This is a long read guys/girls I know but please read if you're thinking about Yell.
A couple of years ago not long after I started up, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer ( she's totally fine now thank God). As with every new business, work was a bit slow and with my wife's treatment (chemo etc) meant she couldn't work the hours she previously worked before her illness. Although we were getting by I started worrying a bit about the bills as my redundancy money wasn't going to last for ever. Then out of the blue I get a phone call from Yell. A guy called Connor from their Belfast call centre. I'll be honest and say he sounded like a great guy and engaged me in conversation (he definitely had kissed the Blarney Stone). I even told him about my wife's cancer and my concerns about paying the bills. As Tony said, he went through all the "cogwheels" stuff and it all sounded to good to be true about the amount of enquires I was going to receive. Somehow we got all the way to him wanting my bank details to sign me up for £90 a month for 12 months. That's when I put the breaks on. I told him I'd have to speak to my wife as £90 a month was a lot of money. That's when this " great guy" Connor showed his true colours. His tone of voice totally changed and started sounding annoyed. He told me I was being mad and he didn't offer this deal to everyone and that it was a no brainer if I wanted enquires. He told me that this would be one less thing to worry about and that I could focus all my effort on my wife and her cancer without having to worry about the work coming in. A combination of his now bullying style and his insistence that I would get enquires led me their and then to sign up for the year(I know I know but I was fragile at the time). Well, two months later I had only two enquires through Yell none of which turned into a job. I realised I'd been bullied and lied too by this guy and cancelled the direct debit. That's when the real fun started!!!
What followed was about two months of relentless phone calls ( 3-4 a day sometimes from private mobile numbers) and emails from Connor and his pals at Yell threatening me from everything to me losing my credit rating to the bailiffs at the door. I acquired the help from my local MP who wrote letters to Yell telling them their behaviour was terrible but nothing bothered them and the daily phone calls and threats continued. It wasn't until I met my brother in law who is a senior manager with one of the biggest companies in the UK and he gave me some advice. He told me to tell them I am going to make a complaint to the regulator and demand that Yell send me all the personal data they have of me including all emails where I have been discussed PLUS the original recorded phone call between myself and Connor. You see folks by law we have a right of access to see all the personal info which companies have on us including emails and recorded phone conversations and companies have one full calendar month to produce it from the day of request. Well then my fun started!!! Within hours of making the request I had the Yell boss man on asking me if I could kindly postpone my request as we should be able to get something sorted out. Haw haw aye very good!! I told them after months of harassment and threats the only thing that will stop my request will be:
1, A full apology for the months of harassment and bullying
2, A full refund for the two months I paid
3, If I do not receive the above within 24 hours of this email being sent then my demand for my personal data will continue as will my complaint to the regulator.
Well folks, the very next morning I had a full apology from one their senior directors plus £180 reimbursed in the bank plus a hamper full of goodies as a goodwill gesture.
Sorry about the long story guys but say well away from this mob.