care about the business."
Her new salon has good signage, and her number is on the front door.
But that only works for people who take the time to drive up, and that can frustrate potential customers. It does Jackie.
"I get tired of the people coming in saying Jackie; I had to drive over here because I couldn't find you number… I'm kind of stuck, and I need your help."
We got on the case by first calling Comcast.
Three weeks later, Comcast tells us Jackie's problems are resolved.
They said "There was a glitch in the arrangement between the different phone providers... that listed her in some 411 databases, but not others."
Jackie's salon was now listed with 411 information directory, except not with Verizon!
"No, no surprise. A little disappointed because by now I thought it'd be fixed again."
We got back on it. We called Verizon, and in a few days they were able to get Jacquelyn's Salon's number available to its customers too. Now maybe Jackie's business can have a fighting chance at success.
Just two days later, Jackie says she's already seen a noticeable increase in calls to her salon, so it's working. As for her Verizon wireless provider, they say they don't maintain their own directory.
They blame its vendors for not getting Comcast to update Verizon's listing.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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