I subscribe to a number of computer tech publications. Some, generally the free ones, ask for information about my job as part of the subscription process. Every year I trade a bit of my time to complete their questionnaires so that I may receive their publications. Others ask for money and every year I trade some of my money to receive their publications. Both of these is OK with me. However, at least one tech publisher seems to want both my money and my time. I recently sent their support line the following message.Please stop spamming me! We subscribe to and like a number of your publications and have done so for years. However, I am sick of receiving at least monthly solicitations to extend my subscription. Each month one comes included with the publication - that is OK I can easily pitch it. However each month I also get a mailed message, generally at least one for each publication, exhorting me to renew my subscription. No information is provided on this non “invoice” that would tell me when my subscription is due. I want to keep my subscription so each month I need to have my secretary check to see when we last subscribed to see if we need to resubscribe. This takes my time. This takes her time. This wastes our time. I am about to the point where I will simply drop my subscriptions and pitch all mail from you without opening it. Is this what you want from a loyal reader? How should you treat your subscribers? Send me a real notice three or four months before my subscription is about to expire. If I do not respond, send me a couple of reminders. This would be OK. This would be treating me and my time with respect. I will resubscribe and be happy to recommend your publications to others.There may be some "marketing science" that says the best way to retain customers is to irritate them. Go figure.
Please stop spamming me! We subscribe to and like a number of your publications and have done so for years. However, I am sick of receiving at least monthly solicitations to extend my subscription. Each month one comes included with the publication - that is OK I can easily pitch it. However each month I also get a mailed message, generally at least one for each publication, exhorting me to renew my subscription. No information is provided on this non “invoice” that would tell me when my subscription is due. I want to keep my subscription so each month I need to have my secretary check to see when we last subscribed to see if we need to resubscribe. This takes my time. This takes her time. This wastes our time. I am about to the point where I will simply drop my subscriptions and pitch all mail from you without opening it. Is this what you want from a loyal reader? How should you treat your subscribers? Send me a real notice three or four months before my subscription is about to expire. If I do not respond, send me a couple of reminders. This would be OK. This would be treating me and my time with respect. I will resubscribe and be happy to recommend your publications to others.