Anyone with experience with collections and Yellow Page advertising with the big bad phone company?

The local phone company (Bellsouth now ATT) really screwed me over with some mistakes and number changes the past few years. So, my business lost a lot of money and I had no money to pay the outrageous bill. Well they have now started pursuing me and/or my business with some collections company. For the first time they threatened something about my credit, my phone, or my business credit. This account is in the name of a corporation, but of course it is just my small business. I still am in good standing paying the phone bill - but the advertising is behind by almost $10,000.





Aside from my business credit getting kicked or no YP advertising for next year ... do I have anything to worry about. I just really need my phone number to stay in place for at least another year else I won't be able to make any money with my business. Also, my personal credit is very good ... and I've been told they shouldn't hit it with bad debt from my corporation just because I'm the "president" of it.

Anyone with experience with collections and Yellow Page advertising with the big bad phone company?
It depends on whether or not you signed a 'personal guarantee' for this bill. If you did, then you can be reported for both personal and business. They can still hit the reporting agencies too. They may also be able to take you to court for the balance of the bill. Not only will your business be cited, but possibly you personally if there is a personal guarantee. I know that quite a few of the contracts have it worked into the contract that you cannot sue them in excess of the original contract amount vs what has been paid. In other words, you cannot sue them for $10,000 if your bill is only $2,000. Pull out the contract and read this section. You may be wise to have a lawyer take care of this for you, rather than trying this yourself.
Reply:I am a bill collector who has done business to busines collections. And yes, your fears are founded. If your business is an incorporation and you are the president, you can be held PERSONALLY liable. This very well could affect your personal credit. If your business was an LLC you would be fine, but an INC is a different story
Reply:As long as you are paying your phone bill, they cannot touch your phone. Your advertising bill is a separate thing.....they like to try to muscle people by holding the phone bill over your head.





If you have legitimate grievances about your ads, then submit it in writing and state this to the next manager you speak to.





Looking forward..once you get out of this pickle I would encourage you to never place an ad in the yellow pages again...it is an absolute waste of advertising money. Spend your advertising dollar on media that will reach your customers on a continuous basis...you want people to know the name of the business they're gonna use, before they ever need the service. When people have to go to the yellow pages for help...that means your marketing has completely failed. You NEVER want people going to the yellow pages to look for you. Ever.


You do want them going to the white page listing however, to get your actual number if need be. ...there is a difference.





People have been programmed to belive they need to be in the yellow book in order to compete in th ebusiness world.





That is a myth. The truth is, if businesses didn't have to dish out all their advertising budget into a book that is closed 99.99% of the time (literally...do the math...that is the actual number)...they would be more successful because they could have spent the money on real advertising and marketing techniques that work.