E-Tender Scam

[Redders]

Here we are again, I paid some £800 to these people and spent a little time speaking with a representative of their firm who has stated that they are very concerned about complaints on the web site. I am pleased for BIP warrior but am very concerned about all of those less able to fight this con. All of the professional bodies from Trading Standards to small courts around the country have decided that these complex contractual issues are to difficult to argue and have left many small businesses in the lurch. Although BIP may be working just within the law, it is also clear that something in their methodology is wrong or so many people wouldn't fall foul of the scam. I would like to know why these bodies haven't requested a sturdier more visible contract to be made available by BIP to new customers. Any firm worth their salt would see the havoc they are causing and address the issue immediately for fear of attracting bad publicity. But BIP know they are onto a good thing.. What will it take for trading standards to realise that while businesses all over the country suffer, these Quango's have taken a very lackadaisical approach to the whole affair.

 

[sgrahams]

Thanks Redders..

however, it would seem most pay-up and forget about it. Also, there are some posts on this forum that 'seem' to have a solution, but they do not post further when they are asked for more info?

 

[CamG]

Customers', who are genuinely interested in working within the public sector, benefit from our superior contract information service, Tracker. During the free trial, customers have access to 3 months worth of contract data (typically around 15,000 contract opportunities) which in UK subscription terms is worth over £369[FONT=&quot][/FONT]. In addition customers are fully supported by an experienced account manager to assist them get the most out of the service to match contract opportunities to their business requirements.

As part of this free trial there are terms and conditions, which clearly and openly state that if you do not write to cancel prior to the end of the trial you will be liable for the subscription fee.

BIP Solutions believe that we offer an excellent service to thousands of customers and regret that a very small minority who have benefited from the free trial period and who openly signed themselves up to our service feel aggrieved.

We endeavour to handle all customer enquiries promptly and do offer an opt out fee should a customer write to cancel after the full subscription commences. If you are reading this and would like to comment on the status of your subscription or to find out more about the Tracker service please use the contact us form on the Tendermatch.co.uk website.

 

[Aaron jennings]

Bip solutions is a total con and in my opinion make it near impossible for you to cancel the subcription before the due date. i started sending my cancelation emails after just one week. in total i sent over 30. apparently they never recieved any.
i never even sighned into my account after about two weeks and that was only because they rang up and wanted to go through it with me.
it was never any use to us and i made this clear in every conversation i had with
the saleman and that we did not want to continue with the subscription even said he would make sure that accounts would know i wanted to cancel.
I am fighting this all the way.
I am awaiting my court day now.

 

[Michael Gerard]

Interesting thread.

Found another forum site which also contains rants over BiP: www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-consumer-issues/245844-bip-solutions-lookout-issues.html

Interesting on the 11th post - similar to post number 43 here.

 

[Neil Capstick]

When is it worthwhile submitting a bid? Well no, not always, there should be selection criteria that you apply before applying for each bid and tender. Sometimes the pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) can tip you off before you have done too much work. You should have a set list of criteria that the opportunity must meet before progressing. Focus on what you do well, don't make excuses and use positive language and you will be more successful in your bid and tender writing.

 

[Aaron jennings]

Thanks to CamG my situation has been resolved.

Thank you so much.

I am sure if anyone else is in the same situation i was it could now be resovled as CamG was so helpfull.

thanks Again

Aaron

 

[MagicKnight]

Greetings all

I can confirm that .gov and many departments even down to
www-dot-sfo.g2b.info
use BIP Scam Company run their systems, I have 100s of emails to prove we wanted to end the contract and they did there upmost to drag it out to spam mail us with “Tender alerts” at a cost of £20.00 per day.


Don’t matter what you say here at all too many government bodies use the BIP Solutions system and the cost and embracement to the government with the use of this service would make independent bodies ask how this was not monitored

As the link www dot sfo.g2b.info will show a body built to protect us from companies like BIP, use their systems as you will see bottom right corner
| powered by BiP Solutions Ltd

So if you have a problem with the BIP Solutions... you won’t get very far with a government body that has put all their services with BIP...
Trading standards and more even courts won’t do a thing to protect you....

 

[CamG]

If you contact me direct I would be delighted to look into your subscription details as I have done for all the others on this forum and you will see that we have worked to resolve the concerns that have been raised.

Our commitment is to deliver the best possible client experience and we are grateful for comments made that allow us to adapt and develop our processes and practices to deliver a better service. Even negative comments are valued as they allow us to continuously challenge our practices.

Accordingly, we continuously invest in the solutions we provide, their content and functionality to ensure an optimised customer experience throughout. This is why we have many thousands of subscribers who enjoy a positive and beneficial relationship with BiP’s many products and services. To view some of the positive feedback on our service please visit tendermatch .com and view the customer testimonial video.

