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So, I deliver [Local Newspaper] and [Big National Business Newspaper]. Most of my [Big National Business Newspaper] subscribers are students who have it as a required test for their economics classes. Most of these same students also do not like to pick up their newspaper. I think it's either because with the greater prevalence of netbooks/laptops + the University improving their WiFi, they're just accessing their subscription online and ignoring the print version. Either that or they just don't give a crap. I'm sure it's a bit of both.
The problem with [Big National Business Newspaper] is that, unlike with the local paper, if I call in a "paper pile-up", they don't do anything. The local paper will go ahead and suspend the subscription. But [Big National Business Newspaper] just keeps them coming. I virtually never have pile-ups with the local paper, but about half of my [Big National Business Newspaper] do not pick up their newspapers!!!
I'll start with the two most recent stories notable, and work back from there.
I can see you!
One of my customers picks up her papers only about every other week or so. I see lights going on and off in the apartment, so it's clear that someone is in there and just not picking up their newspapers, so I didn't feel too bad about letting them pile up.
The other morning, I actually had the pleasure of seeing the customer. She was standing in the doorway, getting some air. Great! I thought. I can talk to her about why she's not picking up her papers!
I got out of my car and approached the building. She smiled and waved at me. Then she looked at the newspaper in my hand. Her eyes got wide.
She quickly bolted back inside, slammed the door (sure the neighbors loved that at 3am), and turned off all the lights inside.
I made sure to peg her door extra hard with the paper. BAM! Your newspaper is here!
Yes, that's YOUR paper!
I got a subscription start at a secured building, so I just dropped the paper off at the door. No one was picking it up. I knew I had the right building. Someone had gathered them into a pile by the door, but they weren't being picked up.
I finally decided to bring a pen along with me, and wrote the apartment number on the newspaper. The next morning, all the papers were gone. So far, someone's been being picked up. I figure maybe I drilled it into the customer's head that yes, those are their newspapers by the front door!
Ankle-deep
Now for a couple older stories.
I delivered to a 2nd-story apartment. I just tossed the newspapers up to their porch from the parking lot. I never walked up there.
Occasionally, we'll get bags with product samples to deliver the newspapers in. One morning, it was mini boxes of cereal. They were bulky and a pain to deliver, but the leftovers gave me free breakfast for a week, so it was all good.
Anyways, I didn't want to damage the samples too badly, so that morning I opted to actually walk up to this apartment to deliver their paper...
...and discovered there was literally an ankle-deep layer of newspapers all over their porch!
Of course, as I said, calling [Big National Business Newspaper] for a pile-up doesn't do squat. I stopped by once a week to see if the pile ever disappeared (it didn't), but otherwise I just held onto the papers and enjoyed the subscription myself until it expired.
Wrong address all quarter long
At the start of Fall Quarter, I had a subscription for a house. It was dark, no one had their porch lights on, and the cops were shining their searchlights in the bushes this morning. I had the address narrowed down to three possible houses, but with all the police activity (sadly, the norm for this neighborhood), I didn't want to go poking around too much. I figured I'd take my best guess. If I was right, cool; if I was wrong, they'd complain and I'd try something else.
So I took my best guess. No complaints. Alright! So I kept delivering to that house everyday.
Eventually, Dead Week (week before finals) rolled around, and I got a complaint...from the address next to my subscriber's address. Basically, it said that they'd been getting [Big National Business Newspaper] for several weeks and weren't supposed to get it.
Based off the address on that complaint, I was able to determine the right house. I began delivering there, and their subscription ended a week later after finals.
So for about three months, (1) the subscriber never complained and (2) the people who were getting the paper never said anything either; they just quietly enjoyed their "free subscription". Just great.
And the rest...
As I said, half. Half of my student subscribers don't pick up their papers. That's no exaggeration. If it's a secure building or if I'm pretty sure they are there and just being a lazy ass, I'll let the papers pile up. But if I'm not sure, then I get free newspapers. (I just stop by once a week to see if the old papers are gone before delivering new ones.) Subscriptions to [Big National Business Newspaper] don't exactly run cheap, so why would you just throw that money away? Oh well. I get paid regardless of whether they pick up their paper or not, so I can't complain too much. It would be nice if [Big National Business Newspaper] would actually bother to communicate with their paper carriers, but like I said, I get paid even if they don't pick up their papers.
