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Back in October of 2009 I wrote here about the Register deciding to do away with its own home delivery workforce and instead contract with the Los Angeles Times to deliver the paper to subscribers. I called it a logical business decision, but lamented that it seemed to be another step away from the good old days when neighborhood kids on their bicycles did the delivery job.
My article was titled “Farewell Register Carrier” and reported on a note that came with my morning paper that read as follows:
Dear Customer: I am sad to inform you that as of October 18, 2009 I will no longer distribute the newspaper for you. The OC Register notified us that due to the current economy they were forced to lay off all of their personnel, which included me. For many years this employment provided economical support to me and my family. I would like to take this opportunity to say good bye and thank you for your kindness. You are appreciated.”
This sad note was signed by Manuel. Why is this news now? Well, read on –
In the October 1 Register, page14 of the first section, there appears a half-page advertisement announcing that the Register is “excited to introduce new independent carriers to deliver your Register”. The ad states that it is the paper’s mission to ensure quality service and improve delivery, and this new delivery strategy will begin October 4.
I don’t buy it. My delivery has been flawless. I think this is a move to try to work around a destroyed relationship with the Los Angeles Times. Perhaps that destruction is the result of the failed attempt to market a Los Angeles Register in the turf of the Times, or perhaps the reports are true that the Register has not been paying the Times for its delivery service and a debt has built up. I don’t know the reason or reasons for this change, but I can bet there is a bit of desperation behind it.
I wonder what happened to Manuel and his family. Will the Register track him down and give him his job back?
Maybe the Register’s investigative journalists who write their Watchdog pieces focused on blunders and perceived bureaucratic waste in government should turn their spotlight on this home delivery saga and tell us what is really going on here. Take a look at your own, Watchdogs!
In the meantime, wish those of us who still subscribe to The Register for home delivery luck. Something tells me we are going to need it.
Well, here it is, Saturday October 4, the day of the big switcheroo to the Register’s “quality service and improved delivery”. No paper was delivered to my house or to that of several neighbors who also subscribe. It is now almost noon, and no paper. Plans are one thing, and execution is obvioulsy another. Watchdogs, are you watching and listening?
DITTO
Well what would you have expected ? A little history here of the OCR’s track record from this disgruntled longtime subscriber so please bear with me on this..of course today was the straw that broke the camels back regarding delivery ( another subject addressed later)
The rate issue:
OCR Rates for home delivery:
6/25/13 $57.89 for 2 months
7/21/14 $ 43.99 for “1 month”
Do the math and I am sure it will go up now that they switched to this highly effective delivery service which at this time I have still not gotten my paper…oh but the folks in my HB hood who get the LA Times got their paper (same service that brought my OCR paper before this great sage brain fart shift). Please not too that you used to be able to get a credit when you had a vacation hold but not anymore they pocket your money!
When I called regarding the cost they said they were providing more services(aka adds) and other frilly crap I do not want or need…I want good journalism that covers local, state, national and foreign affairs not contests to Mickeyland, Angels games and the likes. That is not why I buy a paper.
When I called today about delivery issues nothing but dead phones and rats aborting the ship.
The bad part about this is I don’t care if the Register goes down the proverbial sink hole but we OC residents have no other option and that is disgusting based on demographics, population, income and stature in the state… we need good local journalism.
Now let’s get to diluted content..they have the audacity to put more adds (meaning more cash flow but they still raise the subscription rate) a section called “news 2” which is nothing more than adds and one article. Aside from tthat most of the articles were cut and pastes from day to 2 day old posts by the AP et. al. Now theirdeadline cut off for articles is 10 PM be real!!!!!
I had hoped that when the current owners came in they could fix the ship (wright it) financially but they have taken it to a new low in all aspects and that is a hurt for long time subscribers and readers and the education of our OC resident of current events.
None here either.
Our delivery service has gotten worse the last few months and today we had no delivery. What’s going on!!! We have been subscribers for years and this year the price skyrocketed. Will we get reembursed?
Perhaps OC residents will have to read news through a different filter. And have to think for themselves instead of being spoonfed rightwing pablum!