Since the initial comments on this blog we have reviewed the trial application journey and made the terms and conditions more easily accessible, clearer and better presented. We have also included details of the terms within the welcome email and make further reference to them on a number of occasions throughout the account management process. There can now be no doubt that all clients are totally aware as to the obligations into which they are entering.

I welcome any further feedback direct to us using the contact us form on the BIP Solutions website

 

[jackson001]

There's been a lot of editing of comments on this thread. I posted one early August and had a reply from Gillian Cameron. Where are they? And where is GaryK's response to me of 9 August? Quoted below.
"Yes bought some MOD contacts list of them some years back. Difficult to cancel and get out of it. They're con merchants."
This forum isn't going to work if we have incomplete threads.

 

[CamG]

The answer is that it was a post on a different forum and is still there albeit the erroneous comment re the company has been edited. I am disappointed that you have again chosen this forum to communicate rather than return any of our calls or emails regarding your usage of our service and I would please ask that rather than posting on the forum that you respond to us direct. Thank you.

 

[jackson001]

I have now found the separate thread of three emails, but I don't know who moved them. I have now spoken with your colleague Mabel McGregor as I understand you did not want to speak to my colleague who initiated contact with BiP. I'm happy to deal with you directly. However, I think it is helpful for other posters here to have the complete thread and to be aware that efforts are being made to resolve these issues. As it stands, only Aaron seems to be happy with his outcome.
Furthermore, you and my colleague have exchanged emails and she has spoken with various staff at BiP a number of times since you invited us to get in direct touch with you so it's not exactly truthful to suggest we have avoided doing so.

 

[bw35]

We have just been caught by not canceling our subscription renewal before the due date. They only sent a reminder to us after the renewal date. Now they want full payment for 12 months.

 

[Sublime Decor]

Not sure if this will work for you but I'm pretty sure theirs a clause in the T's & C's whereby they have to accept a 25% settlement offer. We did this last year. Offered 25% of the total outstanding, and even spread that over 4 months.

Worth a shot?

 

[Redders]

Please remember that BIP are reading these posts on Facebook and other consumer pages. If you need advise / help, please e-mail the Faceook Group raise the profile of this post be joining the Facebook Group. Collective action is being planned and we need numbers to ensure success BIP operate under many other names.

 

[bw35]

Not sure if this will work for you but I'm pretty sure theirs a clause in the T's & C's whereby they have to accept a 25% settlement offer. We did this last year. Offered 25% of the total outstanding, and even spread that over 4 months.

Worth a shot?

Yes I did see in their Ts&Cs that 25% might be payable but so far they have only offered a 15% discount. Thanks

 

[CamG]

Please note that the 25% is not applicable as your written cancellation was received out with the 30 day period. Please can I ask you to again contact your account manager to discuss and resolve this matter.

 

[bw35]

Please note that the 25% is not applicable as your written cancellation was received out with the 30 day period. Please can I ask you to again contact your account manager to discuss and resolve this matter.

I have contacted my account manager to discuss and left a message requesting a call back.

 

[E Bickley]

I am posting this because we have had a recent situation with BiP. In our case, an impartial observer might potentially have seen either party to be correct, so our situation could have become really protracted and difficult.

I don't work for BiP.

We have no association with BiP.

We considered the BiP service for the trial period and we discussed and agreed to set up a longer deal. Due to internal changes, we established very quickly that we had no need for the BiP service and I served written notice.

Our dispute with BiP was over contract terms and timings.

As of today, I can confirm that BiP discussed the matter with me directly and very quickly moved to reach a conclusion. (The detailed terms of which cannot be divulged here for obvious reasons.)

Suffice to say, I believe that whilst BiP were sometimes very strong in the face of our objections, they presented reasonable arguments and we did the same based on honestly and fact.

They have now concluded the matter in a way that could only be regarded as reasonable and professional.

 

[The Resolver]

Good to hear- as I always tell clients, the best mediators are the parties themselves ...if only they can put the dispute itself to one side, focus on the question 'what would be a better outcome for us both than continuing the dispute', and brainstorm solutions. In business there is always a better outcome when the solution is other than court or doing nothing.

 

[JamesSymonds]

Hi there,

I have also been caught up with these guys. They claim a letter I have sent has not been received and now want £1600 for approximately 28 days of what can only be described as awful service and spam mail...

Any won resolved their issues with these guys or got any advice?

Regards,

James

 

[L.C.]

We have had slightly different problems with BIP.

We wrote to cancel our subscription in January 2010, but come December 2010, BIP claimed they did not have our written cancellation therefore we were bound to a new subscription.

We did have some use for the subscription, albeit not a great use, and were prepared to pay, however the new subscription had now gone up by about 80% on the previous year's price (note - we were not a new customer, the previous year was not a bargain deal to entice us in).

