We are set to see several changes in the handling of home delivery subscriptions this year. Newsagency software companies are currently being briefed on some of the changes. I anticipate that briefings on other changes will take place in the next few months. Some software in use will have to be modified to suit the changes. Newsagents who don’t have current software could face some challenges depending on how the publishers deal with this.
In considering changes, publishers need to be pressured to think of the needs of newsagents and not just their own needs. For example, for fifteen years newsagents have been calling for electronic statements to enable easier checking line by line. An electronic statement could save a newsagent up to four man hours a week. Multiply that across the channel and you soon see the value. sadly, publishers put their needs ahead of the needs of newsagents. Rather than save the channel thousands of man hours each week they would prefer to focus on getting better subscriber and other data at their end.
I am all for the changes mooted for 2011 but I would like to see more. I would like to see software changes which genuinely save newsagents time and money in their businesses.
It is not fair in my mind to say what you have said without backup to Newsagents.
If you are in a privilaged position then you should not even state what you have today.
The two do not mix.
Pro, all software companies are being briefed. My issue is with some of the longer term enhancement requests from newsagents to publishers which continue to be ignored.
with respect your missing the point.
Some things are better off not said when a conflict of interest is involved.
Pro, no conflict of interest on this issue at all.
Just a pity that you cannot see it.
I am lost proactive. I agree with what mark says about wanting statements electronically. I have been asking for that for eons. it is not a priority they say.
Just maybe pro active newsagent is talking about you receiving this information before him. “I know more than you do” feeling is often a reason for the response that pro active has dispalyed today. Maybe Pro Active – you should get in touch with the publishers? Australian Newagency Blog is publishing all information that is available to it and with it comes knowledge.
Ex, As I mentioned, my real concern is what the publishers are not doing for newsagents. Many years ago, publishers agreed newsagents would get operational benefits because of changes they would make. Sadly, too many of those changes remain but promises from publishers.
I would like to see the newspapers go to XchangeIT for invoiceing etc
then all the XchangeIT suppliers move to electronic statemnents….
Also the newspaper publishers suppliying us delivery agents with the subscriber info via XchangeIT.
the sales data alone would help the newspaper publishers with supply and promo info…..
thats my 2 cents. im sorry that i didnt wage into the discussion about if Marks view is right or wrong.
Man there are so many people with nothing to do these days that they try and read something into what I said without foundation.
In really simple terms I am saying that Mark Fletcher, I feel, should not have raised the subject for two reasons. 1. He is in a position of trust and exposure that we are not privvy to. 2. Raising the subject only speculates what is going to be released later on and causes angst.
I feel he should have kepp it to himself until we all know what is planned otherwsie its just speculation.
Now lets move on……