Irony in credit land

Posted by Marc Hodak on December 16, 2010 under Unintended consequences | Be the First to Comment

For the second time in a month, I received the following note from Dun & Bradstreet:

Dear Hodak Value Advisors:

We are contacting you regarding a change in your D&B business credit file. Our records indicate your suppliers and vendors have reported a change in the way your company pays its bills.

Please call 1-866-487-xxxx immediately to learn more about the information in your business credit profile.

The note then proceeds to tell me about the benefits of a credit monitoring program they are selling.

Hodak Value Advisors has very modest credit needs.  We know exactly who our creditors are, and our relationship with every one of them is stronger than ever, reflecting our perfect record on bill paying.  So, it’s plain to me that this message is bunk.

It’s worse than bunk.  My assistant was concerned enough when she got this that she had to spend about five minutes checking up on whether there was anything for us to be worried about before being reassured that there was nothing to it.  I want D&B to pay me back for that wasted time.  The irony is that this note was signed

Sincerely,

Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.

This note, of course, has blown their credibility with me.