Newsquest cock-up sparks apology

Regional newspaper giant Newsquest has been forced to issue a snivelling apology to thousands of readers after sending out letters demanding money from those who had already paid.
The move follows the introduction of a new invoicing system at the company, which has been hit by what Newsquest describes as “teething problems”.
The company, which publishes more than 200 newspapers, magazines and trade publications, including the Glasgow Herald, The Northern Echo, Southern Daily Echo, and the Brighton Argus, has a weekly readership of 13 million and a weekly circulation of 10 million.
Like most newspaper publishers, Newquest has invested heavily in subscription marketing techniques; a method pioneered by The Telegraph nearly 20 years ago. Once readers are locked in, there is a growing emphasis on readers’ clubs which offer a raft of exclusive offers to keep customers subscribing.
Many Newsquest customers pay on a monthly basis for its “home delivery” scheme, either by direct debit or through a local rep – and get a discount of up to 30% – but thousands have been receiving final demands despite already settling their bills.
Newsquest has now been forced to write to its customers to apologise. The letter states: “We have recently been experiencing a few issues with our new invoicing system since the move to a new provider. We are working hard to ensure the teething problems are resolved as quickly as possible.
“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience or upset this may have caused.”
The company is owned by Gannett Co, a leading international news and information company that publishes 85 daily newspapers in the US, including USA Today. It employs more than 5,000 people across the UK.
No-one was available for comment when contacted by DecisionMarketing.