Re: Bulletin Damage

[Harold Griffie <hgriffie18@yahoo.com>]

I am in agreement with Kelly. I have received damaged copies in the past and
never complained to anyone  in AIS. I have not recently received a damaged
copy, but I know how frustrating it can be. We owe our members a quality
product and I don't see any improvement in the Postal Service handling of the 
Bulletin. I think we have to go to a shrink-wrapped product. I don't like
spending extra money, but it is necessary in this case.
 
Hal Griffie
________________________________
 From: John Jones <jijones@usjoneses.com>
To:
aisdiscuss@aisboard.org 
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2013 12:44 AM
Subject: Re:
[AISdiscuss] Bulletin Damage
  

For a cost that appears to be less that $2000
per year, we should go back to polybagging the bulletin ( for non-foreign
members)

Thanks

John
__________________ 
John and Joanne Jones
Registrar-Recorders, American Iris Society
aisregistrar@irises.org

John
Jones, Chairman, Electronic Services Committee
aiselectronicsvcs@irises.org
35572 Linda Drive
Fremont, CA 94536





On Jun 3, 2013, at 7:34 PM, Kelly D.
Norris wrote:

> I agree entirely with what Anner writes below.  The solutions
offered,
> however well-intended, don't scale with the process of producing
~3,500
> copies of a magazine on a digital, short-run press.  Rest assured
that at
> least from the several members I've heard from (and I've heard ears
full),
> they've contacted the USPS, attempted to come at some local solution
without
> avail.  Bless the postal system, but it isn't perfect or entirely
known for
> excellent customer service.
> 
> Which brings me to a refrain in
support of what Anner writes below (and a
> belief I've long held)....the
issue of delivering a quality, quarterly
> magazine is integral to our
membership pitch.  Without an intact, readable
> product which most members
view as their primary investment in AIS, we don't
> have much of a chance at
cultivating loyalty and rapport with the many
> thousands of people that most
of us will never meet.  
> 
> As for the request for data, here it is
(unchanged since the last time I
> quoted it prior to the fall 2012 board
meeting):
> 
> Polybagging (domestic only, since internationals are already in
envelopes):
> $470.10/issue (~$0.15/copy or 6% of total cost/issue)
>
Envelopes:  $713.04/issue (~$0.23/copy)
> 
> Note that polybagging is cheaper
than envelopes and offers the obvious
> benefit of getting to see the cover in
the mail instead of having it
> disguised in brown wrapping.  Bear in mind
this key point--our recent
> conversion to digital proofing (after working
very carefully with the press
> representative over the years to finesse color
accuracy) offers a potential
> source of savings.  EPSON proofing has been a
~$480 expense per issue, a
> holdover tradition from our previous vendor where
essentially every page (in
> 4-part press forms) is checked by the editor's
own eyes.  This was something
> Terry took very seriously and something I felt
similarly about.  I opted to
> maintain that ala carte service as part of our
contract with Sundance from
> the beginning to ensure a color-accurate product
for our membership.  Recent
> advances in Sundance's proofing services and my
access to fully calibrated
> monitors have allowed us to transition to full
digital proofing with the
> April/May issue (we beta-tested it in
January/February).  
> 
> I rue the day I ever offered as an option the
removal of the polybag when we
> transitioned to Sundance Press.  I had no
idea it would have such a blinding
> effect on delivering a truly satisfying
customer experience for members we
> already can't seem to keep in good
supply.
> 
> --kdn
> 
> Horticulturally,
> 
> Kelly D. Norris
> Horticulture
Manager, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
> (www.dmbotanicalgarden.com)
>
Unabashedly passionate plantsman (www.kellydnorris.com)
> 
> -----Original
Message-----
> From: owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
[mailto:owner-aisdiscuss@aisboard.org]
> On Behalf Of John Jones
> Sent:
Monday, June 03, 2013 8:40 PM
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject:
[AISdiscuss] Bulletin Damage
> 
> Anner Whitehead sends:
> 
> Greetings.
> 
>
In response to Mr. Killingsworth's request for information concerning those
>
members who received battered copies of Irises, please know that I used to
>
be one.
> 
> I received copies damaged to a greater or lesser degree from the
time the
> wrap was removed -- without exception-- until I abandoned the print
journal
> altogether, and renewed only as an AIS electronic member. I would
probably
> have held two memberships had this not been so egregious a problem,
but,
> while patient supportive of the traditional printed word, I have my
limits.
> 
> Know, too, that this household subscribes to several magazines,
some of
> similar dimensions to Irises, and with slick covers, and none
consistently
> arrives battered.
> 
> It seems to me that if the Sections can
somehow manage to send their
> journals with adequate protection, then so can
the AIS.
> 
> In fact, I think that if you continue to solicit monetary dues
on the
> promise that the member shall receive this organ, you have a duty to
make a
> reasonable effort to get it to the membership in "merchantable"
condition.  
> 
> I think some of the ideas proposed here for addressing the
problem are
> farcically over-elaborated and unlikely to effect amelioration
of the
> situation in our lifetimes.
> 
> Incidentally, I'm enjoying my
electronic membership. Read a fine article
> about CedricSir  Morris the other
day over breakfast. I'd wanted to read it
> for years. That Cedric, he was a
real humdinger! Thanks for the Bulletin
> files!
> 
> Cordially,
> 
> Anner M.
Whitehead
> 
> 
>
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