A Geek’s Victory
May 21st, 2009 by MrW
I love Geek Monthly magazine. It gives me a nice eclectic set of articles that more-often-than-not fit well with my personal interests. Big surprise… I know. 
Unfortunately, G.M. and I had a little go around regarding a new benefit they’ve started offering with their subscriptions. Below is a transcript of the little customer service snafu.
————– Email #1 —————
—– May 19, 2009, at 11:50 AM, Geek wrote:
An invitation for subscribers only: GEEK DIGITAL CLOSED BETA
Last month, we sent out the first issue of Geek digital, and you were one of the lucky few who received it. Think of it as a closed beta that you didn’t even know you were in! Did you like it? Wanna stay in on the action?
If you renew your Geek subscription right now, you can keep on receiving Geek digital absolutely free every month, along with your copy of the Geek Monthly print magazine. That means you can read Geek wherever you may be — whether on a mountain top, the bathtub, or in the comfort of your limited-edition Hellboy-Aliens crossover bean bag chair.
Geek Monthly. It’s The Magazine For the Rest of Us.
Easy. Just Click Here
————– Email #2 —————
May 19, 2009, at 12:04 PM, Rob wrote:
I love your magazine and I really like the digital edition. I was able to use Evernote to put it on my iPhone, so I could read Geek everywhere.
I’d like to continue to get the Geek digital edition, as well as the print edition; however, my subscription doesn’t expire until January of 2011. I’d also like to wait to renew my subscription until mid 2010.
I hope this isn’t going to be an “issue.” (lmao – I kill me.)
Please let me know if I will continue to receive the digital edition. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Robert Williams
Geek Subscriber
————– Email #3 —————
On May 20, 2009, at 2:29 PM, Geek wrote:
Hello Robert,
Thank you for your email. I apologize, but your subscription will need to be renewed to continue receiving the digital edition.
Best regards,
LaSheila
Email Support
————– Email #4 —————
On May 20, 2009, at 3:09 PM, Rob wrote:
Dear LaSheila,
Essentially, I’m losing this benefit because I supported GEEK Magazine for two years instead of doing it one year at a time. Now, I could just add another year to my subscription, but I think doing so would simply obscure the point of the dilemma here.
I appreciate the limits to this program, but I would think as a matter of customer service you could offer this benefit for free to those customers who renewed their subscriptions within the last six months for an additional two years, the subscribers with more than a year left on their subscriptions.
As a customer who would like to continue to support Geek magazine and who has shown a willingness to do so by taking the longest subscription offered on your renewal form, I’d like you to reconsider giving me the digital edition by submitting my request to the next level of management. Thank you.
Sincerely,
-Robert WilliamsFWiW: my Blog, this is my first tattoo and it was inspired by ideas I found in Geek Magazine.
————– Note —————
I displayed a remarkable amount of self control in Email #4 because all I really wanted to write was,
“I deserve the digital edition for reupping for two years. You’re punishing me for being loyal. Your customer service is STOOOOPID. Add the digital edition to my subscription or shove the whole thing where the sun don’t shine.”
Whew! I figured diplomacy would be better than an ultimatum, and guess what…
————– Final Email —————
On May 21, 2009 10:24:30 AM, Geek wrote:
Hello Robert,
Your subscription has been upgraded to include both print and digital.
Thank you,
LaSheila
Email Support
—————————–
So, the morals of the story are… “Play nice and be persistent.” and “Companies that listen to their customers have happy, loyal customers.”
Thank you, Geek Monthly!
P.S. Sorry, dear readers, if I missled you with the title and made you think we’d already won this. The vote is still open there though.