Waaaaahhhhh!
*Our comments are almost exactly the same as Over……we had the best service ever. We get both the Register and the LA Times and both were served by the same carrier. Excellent. Today, the phones were jammed and after two hours after leaving a call back request someone called….. We explained that our service had been perfect and we had no paper. She said…….that our paper would be delivered within two hours. Right now it is going on 23 hours and no Saturday paper. Their phone service sucks the big one and we may just have to cancel our yearly subscription and just buy when we feel like it…..like….never.
Winships, as a 48 year subscriber I am about at the point you are. I responded late yesterday to a Register e-mail that the paper sent to let its subscribers know they are aware of the delivery problem and trying to fix it. I told them I had no Saturday paper and asked they deliver it rather then give me the credit which was an option. It is now 8 :10 AM Sunday morning and I have neither a Saturday nor a Sunday paper. My neighbors are in the same situation, except for those who take the LA Times – their papers came as always. I
*Over…….hmmm……The Register Fairy dropped our Sunday Edition on us this morning……tried to stay up and see who was delivering it. Right you are no Saturday paper still…….we will have to tramp around town looking for an old edition left in one of the machines. Our suggestion: Keep calling and have them return you call…..when they ask if you want to wait…. Don’t wait….God
that music is infuriating. And it never changes…..
Now it is Sunday no paper as no Sat paper. Can’t get through during weekend business hours. I do want a credit I pay my bill on time and up front and now no product I paid for. And no the on line paper is ma day late dime short with events, and comes nowhere close to as much info and articles. Personally I am considering small claims just for the principle of it….did you hear that Greg Diamond
*Wonder if the LA Times is reporting this Register flub a dub in their paper? Haven’t seen any article yet. Let us know!
This definitely egg in the face of the OCR. First the debacle about not paying their bill to the Times for this delivery deal they had now this, wow.
I heard with great agony this morning as the Times papers were being tossed on my neighbors driveways.
Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings and I still have not heard from OCR via e:mail or chat request on the matter. So much for customer service response.
Wow, the paper showed up this morning!!!
It is now Sunday and I have spent the last two days, in between Dodgers, USC and UICLA sporting events to call the infamous “877” toll free customer service number just to get frustrated, listen recordings by both male and female voices on how to push buttons and eventually get disconnected. Missed out on three days of news.
I wonder how much that meant in cost savings for the owners of this OC rag?
Well it only proves their reporting is as exact as their delivery. I thought I had a contract to receive this newspaper?
Well, you should all be pleased to know that in one message I was told “you can come to the OC Register building in Santa Ana and pick up your missing papers.” That is just great.
I understand the owners sold the OC Register building and they are leasing it back. Kind of those last option “reverse mortgage” scams, or in the minds of others, a business opportunity for capital.
I don’t know. Might be the end of the tunnel is closer than the owners thought.
Maybe there is a rich even minded liberal with money to move this county back to an even keel.
Best,
Jim
Well I will not drive to SA to get my lost papers that I paid for to have delivered unless they compensate me for milage yeah right for this trash org. This is as you said CJ the kight at the end of the tunnel which is really a fast moving train coming our way.
The real victim of no paper is my puppy in the training pen who I need the paoer for to avoid accidents…about what this org is worth.
I must say I feel bad for so many of the employees and writers who do a great job just to be thrown under the bus by a upper management that is so worthless
So far no problem here in down town Santa Ana.
No paper for 2 days in Cypress. Could not get through on their lines.
Day 3 no paper, no e:mail back and no answer on phone despite that they say their hours are from 5:45 AM to 5:00PM M-F.
Well, it got worse for me. On both Saturday and Sunday with no paper I e-mailed the customer service Delivery Issues site, after logging in with my ID and password and all, and notified them of no delivery, requested a delivery and got a return e-mail each time acknowledging my report. No paper was delivered.
Now it is Monday and still no paper, so I decided to call – the number for delivery problems I got from their site is 877-627-7009. I called, got voice mail thinking I would eventually get a chance to speak. No such luck! The last message was “Due to an unexpectedly high volume of calls we are unable to take your call at this time.”, then silence as I was cut off.
