The Fighting 29th All about New York's 29th Congressional District http://www.fighting29th.com/node/4681/atom/feed 2008-03-03T10:59:33-05:00 Center of Excrescence http://www.fighting29th.com/2008/03/center-of-excrescence.html 2008-03-03T10:59:33-05:00 2008-03-03T10:59:33-05:00 Rottenchester here earlier, when I tried to cancel my subscription to the Democrat and Chronicle, it took them over a month to get the job done.  I assume part of the reason was the D&C's decision to move its customer service to a "Center of Excellence" in Louisville, Kentucky. 

The D&C isn't the only Gannett paper having problems with this genius cost-cutting move.  As Gannettblog reports, the Utica paper was struggling with outsourced classified sales and customer services.  When Gatehouse Media purchased the paper, one of its first acts was to move customer service back to Utica.  Here's what the publisher said about that:

It was costing us more to out-source these operations, and others, than to run them ourselves. Plus, we knew in our hearts that our customer service would improve, our classified ad sales would grow, and a whole host of other parts of our operation would be better run if they were here. And now they are.
One of my suppliers at work has a good expression:  "Stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime."  Gannett's customer service outsourcing seems like a good example of this phenomenon.
]]> here earlier, when I tried to cancel my subscription to the Democrat and Chronicle, it took them over a month to get the job done.  I assume part of the reason was the D&C's decision to move its customer service to a "Center of Excellence" in Louisville, Kentucky. 

The D&C isn't the only Gannett paper having problems with this genius cost-cutting move.  As Gannettblog reports, the Utica paper was struggling with outsourced classified sales and customer services.  When Gatehouse Media purchased the paper, one of its first acts was to move customer service back to Utica.  Here's what the publisher said about that:

It was costing us more to out-source these operations, and others, than to run them ourselves. Plus, we knew in our hearts that our customer service would improve, our classified ad sales would grow, and a whole host of other parts of our operation would be better run if they were here. And now they are.
One of my suppliers at work has a good expression:  "Stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime."  Gannett's customer service outsourcing seems like a good example of this phenomenon.
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