Naturally we disputed the invoice, i said we had written to cancel, BIP came back and said they did not have letter therefore we were bound to their terms and conditions. It was on this point i turned it back on BIP - I said if they were such sticklers for terms and conditions then surely a change to a contract such as an 80% price hike would have been notified to us in writing beforehand (obviously it hadnt) and there was nothing stated in the terms and conditions that said the contract would increase by 80% on a rolling basis. As i hadnt seen this 'notice' and BIP couldnt either accept my copy notice, then i couldnt accept their price increase as i hadnt been notified of it.

Whilst it wasnt exactly a legal argument i had, i felt i had a valid point and was quite happy to argue my case. BIP did offer a discount, a derisory 20% off the new price, later increased to 30%. I refused, insisted on same price as last year or they could sue me.

BIP eventually offered same terms as previous year. I sent off cheque recorded delivery with a cancellation letter. Let's see what happens this December!

Cheers

LC

 

[gib123]

Hi guys,

I actually only signed up recently with BIP, and the email i got from my ''account manager'' actually says that the free trial is no obligation and will cancel if i dont email to say i want to subscribe. Surely that puts me in a good position if they try and shaft me? Although i have started sending emails canceling my free trial.

Not sure if they have changed their policy's regarding the way they try and scam ppl.

Ill be on the phone tomorrow see if they received my emails.

Cheers

 

[KateCB]

CamG says that they have amended their website so that the user/potential client is left under no illusion that they must cancel within a certain amount of time, hwoever the problem here appears to be that no matter WHEN people email/write or call to cancel, the company itself denies receipt of the cancellation - making terms clear is not a solution to this problem; the denial of over 30 cancellations emails from one poster, within the specified time IS the problem.

 

[90DC]

I signed up to their 30 day free trial and cancelled before this period ended. I've had letters from them and a debt company asking for the money back. They 'appear' to have lost the evidence that I cancelled the subscription but I told them I did so as their is a free way of finding tenders through the Business Link website.

They appear to have stopped now, but if they carry on, I'll report them to Nottinghamshire Trading Standards and will call their local one too.

 

[NickJohnson]

Need I say more - the same has happened to me as everyone else that has had dealings with BIP Solutions. My advice is contact Watchdog (BBC).

 

[CamG]

[FONT=&quot]BiP assign an account manager to work with all our trial customers to review their needs and will put in place individual arrangements such as a no obligation trial if requested. I regret that you did not wish to continue with the Tracker service and can confirm that following receipt of your email cancelling your subscription and that we fully cancelled your account.[/FONT]

 

[CamG]

Hi guys,

I actually only signed up recently with BIP, and the email i got from my ''account manager'' actually says that the free trial is no obligation and will cancel if i dont email to say i want to subscribe. Surely that puts me in a good position if they try and shaft me? Although i have started sending emails canceling my free trial.

Not sure if they have changed their policy's regarding the way they try and scam ppl.

Ill be on the phone tomorrow see if they received my emails.

Cheers

[FONT=&quot]BiP assign an account manager to work with all our trial customers to review their needs and will put in place individual arrangements such as a no obligation trial if requested. I regret that you did not wish to continue with the Tracker service and can confirm that following receipt of your email cancelling your subscription and that we fully cancelled your account.[/FONT]

 

[CamG]

CamG says that they have amended their website so that the user/potential client is left under no illusion that they must cancel within a certain amount of time, hwoever the problem here appears to be that no matter WHEN people email/write or call to cancel, the company itself denies receipt of the cancellation - making terms clear is not a solution to this problem; the denial of over 30 cancellations emails from one poster, within the specified time IS the problem.

[FONT=&quot]Please be assured that there is no denial of any cancellation request, all written/ email cancellations are acknowledged and followed up with a call to the customer. However cancellation may not be immediate depending on which point of the subscription cycle the customer is looking to terminate from and hence they may continue to receive the service till the end of that period. This is in keeping with any other subscription service. [/FONT]

 

[CamG]

BIP agreed an opt out fee for James Symmonds which has been settled and his account has now been cancelled

 

[Ted in Beverley]

When I set my new business up, at the onset of the recession in April 2008, I subscribed to BiP Solutions online Tracker service - after a 3 month Trial period. I paid somewhere in the region of £780 (inc VAT) for the annual subscription in the belief that it would assist my small company in attaining public sector contracts. It was rarely used as the daily alerts and Market Monitoring alerts (whatever they were, I didn't ask for them) weren't that useful and the public sector did not want to touch a new company with no demonstrable track record, accounts, accreditations, experience etc.

In September 2009, I returned from my one week's annual holiday with the family in Devon to find an invoice for £2,024 (inc VAT) on my desk for the apparent renewal of the service. Needless to say I was gobsmacked and contacted BiP to refute the invoice; it was a service I neither requested, nor wanted, nor even used. I had not received any correspondence nor had any dialogue with anyone from BiP regarding the renewal. Had I had any correspondence, I would not (of course) renewed.

