3/31
I am a former employee of "THINK DIRECT MARKETING", while I was there I worked briefly in the "OUTBOUND" department, which handled current magazine orders for the NATIONAL MAGAZINE EXCHANGE.
The reason I am writting this is that I didnt agree with their practices, and how they encouraged us to pray on the elderly.in fact our Supervisors told us that the "Elderly" had disposable incomes and that we were to treat them like children, who would say NO, but that we needed to get them to say YES. Management instructed us to D E M A N D" their credit card information... With the focus on selling a Four-year" magazine subscription, which we would then bill to the customers credit card. From the time of the original order, the customer was recycled back into our outbound system to be called again for the renewal of their magazines for up to another four-year subscription.
Our SCRIPT began by telling the customer that we were "The National Magazine Exchange, and that we were thanking them for being an already paid in full customer of our magazines products, and that we were checking to see if they were receiving their magazines on time and in good condition... If the customer was not happy we were encouraged to change out as many of their magazines as we could. This was our companies way of making a NEW DEAL and for the customer to renew their magazines. Once we were done with the changes if any. We entered the customer into our 1.1 Million Dollar Strike it Rich Sweepstakes. To get them excited about winning.
Following that we had to push for renewal saying The National Magazine Exchange had selected them to receive a $20 gas certificate, if they agreed to renew their favorite 2,3, 4 or 5 magazines for an additional 48 MONTHS of service for $1.29 per week. If the customer asked didnt I just pay for these? We had to say; "YES you are paid in full for your original service. What we will do is contact the publisher and get your exact expiration date and extend your service for you at the $1.29 a week rate. This way well freeze the rate and protect you from any price increases". This was a LIE! For we had the customers list of magazines on our computer, with the start date and length of service, we just needed to add four to six weeks onto that date and we could tell them approximately how long the subscription would last! Also we never contacted the publisher, that wasnt our job. As for the $1.29 it has been that way for years and it will probably never change.
Our script was also written in a way that it would get the customers to agree to a sale. So for the hard-of-hearing, mentally challenged, or easily prayed upon persons we could get them to buy another four-year extended subscription.
SCRIPT
As for the billing we keep it simple we take the rate of $1.29 times the number of weeks in your service and we spread that out over 4 consecutive monthly payments. Most of our customers prefer to stay with the 4 easy payments of only 67.08 each because that spreads it out and covers you for the full 48 months of additional service. Im sure spreading it out is best for you too. Right? {get an affirmative yes! }. {Say this without a breath, for this was how we had to deliver it.}
I feel that this type of practice should be stopped. For no one should be asked to pre-pay for a subscription that is greater than one-year. As for any renewals this should not be allowed until the last month and a half of service. For during the few months I worked for Think Direct I spoke to several elderly customers who were in their late 70s to early 90's and many had four-year subscriptions. Some were in bad health and a few had "NO" idea that they had agreed to pay for these magazines, or the fact that the term of the agreement was for four-years, and that their credit card had been billed! I even spoke to a few family members of customers who had died, and our companys attitude was that the magazines could go to the family member. Cancelling the remaining order and issuing a credit did not seem to be an option.
In fact the tragedy of this situation is the fact that the National Magazine Exchange under {Think Direct Marketing} can get away with charging people for something they havent even received and wont receive for years?
In conclusion I did not have it in my heart to pray on these innocent people and I was let go from Think Direct Marketing because of my inability to take advantage of the elderly, sick and mentally challenged. I feel something needs to be done, for this is just wrong.
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