@Anonymous wrote:
Is this board dead? I have posted several times on this forum and no one ever responds.
SLs is probably one of the slowest...I know zilch about SLs, but regardless of who is reporting, if I had a late or lates reporting I'd GW them too. I don't care about others' successes or failures. They are not me. Therefore, I'd treat ACS just like any other creditor and GW them until they said "yes".
If had that, I would start from ground zero. I start by sending a single GW letter (snail mail) to the address listed on my CR. If they came back with anything other than a yes or if 30 days passed, then I'd GW again in Round 2.
I'd use the same address and probably add a corporate address as listed on their website. If both letters resulted in a response other than "yes" or no response to both within 30 days, then I'd start round 3.
In this round, I would send a letter to the same reporting address, to the same corporate address as used before, and I'd add a 2nd corporate address if there was more than one listed (I'd focus on original source contact info: I'd find them via SEC filings if they are public, via their website, via their privacy policy on their website, via my CR if they report more than one address, and via any docs I had in my possession like a contract, etc.). I'd mail these three letters snail mail at the same time. In Round 3, I'd add a phone call GW. If they say anything other than "yes" in the phone call, then I'd ask for additional mailing addresses, fax numbers, e-mails, phone numbers, etc., but I would hold short of using that contact info. I'd be very cordial and friendly make a notation of who I talked to and when, so that if I call again and get the same person, I can recount our conversation, ask how things are going, etc. So, with the 3 letters and the call, you basically would have made 4 GW requests this round. If all the responses came back with anything other than a "yes" or 30 days passed, then I'd start Round 4.
At some point in time, you'll get written responses or e-mails back. I'd add those contact address and names and any fax or phone in their letterhead to my arsenal and consider them an org. source for info.
In Round 4, I'd send GWs again to the address(es) on my CR, to the corporate address, and to a second address as provided by them. I'd also call the same phone number as before thereby making 4 GW requests. I would add another org. source contact info like any mentioned above or any as listed on ACS' letterhead if they sent any response. AND I would add a 5th letter this round to a specific contact person like an exec., or to any contact person on any letter received from them during these rounds. PLUS, I would call the same number. If you found a second phone number (e.g. from their letterhead, their letters to you, numbers offered by the CSR you talked to already, etc.), I'd use that too. PLUS if they provided a fax from their letterhead or from a conversation or from their website, I'd fax too. PLUS, if they provided any e-mail info up to this point, I'd try that too. So, in this round, you would send 5 GWs snail mail. Make 2 phone calls. Send one fax. And send one e-mail. This totals 9 GW requests.
From the first month to the fourth, you would have made 16 GW requests. I would re-write the letter with each round to keep it fresh and original and keep it to a half-page to 3/4 tops. I would also include in the GW my phone and my e-mail (and fax too if possible). I'd include any identifying info like account numbers to make it as easy as possible for them to find me.
GWing is a numbers game. A no today does not mean a no tomorrow. You just haven't found the right person yet. If after the 4th round all signs point to "no", then I'd take a break for a month and pick up where you left off. I'd start Round 5 with the same 9 GW requests and I would add one more snail mail to their corporate address or other contact, I'd add one more snail mail to an exec. or decision maker, I'd another phone call, another fax, and another e-mail if possible. In total, I'd send 14 GW requests the following month. Then I'd repeat and repeat and repeat and take a break. You probably won't get this far, be prepared. Practice your letter writing now. Be very friendly and cordial. I had a simular issue with a Verizon Wireless CO. I followed this method and eventually ran out of contact info. But the zenith of my efforts, I was sending 14+ PFDs every single month. I mailed hundreds of them. Eventually I found a yes and the no's did not matter at all.
