I've noticed that a lot of the trade rags (Computerworld, InfoWeek, Baseline, etc) are using call center reps to call subscribers around renewal time. Business periodicals that supply free subscriptions to customers have to verify every year that the customer still wants the free subscription--otherwise it's just another piece of junk mail.
In the old days you'd acknowledge your desire to receive the subscription through a Business Reply Card--sent through the snail mail every year. Then the Web happened and online forms replaced the paper cards.
But it seems as if the trade rags aren't getting the renewal rates they want. Either people are too busy to fill out those damn checkboxes, or they're not getting their info from the trade rags anymore--or both.
So the expense of having a call center rep cold call a customer and walk through the renewal questionnaire (albeit a truncated one) must be worth the extra advertising dollars provided by maintaining a high level of circulation.
Online ad dollars aren't there anymore, but can you imagine CNN.com calling you up to remind you to visit their site?
Posted by jameshom at November 8, 2005 01:14 PM | TrackBack