Just When You Thought They Might Be Getting Better
Written by Sean Hocking
Here at HOB we thought for a moment that the FT would take the prize in February for rapacity..
And we have to admit they are doing a pretty good job of it making sure that everybody has to pay a lot more for their information....
It'd amuse us if firms just started taking out newspaper subs to the FT and handing one each to partners with a note telling them how much money they are saving by reading the paper everyday....
But as usual we digress.
At the end of the month LNB (Lexis Nexis Butterworths) have come up with a great "little" charge guaranteed to wind people up..
A librarian posting on UK LAW LIB yesterday asks
Is anyone else astounded by LexisNexis's "admin fee" for processing direct debits?
We learn that the librarian changed their subscription for major works, from pay as you go, to paying by direct debit each month.
The library now no longer receive invoices for each and every volumes/update, and just pays by direct debit on a monthly basis.
The Librarian notes
<b><i>For this privilege, I get charged £200 for "admin". </b></i>
and adds
<i>How can they justify this, when once the DD has been set up they don't need to do anything? and they have no invoices to send out regularly as well?
Is anyone else mystified by this? </i>
We agree: how can LNB justify this..?
Yes their bank my charge a small fee but by setting up this system it has saved them time and money in dealing with that particular client's subscriptions.
This sort of charge reminds HOB of an appalling reality tv show we've recently seen on TV where sharp suited 20 year old "entrepreneurs" try to persuade honest businesses to make more money by ripping off their clients.....HOB's favourite being the call one at home consultant received from her "entrepreneur mentor"........<i>yes ..i've had a great idea why don't you charge by the half hour</i>
That guy probably works for LNB and we're sure he has plenty more suggestions like that up his sleeve.
