---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 3 Jan 1995 20:33:10 -0800
From: Julie Bixby <markb@SPOCK.DIS.CCCD.EDU>
Subject: Re: Claiming direct vs. vendor

[stuff deleted]
> However, I would not
> choose to deal directly with the publisher on a routine basis for all of our
> titles/claims all of the time. Many of the titles we subscribe to are
> published overseas, and except in special circumstances,
> claiming directly to those
> publishers on a continuing basis, rather than going through our vendors, would
> not be cost effective for us at this time, whether those costs are direct
> (phone, fax, postage) or indirect (staff time, etc.)

Of course you don't want to claim direct all of the time.  That's not what
being suggested.  Unfortunately, it's sometimes required due to poor
communications bewteen vendors & publishers.  I agree with you that after
3-4 claims, if the vendor doesn't seem to be getting the job done, it
doesn't hurt to investigate yourself why nothing is being done.  In the
past, we simply had a poor customer service rep who didn't seem to take
our claims seriously.  We asked for, and got, a new rep.  When things
still sometimes didn't get responses, I checked direct to find out if at
least the publisher had *heard* from our rep.  Most times, they had
received word of our claim but were being pig-headed about doing something
about it.  A few times I had to negotiate a "settlement", finally getting
both sides in agreement as to what needed to be done to solve the claim.
to agree to solve our claim and telling them I'd contact our rep

-- Julie Bixby Internet: markb@cccd.edu