For the second year in a row…and it’s just the latest in 18 months of buck-passing…

Update:
Got this comment on my posterous post about this.:

Hello, Steph here from Qwest, I am sorry to see that there have been so many telephone books delivered to this empty home. Here is a location where people can opt out of deliveries of local phone books. http://www.ypassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Environmental1&Template=/CustomSource/ZipSearch.cfm
I hope this is helpful,

thank you

Steph Lake
Manager, Talk To Qwest Team
“At Qwest your account information is confidential and protected by law, so I need your permission to access the account.”

LOL – so the neighbor has to call Qwest? Nice.

I left this comment over there:

Thanks for the comment, Steph. So you’re saying it’s my responsibility (the next door neighbor) to opt out a foreclosed home from Qwest Dex phone book spam? Why doesn’t Qwest just *not* deliver to vacant properties? Especially those covered in “Foreclosed” and “Do Not Enter” signs?

Update:
So I visited the link, it led to a toll free number. I talked to Sarah at Qwest (wouldn’t give me an extension or ID #), who said without the home phone number there, there’s nothing they can do to stop them. Nice x2.

Hey Steph Lake, I called your toll free number, and they said they can’t stop the deliveries without a home phone number. How would you like a company to litter all over the vacant properties in your neighborhood?

I asked them if there was an address for a Qwest property I go could litter them. The gal laughed and wished me a happy day.

Update
New comment from Steph over at Posterous.

I agree they shouldn’t deliver to empty homes, especially if it seems obvious that it is empty. If you can send me the physical address of the home I can see what we can do to request no more deliveries. Thank you My address is talktous@qwest.com
Steph Lake
Manager, Talk To Qwest Team
“At Qwest your account information is confidential and protected by law, so I need your permission to access the account.”

Here are a couple clues that the property is foreclosed and vacant:

I e-mailed them with the address and the pictures.

[address] is a foreclosed property and completely vacant, yet you’ve delivered phone books to this property two years in a row. I called last year, and yet you littered a SACK of phone books at the front door again this year.

I was told to call your toll free number, and Sarah (wouldn’t give her extension or ID#) said without a phone number they can’t guarantee the delivery will be stopped. That’s ridiculous.

As the next door neighbor, I shouldn’t have to pick up corporate litter that blows into my lawn from Qwest littering paper on a vacant property. All that I’m asking is for you to take them off your delivery route until someone moves in to handle their own phone book spam issues

I guess we won’t know until next year if Qwest took them off. Hopefully the property isn’t still vacant by then, but if it is, I’ll be watching.

I went ahead and opted out of the unwanted paper directory spam myself here. “Sarah the Mystery Customer Service Rep” said you have to opt-out every year, so I’ll probably end up like Ed with an opt-out notice AND the books next year.

Grreat.

Update
We moved the conversation over to Twitter:

• @gregswan: Going back and forth w/ @talktoqwest about Qwest littering books at foreclosed neighbor. Can’t opt-out w/o phone #! http://bit.ly/qwestdex
• @TalkToQwest: @gregswan It’s not qwest. The directory is owned by DEX, its the directory that we recommend. We have offered to assist you if needed.
• @gregswan: @TalkToQwest I would like assistance stopping the delivery of phone book spam to vacant properties. I was told you can’t w/o a phone number.
• @TalkToQwest: @gregswan Qwest isn’t dropping these, DEX is. We’ll contact DEX, Please email the address to talktous@Qwest.com, we can contact DEX Directly
• @gregswan: @TalkToQwest I already e-mailed you the address. Dex needs the Qwest phone number. I need your litter to stop blowing into my yard.
• @TalkToQwest: @gregswan Okay, looks like we have the email. I will contact DEX and attempt to get them to stop delivering the DEX phone books, Thanks.
• @gregswan: @TalkToQwest Thanks. Seems like better policy for Dex to *not* deliver phone books to vacant properties than spend so much effort on 1 house
• @TalkToQwest: @gregswan Okay, I sent DEX a request via the “contact us” option and asked them to remove the address. Hope this does the trick.

LOL. I could’ve done that. I went ahead and e-mailed them (DirectoryRequests@dexknows.com), too.

Update
E-mail from Qwest:

With all due respect, this is not a Qwest issue, but a DEX issue. We do not hire or instruct or any way shape or form instruct DEX on how to contract and have this product distributed in any manner shape or way that would be indicative of the post you have suggested so far.

In all fairness, I understand how this upsets you but think that your anger is misdirected.

That said, this is a product that we prefer to recommend for its intended use and does carry our name as a recommended provider and as such I will contact them in an attempt to have the delivery discontinued.

Going forward, if there are any other concerns with services that are actually Qwest related, I would be happy to assist you in any way that I can.

Sincerely,

Steve Schwartz
Mgr, Talk To Qwest Team

That’s hilarious, because Qwest came to me offering help and apologies — not Dex — so I just assumed with all this back and forth that they had a stake in it.

Thanks for the note. With Qwest left comments on my blog apologizing and referring me to opt-out #’s, you can see why I would assume you two worked together. I sent Dex a note, as well. -G.

So the buck has been passed on responsibilities with this house yet again.