Community archive

Ask something
Discussion Locked

I got spam!

0 helpful
17 replies

by bfilmfan

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

I thought everyone might like to read this small missive I fired off after one of our members here used the TR member database to fire off a poorly written marketing letter for her organization.

Enjoy!

_______________________________________________

Dear Kevin Hickey, President and CEO, of NetPro:

Perhaps you could explain to your employee that is not acceptable to use the membership of TechRepublic as an inexpensive form of marketing directory for your fine organization's products.

When I called the number listed below, the person failed to clearly identify herself and your organization.

In addition, the letter is poorly written and contains numerous grammatical errors.

While I have recommended your products to my past clients for their Active Directory environments, such as General Motors, The BlueCross BlueShield Association, the United States Army Reserve, etc.; I will be hesitant to do so in the future if this is the manner your sales department shall be using to contact future potential consultants.

Sincerely,

Jerry A. Taylor
President
Taylor Computer Consulting

CC: Christine Forbes McDermott

--- "ppigeon@netpro.com" wrote:

> One of your fellow TechRepublic members has sent you
> a private message:
>
> From: ppigeon@...
> Subject: Active Directory
> Message:
> Koca I hope this email finds you well.
> Koca, I know that you are extremely busy but I was
> wondering if I could schedule 5 minutes of your time
> to discuss Phibro's IT Security initiatives with
> Alison Shvets.
> As a Microsoft Gold Certified ISV, we offer
> solutions that help organizations identify security
> threats and vulnerabilities so they may close gaps,
> and track and audit important changes to the
> directory in real-time in order to detect
> questionable modifications. We enable companies to
> harden their network security, comply with corporate
> and external policies and regulations and even meet
> and exceed service levels by avoiding downtime
> associated with erroneous changes.
>
> We work with companies such as CIBC, JP Morgan &
> Chase, Cox Communications, US Army, HP and many more
> in helping them manage their Microsoft Active
> Directory environment. We help eliminate:
> Degraded network service
> Network downtime
> Business crippling security breaches
> Non-compliance with government regulations
> We help organizations to:
> Audit and track changes (in real-time) on AD
> configuration changes (who made the change, when it
> was made, why it was made, when it was made?)
> Tighten network security and improve network
> availability
> Ensure business continuity
> Prevent security breaches and network
> vulnerabilities
> Simply put, we help ensure the health, security and
> control of your crucial infrastructure services.
> I can truly appreciate that you are very busy so all
> I am asking for is 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes you
> don't see the need to talk further, you can get rid
> of Alison and she will not be offended. Hope we
> hear from you soon.
>
> Take good care,
>
> Perry
> 1-866-484-9427

17 replies

by deepsand

Despite its flaws, I don't see this as meeting the definition of spam.

First and foremost, it was not an e-mail blast to the entire TR membership; rather, it was sent to a selected subset.

Secondly, the use of directories as a source of [i]targeted[/i] & [i/pre-qualified[/i] leads is an old & legitimate practice. The use of such here shows no signs of being either abusive or aggressive.

Lastly, as you yourself admit, the company in question is in fact a legitimate & reputable provider of a product/service appropriate to at least some TR members.

At worst, I would find such an e-mail to be a nusiance.

by jessie

This is a community forum, and as such, if we think our company has something to offer a selected group, we can post about it in the appropriate forum. I don't think however, that I should be getting impersonal ad emails from other TR members. No I didn't receive this one, but I personally find it a deplorable practice on the part of someone who's only been a member for less than 1 month.

by jaqui

it's not really an appropriate use of peer contact feature.

a personalised contact, for the same purpose, when it can be tied into a discussion.

maybe

to let someone know about a discussion they may find interesting.

to provide some information in response to a question, where the information should not be in an open archive

yup.

by oz_media

Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail.

Multiple mailing lists, INDIVIDUALS, or newsgroups;JUNK Email.

If this was sent to multiple peers (individuals) and it is UNSOLILCITED (which it is) then it is spam. Nobody signed up to receive the information, it is trying to promote or sell a product or service, it is SPAM.

by hal 9000

Get rid of Alison she will not be offended. Does that mean hang up on her or kill her or something else?

