Earlier today, I checked the mail and received my new issue of Sports Illustrated. Like many issues, this one was encased in a colorful wrap. Typically these wraps are for advertisements or for the chance to preview a book, win a golf club or something of a similar nature.

This issue was wrapped in an announcement that if I did not call a nine-digit phone number – yes I know that is a number short I guess it got cut off – phone number in the next two weeks, I would automatically renew my subscription for the next two years.  The rate was not the best I have ever seen and SI has begun to disappoint me, so I did not want an auto-renew.

So I went to the Web site to get a number where I could get human contact.

The guy on the other end of the line was outsourced to another country. After going back and forth to where I could find my account number we were in business and we agreed to cancel my subscription at the end of my current contract no questions asked.

With the state of the dwindling hard-copy media industry, I expected a question or a couple of them and was ready for a 5-10 minute cancellation conversation.

What I got was kind of interesting – no questions, concerns or follow-ups as to why I was cancelling my subscription.

This left me puzzled as we never get off easy when we cancel anything. In the past when I was cancelling anything from cable to a cell phone and magazines, the person at the other end offer something to keep me on the hook. Whether it was an extension on a promotion, discounted rate on the magazine or something else.

Not that I wanted to keep getting SI, but I would be less likely to stay after getting simply let go as easily as I was.

I am not sure if a traditional employee of the company would not allow something like this to happen. Unfortunately, outsourced help doesn’t usually have the company’s best interest in mind.

Earlier today, I checked the mail and received my new issue of Sports Illustrated. Like many issues, this one was encased in a colorful wrap. Typically these wraps are for advertisements or for the chance to preview a book, win a golf club or something of a similar nature.

This issue was wrapped in an announcement that if I did not call a nine-digit phone number – yes I know that is a number short I guess it got cut off – phone number in the next two weeks, I would automatically renew my subscription for the next two years.  The rate was not the best I have ever seen and SI has begun to disappoint me, so I did not want an auto-renew.

So I went to the Web site to get a number where I could get human contact.

The guy on the other end of the line was outsourced to another country. After going back and forth to where I could find my account number we were in business and we agreed to cancel my subscription at the end of my current contract no questions asked.

With the state of the dwindling hard-copy media industry, I expected a question or a couple of them and was ready for a 5-10 minute cancellation conversation.

What I got was kind of interesting – no questions, concerns or follow-ups as to why I was cancelling my subscription.

This left me puzzled as we never get off easy when we cancel anything. In the past when I was cancelling anything from cable to a cell phone and magazines, the person at the other end offer something to keep me on the hook. Whether it was an extension on a promotion, discounted rate on the magazine or something else.

Not that I wanted to keep getting SI, but I would be less likely to stay after getting simply let go as easily as I was.

I am not sure if a traditional employee of the company would not allow something like this to happen. Unfortunately, outsourced help doesn’t usually have the company’s best interest in mind.

Earlier today, I checked the mail and received my new issue of Sports Illustrated. Like many issues, this one was encased in a colorful wrap. Typically these wraps are for advertisements or for the chance to preview a book, win a golf club or something of a similar nature.

This issue was wrapped in an announcement that if I did not call a nine-digit phone number – yes I know that is a number short I guess it got cut off – phone number in the next two weeks, I would automatically renew my subscription for the next two years.  The rate was not the best I have ever seen and SI has begun to disappoint me, so I did not want an auto-renew.

So I went to the Web site to get a number where I could get human contact.

The guy on the other end of the line was outsourced to another country. After going back and forth to where I could find my account number we were in business and we agreed to cancel my subscription at the end of my current contract no questions asked.

With the state of the dwindling hard-copy media industry, I expected a question or a couple of them and was ready for a 5-10 minute cancellation conversation.

What I got was kind of interesting – no questions, concerns or follow-ups as to why I was cancelling my subscription.

This left me puzzled as we never get off easy when we cancel anything. In the past when I was cancelling anything from cable to a cell phone and magazines, the person at the other end offer something to keep me on the hook. Whether it was an extension on a promotion, discounted rate on the magazine or something else.

Not that I wanted to keep getting SI, but I would be less likely to stay after getting simply let go as easily as I was.

I am not sure if a traditional employee of the company would not allow something like this to happen. Unfortunately, outsourced help doesn’t usually have the company’s best interest in mind.

Earlier today, I checked the mail and received my new issue of Sports Illustrated. Like many issues, this one was encased in a colorful wrap. Typically these wraps are for advertisements or for the chance to preview a book, win a golf club or something of a similar nature.

This issue was wrapped in an announcement that if I did not call a nine-digit phone number – yes I know that is a number short I guess it got cut off – phone number in the next two weeks, I would automatically renew my subscription for the next two years.  The rate was not the best I have ever seen and SI has begun to disappoint me, so I did not want an auto-renew.

So I went to the Web site to get a number where I could get human contact.

The guy on the other end of the line was outsourced to another country. After going back and forth to where I could find my account number we were in business and we agreed to cancel my subscription at the end of my current contract no questions asked.

With the state of the dwindling hard-copy media industry, I expected a question or a couple of them and was ready for a 5-10 minute cancellation conversation.

What I got was kind of interesting – no questions, concerns or follow-ups as to why I was cancelling my subscription.

This left me puzzled as we never get off easy when we cancel anything. In the past when I was cancelling anything from cable to a cell phone and magazines, the person at the other end offer something to keep me on the hook. Whether it was an extension on a promotion, discounted rate on the magazine or something else.

Not that I wanted to keep getting SI, but I would be less likely to stay after getting simply let go as easily as I was.

I am not sure if a traditional employee of the company would not allow something like this to happen. Unfortunately, outsourced help doesn’t usually have the company’s best interest in mind.