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The demise of the phone book


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#21 Holden West

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Posted 07 October 2011 - 11:31 PM

Who needs the Yellow Pages when there are up-to-date, accurate online listings that are never wrong?
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
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#22 Mike K.

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 06:34 AM

Who needs the Yellow Pages when there are up-to-date, accurate online listings that are never wrong?


You gotta search for Romeo's Place, not Romeo Pizza, and they all come up :)

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#23 Holden West

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 06:47 AM

^Oh, so now I have to conjure up the exact legal name of the business I'm looking for?

Results for Specht's pets in Victoria
0 active business found.


:P
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#24 rjag

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 06:51 AM

Because not everyone is techno savvy:rolleyes:

As with any service we all must work to the lowest common demoninator, thats why we have slow speed limits, helmet laws, cigarette nannies, free needles etc....BC is amazingly full of slow witted people and it the job of the nanny state to remind everyone of this, therefore a simple phone book is actually quite valuable to those that dont have access to the net or a smart phone...duh!:P

#25 dmvictoria

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 10:32 AM

The last company I worked for was mandated by their franchise agreement to have a sizable YP ad and no internet marketing was allowed (you read that right).

Finally, in the past year they revamped the agreement making YP ads optional and allowed us to internet market. Once we got the website up and got into Google places our business increased by a third. We were amazed how many said, "Oh, I saw on your website...".

I think YP is still a necessary evil in some business' and like the other poster said, some people aren't that tech savvy. Once when my Shaw modem broke and wanted to call them, I realized I didn't have their number or a phone book, I had to ask a neighbor to find the number for me.

#26 sebberry

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 10:37 AM

I worked for a computer repair store a few years ago who insisted on dropping their YP ad. Business dropped considerably, probably because when their computer broke, they had no internet to look us up on :rolleyes:

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#27 D.L.

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 11:26 AM

I like using the Yellowpages specifically because I sit in front of a computer all day at work. It's nice to do something that doesn't involve using a computer. The YP are also an easy way of finding many businesses doing the same thing all in one place. There is no internet venue that I know of that is as user friendly as the YP. The worst thing about the YP is that several years ago it split between two companies (Canpages and Telus I think) and neither of them was as comprehensive as they were before. The while point of the YP was that there was only one of them and so every business in town advertised in it.

#28 sebberry

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 11:29 AM

I still use the phone book occasionally.

The problem with the internet - you can't google a company that you don't know exists :P It is nice to have a list of all the companies that provide a service.

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#29 jklymak

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 12:24 PM

The problem with the internet - you can't google a company that you don't know exists :P


Sure you can... http://lmgtfy.com/?q... "dog grooming". I didn't know any of those businesses existed...

#30 LJ

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 07:15 PM

Once when my Shaw modem broke and wanted to call them, I realized I didn't have their number or a phone book, I had to ask a neighbor to find the number for me.


Good thing you didn't have Shaw telephone service or you would have had to borrow a phone as well.
Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#31 G-Man

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 09:08 PM

Google Maps works for me. I just hone in on Victoria and type whatever service I am looking for. Works fine. I have not used a phone book in years.

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#32 http

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Posted 15 October 2011 - 10:25 PM

I think YP is still a necessary evil in some business' and like the other poster said, some people aren't that tech savvy. Once when my Shaw modem broke and wanted to call them, I realized I didn't have their number or a phone book, I had to ask a neighbor to find the number for me.

I just realized I know the tech support lines for both shaw and telus off the top of my head. Shoot me now.
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#33 sebberry

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Posted 15 October 2011 - 10:36 PM

I just realized I know the tech support lines for both shaw and telus off the top of my head. Shoot me now.


My first computer had so many problems I still have the serial number memorized... 14 years later.

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#34 Rob Randall

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Posted 01 February 2012 - 11:01 PM

Fifty Victoria employees of Canpages, a telephone directory maker, are among 700 in B.C. and Alberta reported to have lost their jobs due to declining advertising revenues.

Workers arriving at Canpages' Central Saanich office on Tuesday were greeted by a sign on the door referring them to the head office of Yellow Media in Montreal.


http://www.timescolo...3634/story.html

#35 Phil McAvity

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Posted 18 February 2012 - 04:14 PM

As with any service we all must work to the lowest common demoninator, thats why we have slow speed limits, helmet laws, cigarette nannies, free needles etc....BC is amazingly full of slow witted people and it the job of the nanny state to remind everyone of this, therefore a simple phone book is actually quite valuable to those that dont have access to the net or a smart phone...duh!:P


I reposted this because it needed saying again. :cool:

http, I know Shaw's number off the top of my head too (475-5655) but I should since i've called them dozens of times over the years.

I just got the Telus phone directory the other day and I couldn't believe how much lighter and thinner it felt. :confused: Anyone else notice that?
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#36 sebberry

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Posted 18 February 2012 - 04:50 PM

I noticed that my building of 27 suites only got about 6 directories delivered.

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#37 G-Man

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Posted 18 February 2012 - 05:22 PM

I recycle my books when they come in now. I mean what are they actually for?

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#38 sebberry

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Posted 18 February 2012 - 05:25 PM

The menu section is handy for when you don't have a menu at your fingertips, or the restauraunt you want to order from doesn't have a website.

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#39 Nparker

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Posted 18 February 2012 - 08:28 PM

...the restauraunt you want to order from doesn't have a website.


It's 2012, I find it outrageous that EVERY restaurant doesn't have a presence on the interwebs.

#40 sebberry

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Posted 18 February 2012 - 09:48 PM

It's 2012, I find it outrageous that EVERY restaurant doesn't have a presence on the interwebs.


Also handy for when you're ordering Chinese food and you don't know how to spell the name of the place in Google ;)

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