Now if only they would send me something like that I could tie them up on an international call for hours while I'm working on site and make out that I'm interested. :D

Col ]:)

by bfilmfan

I reveived this update this evening, upon checking my Yahoo email again:

Mr. Taylor,

On behalf of NetPro, please accept my apology for the both the email
contact and your phone conversation with Perry Pigeon. NetPro is well
aware of listserv guidelines, and we do not promote our business
through
these methods.

Perry previously was told not to contact people through sites such as
TechRepublic, and she has been counseled to ensure this will not happen
again.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and again, I apologize
for
your inconvenience. If you have any additional questions or concerns,
please feel free to contact me.

Regards,
Stella DeJean
Marketing Communications Manager
NetPro
602.346.3650

by absolutely

"Perry previously was told not to contact people through sites such as TechRepublic, and she has been counseled to ensure this will not happen
again."

In other words, Perry has done this before, so we have decided to slap Perry's wrist a second time? What ever happened to just firing people who sully the company's reputation?

PS omigod OZ, I'm billing you for muscle relaxers! You gave me stomach cramps laughing at all those bird jokes.

by oz_media

Was mentioning all the companies (their KEY accounts) that they worked with. I wonder if they are solicited testimonials or just name dropping that would have those companies leave them in a heartbeat.

When mentioning company names,especially large established corporations, it is REALLY stupid to do so unless they have seen and agreed to the promotional letters and or have offered you a written testimonial themelves for use ANYWHERE you choose and not just to close bigger clients.

Their professional action and reply was all you ca nask for though.

You gotta laugh at the poor woman being named PERRY PIGEON though!

It sounds like something from an old Wacky Races cartoon, Penelope Pitstop and Dick Dastardly with special guest star Perry Pigeon.

Probably too flighty to stay anywhere long enough anyway.

I bet her parents thought people would flock to her name.

I wonder if she cooed in her boyfriend's ear.

If she MARRIED a Mr. Pigeon, I wonder if her parents told her to flock off when they realized how stupid her name would sound.

But hey, in all fairness, she had an idea and tried it but it really didn't take flight.

Probably tired of being cooped up in the office and thought she'd just wing it. (I know BOOOOO!)

Do her friends at work call her sh*thawk too? okay I'll stop now, I promise!

Perry is a girl's name too? That would have been handy to know in school when I used to bug a guy called Perry.

Geez, BFilm, this could have been your post to the Friday Yuk this week!

But it all sounds a bit seedy really.

Somebody please stop me!

by oz_media

I bet she's a hunt and peck typist to boot!

Maybe she'll get a job with a courier company, "Carrier Pigeon, come in please!, carrier PIGEON answer your radio."

I bet she wears an ankle bracelet.

A good driver though, always finds her way home, but gets too many speeding tickets because she flies down the road.

Hey at least I spared you the peck*r comments!

Maybe she is a man and just caught that nasty sexual inversion virus that's going around. :^O

by bfilmfan

I wonder if she even knew whom got them into the Army?

Could explain how I knew off the top of my head who is the CEO of NetPro.

And I did call the number and ask to speak with Perry, who turned out to be a lady. She was the answered with just "Perry."

I was acually a meanie poo poo head and said, "Thank you for spamming us on TechRepublic. I will send a letter to Kevin Hickey and see if he agrees." Then, I hung up.

I am sure that was an epiphany that the rest of Friday would not go well.

by hal 9000

And if she doesn't get caught out by doing things like this who cares? Of course when it is brought to the attention of someone higher up the food chain they will say "Naughty Little Girl Don't get Caught Again!" :D

Col ]:)

by oz_media

I get like that sometimes. Just depends which personality has control of my mind at the time. THAT one gets me in a lot of trouble though.

Remember the Mr.Men books? It's kinda like that, but with more characters involved.

by deepsand

I did not say that I considered in good taste.

Nonetheless, I must say that pigeons do make for very tasty eating.

This discussion is closed to new replies.