The problem with [Big National Business Newspaper] is that, unlike with the local paper, if I call in a "paper pile-up", they don't do anything. The local paper will go ahead and suspend the subscription. But [Big National Business Newspaper] just keeps them coming. I virtually never have pile-ups with the local paper, but about half of my [Big National Business Newspaper] do not pick up their newspapers!!!
I'll start with the two most recent stories notable, and work back from there.
I can see you!
One of my customers picks up her papers only about every other week or so. I see lights going on and off in the apartment, so it's clear that someone is in there and just not picking up their newspapers, so I didn't feel too bad about letting them pile up.
The other morning, I actually had the pleasure of seeing the customer. She was standing in the doorway, getting some air. Great! I thought. I can talk to her about why she's not picking up her papers!
I got out of my car and approached the building. She smiled and waved at me. Then she looked at the newspaper in my hand. Her eyes got wide.
She quickly bolted back inside, slammed the door (sure the neighbors loved that at 3am), and turned off all the lights inside.I made sure to peg her door extra hard with the paper. BAM! Your newspaper is here!
Yes, that's YOUR paper!
I got a subscription start at a secured building, so I just dropped the paper off at the door. No one was picking it up. I knew I had the right building. Someone had gathered them into a pile by the door, but they weren't being picked up.
I finally decided to bring a pen along with me, and wrote the apartment number on the newspaper. The next morning, all the papers were gone. So far, someone's been being picked up. I figure maybe I drilled it into the customer's head that yes, those are their newspapers by the front door!
Ankle-deep
Now for a couple older stories.
I delivered to a 2nd-story apartment. I just tossed the newspapers up to their porch from the parking lot. I never walked up there.
Occasionally, we'll get bags with product samples to deliver the newspapers in. One morning, it was mini boxes of cereal. They were bulky and a pain to deliver, but the leftovers gave me free breakfast for a week, so it was all good.
Anyways, I didn't want to damage the samples too badly, so that morning I opted to actually walk up to this apartment to deliver their paper...
...and discovered there was literally an ankle-deep layer of newspapers all over their porch!
Of course, as I said, calling [Big National Business Newspaper] for a pile-up doesn't do squat. I stopped by once a week to see if the pile ever disappeared (it didn't), but otherwise I just held onto the papers and enjoyed the subscription myself until it expired.
Wrong address all quarter long
At the start of Fall Quarter, I had a subscription for a house. It was dark, no one had their porch lights on, and the cops were shining their searchlights in the bushes this morning. I had the address narrowed down to three possible houses, but with all the police activity (sadly, the norm for this neighborhood), I didn't want to go poking around too much. I figured I'd take my best guess. If I was right, cool; if I was wrong, they'd complain and I'd try something else.
So I took my best guess. No complaints. Alright! So I kept delivering to that house everyday.
Eventually, Dead Week (week before finals) rolled around, and I got a complaint...from the address next to my subscriber's address. Basically, it said that they'd been getting [Big National Business Newspaper] for several weeks and weren't supposed to get it.
Based off the address on that complaint, I was able to determine the right house. I began delivering there, and their subscription ended a week later after finals.
So for about three months, (1) the subscriber never complained and (2) the people who were getting the paper never said anything either; they just quietly enjoyed their "free subscription". Just great.
And the rest...
As I said, half. Half of my student subscribers don't pick up their papers. That's no exaggeration. If it's a secure building or if I'm pretty sure they are there and just being a lazy ass, I'll let the papers pile up. But if I'm not sure, then I get free newspapers. (I just stop by once a week to see if the old papers are gone before delivering new ones.) Subscriptions to [Big National Business Newspaper] don't exactly run cheap, so why would you just throw that money away? Oh well. I get paid regardless of whether they pick up their paper or not, so I can't complain too much. It would be nice if [Big National Business Newspaper] would actually bother to communicate with their paper carriers, but like I said, I get paid even if they don't pick up their papers.
..... but .....
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