andy_biggs3

<p>I just picked up on something: The subscriptions are now based on # of issues, and not on a yearly basis. Apparently the only way of communicating this was in a very oblique online photo forum. Don't you think a formal communication with customers and advertisers should be in order? Sheesh.<br>

Don't spend your wheels on incremental improvement in printing technologies, but rather on content content content and getting issues out on a more timely basis.</p>

<p>Ah, saving money. That's always a good thing, especially if you are using the saved money to hire somebody to help you actually deliver what you have promised your customers: 4 issues per year. You should probably put that new employee in charge of customer service. :-)</p>

<p>If you are promising 4 issues per annum, I suspect 100% of your readers and advertisers would be ok with the current printing quality. 1 issues per 15 or 18 months is pretty horrible at the last issues print quality, and now you are putting more effort, time and money into yet another digital press direction.<br>

I would update your current subscription text to read that you will receive 4 issues in 4 to 6 years, which is the current batting average.</p>

<p>David, as a fellow business owner, here are a few suggestions going forward:<br>

1) don't promise something you cannot deliver. 4 issues per year is obviously never going to happen, and I have received 2 (I think) in more than 2 years of being a subscriber.<br>

2) promise people something like 4 issues without regards to delivery dates.<br>

3) compromise on quality some. This is a periodical, not a fine art book. You will lose business otherwise.<br>

4) Be nice. When upset customers contact you and they either have horrendous dealings with you or don't hear from you at all, this is not good customer service. My father always told me to 'kill people with kindness' when I was upset or thought that people did not have a case for being upset. Treating customers fairly and with generosity is the only thing to do in any business venture.</p>

<p>This thread is hysterical, actually. It is a thread on how not to operate a business. Should be taught in MBA school.</p>

<p>My copy just arrived late on Friday, and yes you can believe that this is an issue that is actually shipping to subscribers such as myself. I look forward to reading it over the next few days.</p>

<p>I just cannot turn that down, David. Thank you.</p>

<p>Yup. That's it!</p>

<p>Let's just say that I had better be on the subscription list, and it won't require a call be me. You can check, because I won't.</p>

<p>8 weeks for delivery after waiting all of this time, or $7.50 to get it right away. Interesting sales pitch, to say the least.</p>

<p>WOWOWOWOWOW. We wait this long and we get hit up for $7.50 for shipping. Classic. This is actually an enjoyable 'conversation'.</p>

<p>Has the latest issue actually shipped yet? I haven't received a refund or an issue in a year.</p>

<p>Supposedly I was supposed to get a refund back in December. Never happened. All of these silly delays and I am convinced that he will, at best, publish 1 issue per year. That means that his liabilities are stacking up faster than his assets or income. Not good. Yes, the economy has hurt many publishers, but this issue appears to have begun way before the economy went south. Maybe it is time for me to update my blog posting on my blog.<br>

What a hoax. He was atrociously rude to both me and a good friend of mine, and he somehow thinks it is ok to treat his customers like dirt. David should ingest some lithium to get a better grip on his personality traits.</p>

Since the camera is not out yet, I don't think you are going to get any hands-on feedback on the camera.