The (Phantom) Times June 8, 2007
Posted by Angus in Media, South Africa.trackback
Knowing that the Johnnic was launching The Times to Sunday Times subscribers, I opted to get a years subscription as a gift.
The saga starts on 2nd April. After many calls and after wrong credit card details, wrong prices, speaking to supervisors, calls not being returned (by supervisors), etc - the first Sunday Times was received on 3rd of June (it was the Sunday Times Extra - the wrong edition).
So with great anticipation Tuesday comes and goes - and no Times arrives. I think, maybe I’m too new on the delivery roster, but surely it will arrive on Wednesday. Nope. And Thursday. Nope. I call the Subscription Call Centre on Friday (today) - long wait, ‘please be patient, etc’, I speak to a consultant.
‘Oh, sorry - you are not activated for the delivery of The Times’. Huh? I thought it went to all Sunday Times subscribers.
What a mess. Now I can see the value in their long term intention that it will eventually be a digital/electronic paper only. If only e-paper could provide the tactile experience of paging through a tabloid.
Lets see if the Manager of Subscriptions returns my call - I have some constructive suggestions for him - like ‘get it into the street corner distribution network sooner rather that later’.
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Update - Vusi did call me. Lets hope it arrives on Monday.
Another thought. Regardless of fantastic work that may be done in the production of any product, it is often distribution and customer service that can be the undoing of a great experience.