What's New
February 20, 2008, Chancery Court Opinion
Lowndes County MUW Alumnae
Association Chapter Hosts Valentine Extravaganza
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Alumni Directory Update
I wanted to proactively send you a note should you get calls concerning the Alumni Directory Project. One of the options we give your alumni when they wish to purchase a directory is the option to be invoiced. Those invoices typically are sent out weekly. Having said that, we have just designed a new invoice series and had not sent out invoices for a period of time. Once the invoice series was finalized we batched all outstanding invoices and those were mailed at the end of last week. I would not anticipate many, if any, calls into your office regarding the sending of these invoices, but since the number we sent out was larger than normal I thought it might make sense to let you know.
It is also worth communicating that, as always, we have a no questions asked cancellation policy. If someone does not remember ordering or would like to cancel, they can call our customer service number printed on the invoice and they will be taken out of the invoice cycle.
Sincerely,
Tim Waddill
On behalf of
the Office of Alumni Relations and the University, I
am proud to announce the compilation of a new alumni
directory. PCI, the Data Company, publishing
concepts.com, is providing this service on behalf of
the University.
The work related to completion of this project is
expected to take approximately one year. Steps
involved include but are not limited to the
following: contacting alumni via telephone, email
and/or post cards to update contact information,
compiling that data and the printing the new
directory.
PCI began contacting alumni via telephones January
11, 2008.
If you have questions about the project the general
customer service number for PCI is 1-800-982-1590.
However if you want to update your contact
information or order a new directory contact
1-800-982-1589.
You may also contact me at bcade@muw.edu if
necessary.
Becky Cade '76
MUW Interim Director of Alumni Relations
UPDATE:
I apologize for
some continued misunderstandings that have been made
during calls from PCI about the new alumni
directory. In an effort to address some of these
issues, the following explanations are offered:
The company sent an letter via email for us post on
our website with apologies for any confusion during
the initial contact stage of this project and
stating that they do not represent any Association
other than the Alumni Relations Office at
Mississippi University for Women. This letter is not
signed, but as soon as we receive a signed document
we will work to get this information on the Alumni
and Friends website.
It is standard practice for the data companies that
develop alumni directories to award a royalty based
upon the sale of those directories. Any and all
royalties derived through sales of these documents
will go to Mississippi University for Women.
Any alumni that are concerned about the legitimacy
of this company are encouraged to go to PCI's
website, www.publishingconcepts.com, to learn more
about this fine, long standing company.
One alumni asked if why they did not leave a voice
message. The answer to this is that by law they
cannot leave a message.
Another alumni asked why they called so many times
with no caller name to the company. First the
company has just been redoing their phone numbers.
It is my understanding that name of the company will
show up on caller ids in the near future, but not
right now. It should also be noted that they utilize
an automatic dialer and only when a person answers
does a live person come on the line. As a result,
when the dialer does not get an answer it will
automatically signal that you number needs to be
dialed again.
As far as the data that the vendor will be asking
for is updated personal and business contact
information. The degree information should be
correct. However should one of the callers not ask
you for updated personal and business information,
then, please let us know so we can share that with
PCI. They have records of all calls.
The prices, while higher than in the past, are
itemized in the University's agreement as well as in
the marketing materials approved by the university.
The marketing materials reflect a cost for the book
and then a cost for shipping and handling. It has
been approximately 5 years since the university
worked with a vendor to develop an alumni directory
and the costs have gone up.
One of the factors nationally in the rise in cost
for directories is that fewer people purchase
directories. Instead many people use the internet to
track down and get addresses for their friends. It
is for this reason that the vendors are now offering
additional merchandise to enhance alumni to purchase
the directories and why these vendors are including
additional information, including pictures in the
directories. Of course these additional items drive
up the cost as well.
In selecting the vendor to be used for this service,
we did compare costs and deliverables among the
primary service providers.
Provided below is the amount of the various
products. Should quotes differ from the amounts
provided below, please let us know.
Thanks in advance for your questions and your
comments. It allows us to know what information we
need to share to ensure this service to our alumni
is appreciated and understood.
Becky
1. Basic Package offers either Hard Bound Directory
or CD ROM:
| |
Hard Bound
Directory or CD Rom |
|
$79.95 |
|
| |
Shipping &
handling |
|
$11.95 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
TOTAL |
|
$91.90 |
|
2. Value Package
offers Softbound Directory, CD ROM, and Companion
Airline Ticket:
| |
Value Package |
|
$119.95 |
|
| |
Shipping &
handling |
|
$15.95 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
TOTAL |
|
$135.90 |
|
3. Complete Package offers Softbound Directory, CD
ROM, Companion Airline Ticket, Pride of Alumni
Collection (Alumni Travel Mug, Alumni Pad Folio,
Alumni Pen, Alumni Key Chain):
| |
Complete
Package |
|
$159.95 |
|
| |
Shipping &
handling |
|
$19.95 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
TOTAL |
|
$179.90 |
|
NOTE: Foreign Shipping and Handling, add $30.00
Also note that if you live in Texas there will be
taxes added since the company is located in Texas.
