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Waterways World Magazine - a Rant

David Schweizer

By David Schweizer
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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

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Posted (edited)

Each year my daughter purchases me an annual subscription to Waterways World magazine as part of my Christmas Present. This year was no different and she payed the subscription in November for next year, starting with the February edition, except that it has not arrived yet.

 

I phoned the Subscriptions department last Monday who informed me that the subscription, which is payed through their agent "I Subscribe" had not been recieved, and despite my assurances that it had been payed, I was again told that they had not received it, but that they would check and phone me back.

 

Move to Friday when I had still neither received the magazine, or received a phone call. I checked with my daughter, who confirmed that the subscription had been taken from her Credit Card account on 10th November, so I phoned WW subscriptions again. After being told twice that they had still not received the subscription, it was eventually disclosed that it had been receicived on the 16th January - surprise, surprise , the very day I first reported the magazine's non arrival, but they could not confirm whether, or when the magazine would arrive.

 

After further discussion The person I spoke to promised to put a copy in the post immediately, explaing that I may receive two copies, which she presumed would not be a problem. Saturday morning post and no magazine from WW, but a large package from a Government Department (no less) which had also been requested on Friday managed to make it.

 

I know that in the scale of things it is not that important, but why are Waterways World using an external agent who clearly are not up to the job, and why was I fobbed off by their staff, and why have I still not received the magazine? The next time Richard Fairhurst writes an editorial criticising the efficiencey of BW or anyone else, I may well draw further attention to their own inconsistencies.

 

Rant over.

Edited by David Schweizer
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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

Each year my daughter purchases me an annual subscription to Waterways World magazine as part of my Christmas Present. This year was no different and she payed the subscription in November for next year, starting with the February edition, except that it has not arrived yet.

 

I phoned the Subscriptions department last Monday who informed me that the subscription, which is payed through their agent "I Subscribe" had not been recieved, and despite my assurances that it had been payed, I was again told that they had not received it, but that they would check and phone me back.

 

Move to Friday when I had still neither received the magazine, or received a phone call. I checked with my daughter, who confirmed that the subscription had been taken from her Credit Card account on 10th November, so I phoned WW subscriptions again. After being told twice that they had still not received the subscription, it was eventually disclosed that it had been receicived on the 16th January - surprise, surprise , the very day I first reported the magazine's non arrival, but they could not confirm whether, or when the magazine would arrive.

 

After further discussion The person I spoke to promised to put a copy in the post immediately, explaing that I may receive two copies, which she presumed would not be a problem. Saturday morning post and no magazine from WW, but a large package from a Government Department (no less) which had also been requested on Friday managed to make it.

 

I know that in the scale of things it is not that important, but why are Waterways World using an external agent who clearly are not up to the job, and why was I fobbed off by their staff, and why have I still not received the magazine? The next time Richard Fairhurst writes an editorial criticising the efficiencey of BW or anyone else, I may well draw further attention to their own inconsistencies.

 

Rant over.

PM him, he is a member and may welcome the information.

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Nightwatch Veteran II

NightwatchDonate to Canal World

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Mine came about two weeks ago.

Ditto, I'm afraid.

 

In the two years that I have been 'having it' only one edition was late (later than usual). I phoned, it arrived.

 

But Davids' problem is with the money (subscription) collector.

 

Martyn

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mrsmelly Veteran II

mrsmellyDonate to Canal World

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Many a true word is spoken in jest. :lol:

 

It is true though isnt it ? When I used to read them it used to make me larrf when you came to the " Boat test " article on say yet another colecraft for instance shell telling us how with its beta 43 it did this and that and the other. A couple of issues later there would be another " New build " and again the " Road test " bit same engine, shell etc and funnily enough.same handling.

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Richard Fairhurst Rising Star

Richard Fairhurst

Posted
Posted (edited)
I know that in the scale of things it is not that important, but why are Waterways World using an external agent who clearly are not up to the job, and why was I fobbed off by their staff, and why have I still not received the magazine? The next time Richard Fairhurst writes an editorial criticising the efficiencey of BW or anyone else, I may well draw further attention to their own inconsistencies.

Will try and find out what's going on when I'm back in the office in Burton tomorrow. Have to say I have no idea who the hell "I Subscribe" are...

Edited by Richard Fairhurst
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David Mack Veteran II

David MackDonate to Canal World

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I phoned the Subscriptions department last Monday who informed me that the subscription, which is payed through their agent "I Subscribe" had not been recieved, and despite my assurances that it had been payed, I was again told that they had not received it, but that they would check and phone me back.

 

Looks to me like isubscribe is just an online magazine subscription service who presumably sell magazine subscriptions and take a commission.

 

You can subscribe to WW direct from their website.

 

I guess that isubscribe may have been tardy in passing on the subscription info to WW, in which case it is hardly fair to have a go at the magazine.

