by On Tuesday I wrote a review called Yahoo! Search Marketing Foolishness where I recounted my unfortunate experience with that internet advertising program. Yesterday, to my surprise, I was contacted via email by Michael E. from Yahoo! Search Marketing at 3:43pm Eastern.
Michael’s SIG said he was in the “Executive Services” department and he was writing to tell me my previously turned down Ad for using the keyword “blog” to advertise this blog was being “escalated to our Secondary Review editor for further research.” Michael wanted me to wait two business days to hear back from them and I was finally provided with a toll-free number to call if I wanted to get in touch with Yahoo! Executive Services for more information. Hmm… I wonder if Yahoo! read my Tuesday review? 🙂
I replied to Michael that I had cancelled my account and I was no longer interested in Yahoo! Search Marketing. 38 minutes later Timothy J. from Yahoo! Search Marketing Executive Services wrote to tell me how happy they were to approve my “blog” Advertisement for this blog on their service. Ha!
I laughed out loud at the continued lack of communication! I replied to Timothy J. and told him I cancelled my Yahoo! Search Marketing account on July 5 with John C. of Yahoo! “Customer Solutions” (it is interesting how all communication from Yahoo! Search Marketing still comes from an Overture.com email address). I asked Timothy J. to guarantee my account was, indeed, cancelled and that my credit card would not be charged. I have a cancellation number. Over 17 hours later I have no response from Yahoo! Search Marketing Executive Services.
Why do I have the feeling I’ll be in touch with them again soon to dispute a $30 monthly charge on my credit card for services not rendered? This lack of responsiveness, and inability to check basic facts, substantiates my concern about Yahoo! Search Marketing’s unwillingness to meet simple consumer needs and accept customer feedback. Oh, well… at least I now have a toll-free number I can use if they charge my card again.
UPDATE:
Michael E. of Yahoo! Search Marketing Executive Services just send me an email note expressing regret that I canceled my account and reminding me again that my previously declined “blog” keyword had been approved.