BusinessWire #Fail: How to Burn Bridges With a Long-Time and Ex-Loyal Customer

I'm having a dispute with Business Wire about a bill, and I wanted to alert you to the situation and urge caution in continuing to use this distribution service.

To make a long story short, I mistakenly ordered $1,200 worth of add-on distribution services to what would otherwise have been a $600 press release. I was able to bill my client the $600, but I'm on the hook for the other $1,200. I figured out my mistake within a couple of days of placing the order, but by then it was too late. We got absolutely no coverage out of this extra stuff I ordered - in fact, I've never even seen any evidence that the materials were actually distributed.

I've paid the bill for the actual release, and I'm trying to negotiate a compromise with them on this bill. They've offered only a $200 discount, so I'd still have to pay $1,000 out of my own pocket - for absolutely nothing.

I'm told this has already been brought to the attention of an SVP, but I'm going to take it all the way to CEO Cathy Baron Tamraz if necessary. And I'm taking it to you as well.

Needless to say, there are many other choices for press release distribution besides Business Wire. You might want to keep this story in mind if you are still using their service, especially the part about their ordering process, which is confusing and does not meet current Internet shopping cart standards.

For me, Business Wire still has a chance to make this right before I have to pay the $1,000 to avoid collections. If they don't, I will certainly take my business elsewhere, after almost 20 years as a customer. And I'll be sure to keep you fully posted on their response to this situation.