03-23-2004, 01:25 PM
|
|
|
Confirmed User
Industry Role:
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: California
Posts: 1,187
|
Quote:
Originally posted by crescentx
This is the culmination of one bad thing after another with IBill. I got my annual call yesterday from the current sales rep - don't recall his name - who asked what he could do to get us processing with IBill again (we're still really dependent on their $250/month from rebills after two years of not using them at all :-) )
I said, "Sure, [ insert name here ]!" This has almost become automatic for me, this time of year, when I get the infamous Call. "Get us the $5000 you still owe us, and then we can talk." And the uneasy silence, then rote reply, "OK, I'll talk to some people and see what I can do, and I'll get back with you soon." Two weeks ago.
We've chased IBill, our lawyers have chased IBill, there's no blood in a stone. They were obviously in trouble - bad trouble - when Worldcom did its 900# dance a few years back since they never paid up for most of it to anyone I know. Otherwise they would have paid up (it has been over 18 months I think - and as much as many of you put Verotel down, I'm happy with them, they ran into a similar 900# situation with their European phone services and miraculously were solvent enough to actually pay up. It took them a few months, but they were honest about it and fixed it.
The Worldcom fiasco was the end for IBill. For whatever reasons, they were either leveraged beyond recovery or close to it before that happened, or had Enronized their execs, and then went over the edge. And in so doing, screwed their clientele. I would be curious just how many - or what percentage - of clients at that time are still active clients today. We gave it four months of runarounds and re-directed calls before giving up.
Our lawyers have been after them for a year nearly, to no avail.
Before that, they *were* a huge player - and I'm sure many new webmasters who don't know the history probably have signed up with them. I'd sooner trust my money to Paypal.
And now they're being sold. Well, this strikes me as selling a sinking ship before the leaks become obvious to even the least initiated. I don't think there's much cash or future in IBill, and ironically enough, they're the only IPSP of the major ones that self-destructed on their own power. Almost deliberately.
I don't see what this guy would see in IBill, even at bargain prices, a company with a bad reputation in this business is moribund. Adult webmasters are much savvier than your average businessperson and check facts in more detail. I don't care if IBill was bought by the mob, they could funnel money from every casino in the United States into the company and I don't think it would help much.
If 85% of their revenue is truly adult, and they've pissed off some very powerful people in adult, then it's over.
Well said
-doug
|
|
|
|