OUR SERVICES

Incoming Orders

We want to make it as easy as possible for new and renewing subscribers to place orders and are happy to take incoming orders by phone, post and online. With no automated phone system, all calls are answered promptly and efficiently by a fully trained member of staff.

We allow for credit/debit cards, direct debits, cheques, postal orders, bank transfer and cash. Foreign currency payments can also be facilitated.

Fully automated, our website has been specifically designed to cater for subscriptions, back issues, renewals and online merchandise orders, with all orders being secured with credit card or direct debit authorisation. Every subscriber is given access to their account and can view their account activity at a glance.

 

Order Processing

All online orders are automatically processed whilst manual orders (post/telephone) are guaranteed to be processed with 24 hours, with payments being banked directly into your account, where possible. Direct debit/internet payments are credited to the Webscribe account and passed on accordingly. Cheques are banked on a weekly basis with direct debits being run through the month.

Personalised introduction letters for gift subscriptions and acknowledgements are sent on request, although they can be set up as standard working practice if required.

 

Subscriber Portal

Each title has its own fully branded display page giving the subscriber/potential subscriber an overview of the magazine, access to the latest back issue and merchandise as well as the current subscription rates.

Linked directly to our back office system, we have the ability to immediately update content (ideal for special offers or promotions) and to keep control of stock levels.

All subscribers have access to their account via our online Subscriber Portal, where they can view information such as subscription status (including issues remaining and expiry date), and dispatch dates of the current and next issue as well as the ability to renew subscriptions.

Furthermore, to maximise cross-sell and upsell opportunities, subscribers are also able to take advantage of bundle offers, as well as access the back issue and merchandise stores.  

 

Direct Debit

Payment by direct debit has been proven to not only save money (mailing and postage costs) but also to increase sales, as subscriptions are automatically renewed. However, the qualifying criteria can restrict small independent publishers from taking payment by this method, which is why we have developed our Direct Debit Scheme, giving you access to all of the benefits of direct debit and allowing you to compete with larger publication houses when offering incentives.

The entire process is managed in-house. Payments can be taken monthly, quarterly, six-monthly and annually and can be received online, over the phone or by paper instruction.  

 

Mail Fulfilment

Guidelines for address layout, bagging/tagging requirements and collection procedures for regular and bulk despatches are very much regulated by Royal Mail, and our mailing house provides excellent value for money. However, for smaller titles this can prove to be uneconomical. To keep costs to a minimum, we have developed an internal system for short-run despatches that not only adheres to publisher’s individual time frames for posting out, but also meets all Royal Mail criteria.

 

Ongoing Subscription Management

We understand the importance of acting on your behalf and our customer service team is trained to deal with subscriber’s requests throughout the course of the title subscription, promptly, politely and effectively.

 

Renewals

Fully automated our renewals programme is made up of a mixture of email and postal renewals, scheduled in line with your needs.

 

Reporting

We provide our customers with standard month end reports, along with an analysis based on our experience of the magazine and its subscribers. However, these can be tailored as required, to include, for example, reporting such as special offers, rates, promotions and yearly trends.

 

Subscription Marketing

We understand the importance of subscription marketing and how vital it is to the business to grow the customer base, and are more than happy to share our experience (we can provide trend reporting, for example), in assisting publishers to make informed decisions at the early stages of planning and implementing their marketing strategy.  

 

Transferring your Subscriber Base

We understand that moving subscription services is not a decision that is to be taken lightly which is why we have developed a handover programme designed to make the process as stress-free as possible.

Following a period of testing we will transfer the data and once complete will ensure that all subscribers are notified of the new contact information. Experienced and flexible in our approach, we will ensure a smooth migration of your subscriptions list.