Posted on 08/04/2004 1:47:59 PM PDT by bd476
Just received a voice mail page from someone with Smart Beep announcing Smart Beep's planned business closure and cancellation of all Smart Beep pager services as of September 30, 2004.
Then the voice mail message referred all Smart Beep customers to Metro Call Corporation, a company licensed in Virginia.
The Metro Call customer service rep explained that Smart Beep had not given advance warning of the (generous) referral nor was Metro Call aware of Smart Beep's financial woes which Smart Beep says caused the upcoming business closure.
Metro Call claimed they first became aware of the (generous) referral two days ago when their switchboards lit up with angry Smart Beep customers.
Smart Beep has been a reliable pager service for me for the past several years. This was disappointing news.
Metro Call charges over $100 more per year than Smart Beep for the same service.
Have you heard anything about Smart Beep's business failing and do you know anything about Metro Call?
Thanks.
Let me be the first to say: I'm stuned!
Just stuned.
LOL. Congratulations on being the first - I was holding my breath wondering how long it would take. :)
Well, looks like you only had to hold your breath for 48 seconds... and even if I hadn't posted, I'm sure you could have held your breath long enough for the next one to post (68 seconds)
Do you have any information/suggestions about pager companies which offer voice mail?
Search online at google.com and look at the ads down the side. Or use Froogle.google.com .
(mumbling to self - Avoid These Words : serious, beep, beeper, mouse, sister, cheese, huge, bit, bite ...)
"Metro Call charges over $100 more per year than Smart Beep for the same service."
I guess that explains why Smart Beep is going out of business and Metro call isn't.
http://www.pocketmovies.net/detail_44.html
My first pager was a used SmartBeep model. To make a long story short, the service was pretty good. When I went to that location to pay a bill, I found the S.F. store, where I purchased it, moved to Oakland. Fortunately, I worked in nearby Emeryville, so it wasn't a problem. Then, I lost the pager, and needed to replace it. I went to the Oakland store. It was closed. The nearest location was in San Jose. I drove all the way to San Jose to find that the SmartBeep "store" was actually a check-cashing center, and they offered the service with a limited pager selection.
I saw the signs, and knew that even with the great price of roughly $4 a month, I would eventually be left high and dry by SmartBeep. I bit the bullet and got a cell phone.
The Metro Call service rep said the same thing. Metro Call was surprised that Smart Beep did not offer to sell off their assets or customer accounts to Metro Call or any other pager company.
Supposedly Metro Call had no idea that Smart Beep was struggling to stay afloat. It's odd that Smart Beep did not inform Metro Call of the pending voicemail mass referral nor ask for payment, kickback or a percentage from Metro Call's potential gain.
The Metro Call customer service rep expressed surprise over the number of physicians who were furious with Metro Call because Smart Beep was going out of business.
Since Metro Call or another pager service did not have the opportunity to buy Smart Beep out or take over the business, all current Smart Beep customers, including those outraged physicians, will have to get new pager numbers with a new service. Then they will have to update all business cards and stationery which have their old Smart Beep numbers imprinted on them.
I am amazed that Smart Beep didn't raise the rates to current standards, nor put their business assets up for sale.
Compared to several years ago when a local in-store reseller had given me a two year contract in exchange for my two year full payment, then cut and run a month later, I was happy to continue paying Smart Beep, which seemed to be a strong and very reliable company. Smart Beep owned their own frequencies/signals and equipment.
In other news, The Almagamated Buggy Whip Company has fallen on hard times.
Does anybody carry a beeper anymore/
Apparently some physicians still use pagers.
that was hilarious!
My cell phone works as a pager, and it's obsolete! I would get nervous going to a doctor who used a cave-man technology like a beeper!
I agree - was just repeating what the Metro Call rep said. A pager works better for me because of cost, privacy and the infrequent need for a phone away from home.
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