I do love my New York Times
York Times. I am not a happy camper when
I do not get my paper.
So wherever I am, I want my paper. Yes I know I can get it online but it just
isn’t the same thing. I like turning the
pages. I particularly like my
crossword.
I attempted to get the paper delivered this week while we
were out of town skiing. We have an
account out there. I called and asked
them to start/stop. I would take 3 full
days to start and even though I called on Tuesday morning they could not
deliver a paper until Saturday. The
computer was not capable of putting in a stop until I got the paper on Saturday
so I have to call back on Sunday to stop which takes another 3 days.
Here is the thing. I
know there are 21st Century pains happening over at the NY Times but
I am happy to have my paper delivered just like the old times. Why is it so difficult to make their customer
happy?
Comments (Archived):
Good post, totally agree.I’m not sure, but I think the challenge is that the newspaper supply chain is very fragmented. They have to notify a distribution center that has to notify a delivery organization that has to notify the person dropping it off at your front door (this is probably a very manual process). My guess is that, unfortunately, most newspapers aren’t going to invest in fixing this as they continue to see their subscriber rates either disappear or move online.
I’m aggressively making the switch to IPAD. I think they can make you happy if they do it at a price point that is really high. I think they should do that and if you opt in it’s good for their business and if you don’t you would know you chose not to pay for it.I think the bad business decision is to make it affordable so they can keep their rate base high. They need to be more transparent with their costs so those of us who care so much about the institution will spend more money to support it.I think, but am not sure, it’s my favorite brand in the world.
It seems to work better when I log in to my NYT account and do the suspend/star online (if you know your vacation schedule far enough in advance). Since I only get the Sunday Times it may be easier.
Oops. Meant suspend/start…
You need to learn the name of and how to contact ‘the delivery boy’ out there…instead of having to call corporate and start/stop delivery, you should be able to just contact him directly and say you’ll be in town and want the paper each day (and that you’ll pay cover plus a small delivery fee to him [maybe even upfront])…if it’s a smart, service focused, delivery person they’ll easily figure out a way to get you just the issues you need/want…even if it means they stop at the store and grab an extra copy on the way to your doorstep…
It shouldn’t be this hard!
i ended up doing that. i do want to support the nytimes in their last gasp at the old fashioned way
Why do I carry a paperback book in my bag at all times, regardless of what my phone or tablet or Kindle can do? 🙂
exactly.
BTW, I only feel REALLY informed after I’ve spent time with my bagel, whitefish spread, latte, and the Sunday NYT.
Your post and distribution problems reminded me of a gift subscription to the NYT my wife bought me in 2007 or 2008 when I was living in Temple, TX.The NY Times was available at 7 Eleven and Starbucks in town and wife and thought it would be great to save money by having it delivered to the house. 2 weeks after placing the order, still no paper. After a couple inquries the NY Times just canceled the subscription as too hard to fill.I had a digital subscription in Iraq but nothing replaces the paper version. The layout and the color photography is top drawer.
problems? When the New york times bought the boston globe is exactly when our delivery problems started. How would you like the delivery guy to throw the paper on the driveway. After 10 calls you get the paper thrown in the bushes covered in mulch and then after 6 months of complaints the delivery guy flings the paper from the car so hard he makes an indentation in your hardwood front door. The paper is so thin that he has to really hurl it to cause damage. Then you can add a tip to your bill.The last time he threw the paper at 5am and it hit a metal flower pot I threw on all the lights and gave him a very unladylike gesture.I know the numbers to bypass the Philippines but still it is stupid and aggravating.
it is annoying. getting a paper that has been wrapped in one thin bag of plastic when it is raining like cats and dogs out drives me crazy. all they have to do is double wrap it and not throw it into a pool of water.
Apollo 11 landed on the moon 43 years ago, yet The New York Times still can’t handle these requests.Even so, I do enjoy my subscription and look forward to lounging over the paper + coffee every weekend.
“Here is the thing. Iknow there are 21st Century pains happening over at the NY Times butI am happy to have my paper delivered just like the old times. Why is it so difficult to make their customerhappy?”The final mile of paper delivery is handled by local people who also deliver other papers for other publishers. They are independent contractors scrapping out a living delivering the Times as well as (in my area) the Philadelphia Inquirer and the township paper.Even if that’s not the case with your neighborhood they don’t have a cohesive network of people that work for them that is easily changeable. Not to mention a union infrastructure that drives those trucks.Most importantly also is that improving that isn’t going to move the needle for them at all. So they will put no effort into it.I like the printed paper as well. I look forward to it every day and if I don’t have it I feel I am in detox. When I got remarried my wife decided she also liked the WSJ (which I also have on delivery) even though I can read online. I found that I was actually a little sad that I didn’t get the freshly pressed folded paper which I almost ritualistically took out of the bag and started to read.The thing about reading the printed paper is that you are exposed to things you wouldn’t necessarily click on online which is one of the things I like about getting it delivered.And for example my wife (who is in medicine and didn’t have any interest in business before she met me) managed to develop an interest in the WSJ and business simply because it was laying around the kitchen table every day. Now she likes it [1] and we talk about different articles semi occasionally.[1] She’s also swiped it in the AM and has taken it to work sometimes but normally gets to it before me which is why it’s no longer crisp.