So, I decided as a last resort to submit a third e-mail report of non-delivery, but this time the web page to make that report would not open up for me at all.
So, besides no newspaper for 3 days I have no ability to communicate unless I go down to the Register HQ and raise hell. Reluctant to do that because I bet there is a long line of frustrated customers, or perhaps they have locked their doors and are out of business? If anyone has a constructive suggestion, please share.
Over But Not Out
Here is my update. Did as you did through all the techie website options and experienced the same and no resolve, even asked for a live chat…no response
Tried this number General Inquiries • (877) 469-7344 to cancel my subscription, got to a live person then on hold and disconnected. Wrote an e:mail to their suggested site customerservices@ocregister.com and laid the gauntlet down to get my money back. Hey I cannot even reach anyone to cancel my subscription. I am frustrated and insult to injury was on two counts today.
1. On-line they show a link to Sat & Sun print versions…nothing shows up.
2. I found a news stand in east HB while on errands and found today’s paper took it home and compared it to the on line version and most stuff from letters to the Register were not included.
This whole tabloid reminds me of the day in the Aerospace business when you got laid off at a moments notice only now we are stuck with no rebate….I am sure they will send out next months renewal biils
A minor update is that this afternoon (Monday) I was able to get into the home delivery complaint web site and report that my delivery was missed this morning. That’s a minor comfort as this is the 3rd day in a row and either no one is reading these electronic complaints or they are incapable of performing (or both)
Tuesday, October 7 update: A Register newspaper appeared on my sidewalk this morning (no missed back issues though). Let’s hope this is the start of a trend. A friend of mine who lives in Fountain Valley e-mailed me this last evening: “I have not received a Register paper since Friday. I read they are having circulation problems at home and at newsstands. My youngest son just cancelled. I am very upset.” I decided to Google OC Register Home Delivery problem” and see if there were any reports about this mess. I found several, perhaps the most informative was an LA Times article that reported the Register got to the point of being $3.5 million in arrears to the Times for the home delivery service: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-register-delivery-problems-20141007-story.html
Let;s see now – you contract with your competitor to deliver your product for you, then you launch one or more new nwspapers in your competitor’s market while stiffing your competitor for the delivery charges and when your competitor demands payment you decide to launch a logistical nighmare of your own delivery service almost overnight. To the surprise of few, it fails. This costs you ill wil and some canceled subscriptions. In the meantime you sell your headquarters real estate in order to get some working capital to keep your operatoin going a while longer. At the same time, one of your new newspaper endeavors fails after a few months and is shut down. You lay off personnel to reduce costs. This is the track record of a wizard entrepreneur?
People who work in such an organization would be well advised to update their resumes in preparation for a job search, if they have not already.
If and when this fiasco ever gets resolved I think I’ll have the OCR drive to my house for their payment.
Good idea! The real catch 22 is that I am not able to cancel because I cannot get through to anyone. So I guess they will burn down my current month’s subscription and have the audacity to send a new invoice.
Have already sent them a nasty gram that I will take legal recourse if they do not respond and credit my account
Today – Wednesday, there were two papers delivered to my home, one in the morning as it shoudl be and another in mid-day – why that was delivered I do not know. Still no Saturday or Sunday paper, I assume that is now very unllikely. My friend in Fountain Valley still has yet to receive a paper since last Friday.
Day 6 for us and all of our neighbors here in Huntington Harbour. Store around the corner on Bolsa Chica & Edinger runs out of papers by 6:30 the owner told me (he opens @ 6:00)
It’s Day 8. Still no paper except for a regular delivery on Wed. Then back to “normal.” No paper. I received two calls yesterday from the Register to see if I was getting my paper. Didn’t help me. Still don’t have the paper.
Tustin Guy – amazing. Here in North Tustin deliveries started on Wednesday and have continued, though 1 day I got a double delivery. A logical follow up question is – will the Register REALLY give us a credit for the days missed? Not holding my breath on that one.