On Pleasing Others...

Have you ever experienced writing a piece and ended up being misunderstood by someone? There was a time in my life when I wrote a piece entitled, MEG, Bakit Ka Ganyan?, aiming to blurt out my disappointment about the Circulation team. I felt relieve after I wrote the piece and having a former MEG EIC in my contacts I PMed her about the matter, just to fill her shocked. My first message goes like this:

May 31, '08 12:57 AM

My apology for my blog... the Circulation just disappoints me alot!

Since 2006, I ALWAYS receive my copy very late, usually on the 3rd or 4th week of the month.

Nica has been telling me to send a complaint but I refuse to because Michelle Eugenio complies naman when I text her that I haven't received my copy yet. But if that will happen every month, that's just tiring. What's pissing me off more was the fact that I'm from Manila, which is 45 minutes away from the office. I will understand the delayed if I am living in the province but no eh, hindi naman ako taga-bundok para ma-delay nang sobra yung pagpapadala ng copy ko.

Maybe I will just follow Peewee's advice to me to not renew my subscription anymore... but who knows, maybe i will still subscribe if miracles happen with the Circulation. Sabi ko nga kay Peewee, I love MEG so much, except for the Circulation.

Jhack

Much to my surprise, I think she misunderstood the point of my blog and replied with:

Hi Jhack,

I understand your frustration! Having been there myself, please know that the Editorial team itself is frustrated knowing that subscribers aren't happy, but unfortunately, no matter how many times we've brought this up with Circulation, we have no power over their department. The thing is, your post probably hurts the Meg Editorial team more than Circulation, because people who don't bother to read the entire post will just automatically think that you're complaining about the magazine itself, not its late delivery. I think Nica's right, do send a formal complaint to Circulation, or even to Peewee which she can show management and forward to Circulation. That way, you will be targeting the right department with the right procedure, instead of making the entire magazine sound bad in public, which I'm sure is not your intention. Thanks for letting me know your thoughts, and I'm glad you care so much about Meg. Hope your official complaint might actually spark a real change. Good luck! :) 

Right after I read her message I felt like I wanted to cry from guilt. No, I actually shed tears a few moments later. I was so devastated that she might not understood my point that I made MEG looked so bad and that I have problems with the magazine itself, not the Circulation team alone. So to my conviction and desire to make her understand my part, I told her my most disappointing experience about the Circulation:

I am sorry... I really am. I never intended to hurt the Editorial team nor anyone at MEG, I just really want to let it out, which is exactly why I close my blog for just my contacts. I was so disappointed when my May ish come VERY late (May 27); I understand though that they had a problem with the printing last May, so by the time the May issue came out I waited for my copy to be delivered. I texted Michelle Eugenio last May 26th, Monday, to inform about my undelivered copy because Nica already got hers on the 3rd week (I did not texted her on the 3rd week because I was assuming it will also come that week, but it didn't so I informed her early in the morning of the 26th). Michelle Eugenio asked for until the next day so they can deliver the copy, which they did naman. This is actually the reason why I refuse to sent a formal complaint, kasi when I inform them na I haven't received my copy, they complied naman. But what's tiring for me was the fact that I have to text and inform them pa just so I can have my copy delivered. I think that that's just a little unfair for us subscribers kasi we paid for it pero we don't get the right service.

Actually, I talked to Peewee already about my concern with the Circulation and she said that she will talk to the department daw. She also told me that she herself also received different complains about the late deliveries, and they try their best naman. I understand that it is possible to have a problem with anything every month but I hope it changes, kasi it's still business and the subscriber's does not deserve that kind of treatment. But I think I will just follow Peewee's advice to not extend my subscription na lang.

I apologize if my blog entry hurt anyone... I just really want to let it all out. Anyway, I will still remain true to my words that I am and will be loyal to MEG forever... despite of all the problems with the Circulation.

And to my relief, I finally got the understanding that I need...

Thanks so much for your support Jhack, it means a lot, even if I'm not in Meg anymore. But you are right, it's still business and the subscribers don't deserve that kind of treatment, that's why you become subscribers in the first place, to get more benefits than regular readers and to ensure that your copies will always be delivered either earlier or on time. If it happens again next month, perhaps it's time to lodge a formal complaint--you can phrase it politely and say that you appreciate that Michelle of Circulation responds quickly to your complaint, but the thing is, you shouldn't have to complain at all for them to act, and you're also speaking for all the other subscribers who don't have a voice. Obviously, they do what they can to take care of you, but I can imagine how many other subscribers must be feeling like you and just cancel their subscription out of frustration. And Meg really doesn't want to let down their readers, and even worse, lose some of them. Of course, you don't have to write a complaint if you're uncomfortable doing that. But I hope they get their act together soon! Thanks again Jhack.

So I ended the conversation with:

Actually, it's not just me who's not extending the subscription, Nica's not extending anymore as well. I know she has been a subscriber for years now, but because of the disappointing acts of the circulation department she will, for the first time, not going to renew her subscription anymore. If I remembered it right, Michelle offered her a 3-month free trial after she sent a formal complaint (which will end this June), but nothing has changed so she just decided not to continue with the subscription anymore. I am actually worried about other subscribers, because I can take all the late deliveries but of course, I will also feel hurt if MEG lose readers or subscribers because of the Circulation.

I always make sure to give Michelle a consideration whenever I text her about my undelivered copy but I am still a subscriber and I paid for it, therefore I should be treated rightly. Anyway, Nica mentioned to me that the Anniv ish might come out late again so maybe I have to expect a late delivery again.. but I hope it won't happen again.

But don't worry, you can count on me and Nica that we will stick with MEG. As we always say to each other nga, "Nasa system na namin yung MEG and we cannot and won't take it in there forever!"

My apologies once again.

I then realized that while all of us are free to vent anything through our blog, not everyone will agree to what we say. Unfortunately, not every readers can or will side on us, however great or worse the blog is all about. I've thought to myself that I will and can write whatever I want on my blog, but Nica's right... we have to consider the readers as well. Even if we say that it is MINE and I am free to do anything with it, apparently, someone will always go to the other side... which can also be good for us... sometimes.

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"When you lie, Be Consistent. (="