 

David

 

(No connection to WW other than as a (direct) subscriber)

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gaggle Influencer

gaggle

Posted
Posted

Just how urgent is it that you get this mag ? an extrordinary amount of angst over such a trivial little matter , this is no good for your health man, a bit of little bo peep thinking is what you need , chill out and relax now you are in better health.

  • Greenie 1
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Richard Fairhurst Rising Star

Richard Fairhurst

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"Bo-peep thinking" - I like that phrase!

 

Have asked the MD and Catherine the subs person and found out what's going on.

 

As David M pointed out, iSubscribe are an online agency and sell subscriptions for us and many other magazine publishers on a commission basis (you learn something new every day). There are other agencies and, of course, you can subscribe online direct at waterwaysworld.com. The agency charged the credit card and eventually pass that money on to us.

 

In this case it was specifically requested that the subscription start after Christmas. That makes February the first possible issue, which was mailed on 6th January. From what I can tell that issue simply didn't arrive (lost in the post presumably) - this does happen to a few people most months, perhaps unsurprisingly given that around 5,500 are mailed each month. Our standard procedure is to mail a replacement when we are made aware of this: that happened last Friday.

 

What we can't work out is who David S spoke with last Monday and why they didn't post the copy. So, apologies for that - our mistake (we do, ahem, make them now and then). Hopefully it should all be sorted but, as ever, in the event of a problem, do just ask our subs department; and for some reason you don't get a reply from them, do either pester me (richard.fairhurst@wwonline.co.uk) or even the publisher (peter.johns@wwonline.co.uk).

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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

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"Bo-peep thinking" - I like that phrase!

 

Have asked the MD and Catherine the subs person and found out what's going on.

 

As David M pointed out, iSubscribe are an online agency and sell subscriptions for us and many other magazine publishers on a commission basis (you learn something new every day). There are other agencies and, of course, you can subscribe online direct at waterwaysworld.com. The agency charged the credit card and eventually pass that money on to us.

 

In this case it was specifically requested that the subscription start after Christmas. That makes February the first possible issue, which was mailed on 6th January. From what I can tell that issue simply didn't arrive (lost in the post presumably) - this does happen to a few people most months, perhaps unsurprisingly given that around 5,500 are mailed each month. Our standard procedure is to mail a replacement when we are made aware of this: that happened last Friday.

 

What we can't work out is who David S spoke with last Monday and why they didn't post the copy. So, apologies for that - our mistake (we do, ahem, make them now and then). Hopefully it should all be sorted but, as ever, in the event of a problem, do just ask our subs department; and for some reason you don't get a reply from them, do either pester me (richard.fairhurst@wwonline.co.uk) or even the publisher (peter.johns@wwonline.co.uk).

Thank you Richard, Not quite what I was told but thanks anyway, hopefully it will arrive soon.

 

For those who think I am making a fuss, I accept that the initial fault lay with I Subscribe, but if WW use external agents, they have some responsibility to ensure that they actually do the job for which they are receiving a commission, it also fails to explain why no one from WW phoned me back, and despite two separate promises to do so, no one put a copy in the post.

 

It may be old fashioned, but I also happen to think that if you pay for something, it is not unreasonable to receive it on time , not have to make successive phone calls in order to receive (or in my case fail to receive) some service. My daughter spent ovrer £38 on the subscription and I got nothing, I actually think that is reasonable grounds for disatisfaction.

 

Just how urgent is it that you get this mag ? an extrordinary amount of angst over such a trivial little matter , this is no good for your health man, a bit of little bo peep thinking is what you need , chill out and relax now you are in better health.

But getting wound up about a bridge is OK:- http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=37212&st=0&p=671413&fromsearch=1entry671413 :huh:

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David Schweizer Veteran II

David Schweizer

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Posted (edited)

Think that might make tomorrow evens favourite and move Wednesday to 4 to 1 and 9 to 1 that it has got lost in the post again.....

I'm not holding my breath, it will probably be delayed by the complimentary case of Wine!! :lol:

Edited by David Schweizer
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gaggle Influencer

gaggle

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Thank you Richard, Not quite what I was told but thanks anyway, hopefully it will arrive soon.

 

For those who think I am making a fuss, I accept that the initial fault lay with I Subscribe, but if WW use external agents, they have some responsibility to ensure that they actually do the job for which they are receiving a commission, it also fails to explain why no one from WW phoned me back, and despite two separate promises to do so, no one put a copy in the post.

 

It may be old fashioned, but I also happen to think that if you pay for something, it is not unreasonable to receive it on time , not have to make successive phone calls in order to receive (or in my case fail to receive) some service. My daughter spent ovrer £38 on the subscription and I got nothing, I actually think that is reasonable grounds for disatisfaction.

 

 

But getting wound up about a bridge is OK:- http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=37212&st=0&p=671413&fromsearch=1entry671413 :huh:

 

28th march till 7th december , i was hardly chomping at the bit worrying about not one but three bridges , also the problem was not the bridges but the obstacles and the danger they put me and others in .

 

Sorry if you feel i was having a go at you , it was not my intention.

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