I was then offered a number of discounts in order to keep my subscription running, but refused them all - I didn't want the service. As the dispute rumbled on over a period of weeks, I was told that it would cost more to cancel the subscription than to accept it due to the extravagant cancellation fees - calculated at 25% of the invoice amount plus £20 + VAT per day since the expiry of my first year's subscription. On 20th October, I offered them an amount equating to one month's subscription (as this was the period of time that had elapsed since my first and only subscription had expired).

They refused to accept this on the basis that I must have seen their T's and C's in order to subscribe initially. Let me make this clear - I did not see any Terms and Conditions which told me they would automatically renew my subscription after the first year. I did not see anything which told me that my costs would increase by over 200%. I did not click any boxes on a screen to accept these terms.

Since this period I have received several copy invoices and statements, and I have replied with counter-charges for my management time. I had written to them to explain that I would be charging them for my time ,and that their response to my correspondence by way of invoicing would incur a charge (these were my Terms and Conditions).

Today I received a Legal Notice from an outfit called Darcey Quigley & Co demanding payment of £1957.30 (including a late payment charge!!!!!).

I will not pay this. I will see these bandits in court if necessary. They pray on small companies like mine. I have worked damned hard, off my own bat and the efforts of my small team, to create business for our company. It is a struggle and BiP Solutions have not assisted in any way. Their service was of no use to us, although I don't dispute that it may be of benefit to other companies.

Whatever laws or small print they hide behind, I will not - out of principal and the morals and ethics of business practice - pay this invoice. I will see them in court if necessary. They are bullies and sharks.

 

[jackson001]

Has anyone successfully taken BiP to their local Trading Standards? We're still being hassled by BiP – threatened with a CCJ this morning – but standing firm. Our story exactly fits most of those on this forum - emails stating that one must opt-out find their way to Junk folders. We have never received a single useful tender alert and indicated our intention not to take up the service within the 'trial' period.

 

[90DC]

Has anyone successfully taken BiP to their local Trading Standards? We're still being hassled by BiP – threatened with a CCJ this morning – but standing firm. Our story exactly fits most of those on this forum - emails stating that one must opt-out find their way to Junk folders. We have never received a single useful tender alert and indicated our intention not to take up the service within the 'trial' period.

Signed up to their tender service around a year ago, cancelled within a month via their cancellation email address. They say they never received it and now want proof, can't find the email, taken them so long to ask.

BIP Solutions is a con, they phone me from time to time. They've never had a penny from me and never will, I must have 300 unread 'Daily tender alerts' emails from them, many red letters, but in the period I used the service, I didn't find it useful.

What I don't understand is why when they phone and I say I cancelled, do they allow the service to continue anyway, saying I can cancel via an email address. Technically, I've 'cancelled' this service three times now and am still receiving the alerts.

Maybe BIP Solutions should find a business solution which didn't involve trying to con every small business out of £1000 a year. Idiots.

 

[CamG]

Has anyone successfully taken BiP to their local Trading Standards? We're still being hassled by BiP – threatened with a CCJ this morning – but standing firm. Our story exactly fits most of those on this forum - emails stating that one must opt-out find their way to Junk folders. We have never received a single useful tender alert and indicated our intention not to take up the service within the 'trial' period.

Trading standards have reviewed our service and the sign up journey and are completly happy that we clearly display the terms and conditions

 

[Ted in Beverley]

This morning I received a letter from BiP's Finance Director confirming that they had dropped their case....this after 2 years of them attempting to bully me. They claimed I must have seen and ticked acceptance of their T & C's. They threatened me with a winding up petition from their solicitors. They told me they had evidence, which they couldn't present.

I stood firm. I refused to pay them over £2k for a service I didn't want and didn't agree to. Only 2 weeks ago, they were going to listen to the tapes of my original conversations with their sales rep in 2008.

This morning, I won. Apparently, they've been working with Trading Standards...so I guess they weren't too happy with BiP's methods despite CamG's claims below. They may be happy now (extreme benefit of doubt applied!!!) but they definitely weren't less than a month ago.

 

[90DC]

Nice one Ted.

The day after I made my post, they left me a voicemail. Funny thing is, they must read these forums and particularly this thread daily, otherwise they wouldn't have done so (I received a private message on here too pretty sharpish).

 

[CamG]

[FONT=&quot]BIP have and will continue to listen to customer feedback. To date we have contacted each of you on this forum and have actively sought to provide you with a resolution. We have taken on board your feedback that you felt that our subscription terms were not as clear as you would have liked them to be and so acting on this I welcome you to review this improved clarity on the Tendermatch website and let us have your feedback. [/FONT]