Complaint Review: Federal Business Partner

I have been thoroughly disappointed with the customer service, delay tactics, and non responsiveness I have encountered since I joined (www.fedbizpartner.com) . I am a small businessman and warn all small businesses of this scam.

Beware of their written guarantee. This was not defined until I signed the contract and saw that the guarantee was that if I was not satisfied with the listing, I would be upgraded to the next advertisement level at no charge for another year! This is a classic bait and switch tactic. A guarantee implies a refund, or reciprocation of something of value. Since the listing proved to be of no value, the promise of more that same product is still worthless.

I provided multiple opportunities for Fed Biz Partner to make good on even basic customer service, but was let down each time. To date, I have received NO customer support. They do not answer the phone. They call you back after you leave a message.

In November, I called my customer representative, Alan Berman to inform him that I had no activity from the listing. Alan began the conversation with an apparently scripted response by telling me about his wife being ill which has been his opening line EVERY time I have talked to him and that he would take my advertisement home for the weekend, lock himself in his home office, and call me with suggestions and guidance on Tuesday. He did call later that week but I was in a meeting with a client and could not take the call. I returned the call as soon as I was able (within 2 hours), left a message, but never had my call returned.

In January 2011 I saw that my ad was in the wrong region. I am a consultant in Washington DC but my ad was listed under Chicago. This was the result of an error in the application process. Fed Biz Partner moved my ad to Washington and re-started my subscription in January 2011.

I called again in March to say that I still had no activity. Mr. Berman again told me of his ill wife, and that he would take my advertisement home over the weekend, lock the door to his office, and call me on Tuesday to discuss recommendations. Mr. Berman called on Wednesday afternoon when I was with a client. I called back within an hour, but again, never received a return call.

Since I did not receive any communication, I called back 10 days later and left another message stating that I wanted a refund, and that Federal Business Partner is of absolutely no value. On Saturday, April 9th, Mr. Berman called but I could not take the call at that moment (I was coaching my sons soccer game). I asked him to call me back in 45 minutes. He told me that he could not guarantee that he would be available in 45 minutes, but he would absolutely call on Monday. Monday came and went. Mr. Berman called me on Tuesday evening around 5:00. After an opening comment about another illness this time, his need to take an inhaler, he told me that management said that a refund was not possible, but that he would upgrade me to a half page advertisement.

The product and customer service of this company have proven to be of absolutely NO value. I informed Mr. Berman that offering me MORE of something that is of no value was not acceptable. Incredibly, he then offered to give me a full page ad! More of something that has no value is still worthless! At no time did I ever receive any feedback regarding my advertisement, and ways to improve it.

I would truly prefer that this relationship achieved the desired results and be a staunch supporter rather than a scam victim. My disappointment is not because there was no activity from government, but with the errors, delay tactics and lack of customer service on multiple occasions. DO NOT JOIN FEDERAL BUSINESS PARTNER www.fedbizparther.com