i did not write this


I don’t know how much this subject has been discussed in the last few weeks, but I personally feel it is time to comment on the customer service currently being offered by the npgmc. The release of the new album N.E.W.S gives us an opportunity to recognize what I believe to be a vast improvement in customer focus by the organizers of the club.

Personally I have been highly satisfied with the club over the first two years and have relished the vast amount of material that has been added to the already overflowing top shelves of my highly encumbered CD stand. The club has been reborn each year vastly changed from the previous and it is clear to me that the changes have come about through the large amount of feedback available on various Prince fansites. Whilst the club has not always got things right in the past it is improving based on experiences being learned, just as any new project or business would.

In the beginning we had downloads which were immediate gratification for many but for others, due to various technical obstacles, proved incredibly frustrating. So it was time to change tack and offer CD’s which were preferable in that, as most fans would agree, the artwork and official packaging make the whole experience feel much more special. However the problems with this new incarnation of the club soon came to light. For the less patient amongst our group the lack of information from the club regarding the content or dates of the expected albums left a sour taste in many mouths, and what perhaps was justified frustration was soon, in my opinion, blown out of all proportion to the point where many pledged to never join the club again. The other major issue was that at the beginning of the year a list of four albums was listed by the club as being included in the membership, during the year for what ever reason these titles changed somewhat. Many fans were deeply incensed by this, although I expect that had the list included only the titles that we ended up receiving and it was the other four that were dispatched the same dissenters will have been howling just as loudly.

So it appeared that the issues people had was the lack of information being passed on by the club especially when the club had given expectations to it’s at times rabid and demanding members. And so from the flames of year two was born the third, and hopefully not final, edition of our little club. Again the discontentment amongst many fans were clearly taken into account when designing the concept for year three. We suddenly had an affordable membership, which promised nothing but is delivering much, a community feel where fans can chat and enjoy the constantly changing interactive features of the site. And in a genius plan to try to eliminate as much of the (inevitable) dissatisfaction as they could, we are now able to pick and choose what we purchase when and if new titles are released, which brings me to the current event taking place at the club which has inspired me to speak out and congratulate and thank the organizers (and ultimately Prince) of this club.

The new album entitled N.E.W.S was released for order just a few days ago, a mere three or four weeks since we were first made aware of it in the vault III room. In what I can only describe as a great gesture we are able to listen to the entire album for free, in order to decide whether or not it is for us. Lets be realistic, most of us will have ordered it before listening but we wont be able to complain if we feel the disc is below our expectations and we feel therefore “ripped off”. The other aspect of how the N.E.W.S project has been, thus far, impeccably dealt with is in the ordering and impending dispatch of the CD. Firstly the cost is very reasonable for both the CD and the shipping, I live in New Zealand and I can tell you that $9.00 for postage is very reasonable and a vast improvement on the ridiculously inflated costs under the old 1-800 newfunk system. Secondly we are being kept well informed as to the status of our orders, from the original club email stating the disc would start to ship on the 25th of June to the retailers email notifying us of the status of the CD being on back order. To this last point I must note that a small number of cerebrally challenged fans at various unofficial fansites were rather oddly annoyed by this email, it must be pointed out that as the item is not being shipped until the 25th any order prior to that date is therefore put on back order meaning, awaiting availability, so it really is nothing to get upset about. It appears for some that being too well informed can be just as bad as not being informed at all. Some people will never be satisfied and that’s fine as long as npgmc is attempting to do things the right way, who knows we may even get an email notifying us when the disc is dispatched which would be wonderful, though I predict some perpetually unhappy souls bemoaning the fact that their CD has not been dispatched yet when Joe Bloggs down the street has received his email.

So what does that leave us to complain about. Perhaps you don’t like instrumentals, oh well, Prince is an artist, he is now free to create what he feels is right for him and we are free to choose to tune in or turn off. I guarantee you for every fan that likes Prince for his poppy lyrics there is another who likes Prince for his musical talent on the axe. I guess the bane of diversity is not being able to please us all, all of the time, but patience is a virtue and if left to be himself, all Prince’s fans will eventually be rewarded.

Thank you npgmc for the first three years of this club which has grown and matured with age, it has never failed to delight but the apparent way year three has been designed in response to the fans concerns really is the highlight so far.
[This message was edited Sun Jun 22 14:09:40 PDT 2003 by BKB13]

It´s quite an achievement to write a text as long as that without making any interesting points whatsoever. Here´s an edited version to save you some time:

kudos to whoever wrote it. very well stated

I particularly enjoyed the beautifully worded and accurately punctuated:

'the issues people had was the lack of information '; 'the discontentment amongst many fans were clearly taken into account'; 'Lets be realistic'; and, 'we wont be able',

in this 'well written' article.

langebleu said:

I wholeheartedly agree!!

NPG Retail should sell purple foam kneepads with free breath mints as a bonus.

Anxiety said:

stymie said:

see this is the problem with this site: 2 many smartasses

persnally i think this is an excelent letter, with many good points that just about sums up the whole club.
.

lust said:

Some valid points, but yes last one is the best... thank-you NPGMC. At the end of the day, it was a bold venture, aimed for us, and us only. I rate and respect Prince for trying.

Its a great idea, even thou there have been problems, overall it was worth it.

Peace

doegx said:

i'd rather be in a room full of smart-asses than a room full of kiss-asses.

lmbao @ anxiety

BKB13 I totally agree with you and I do have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised how professional the release of the news cd has been handled so far.

Prince has been in the music business for 25 years (give or take a few months). The whole idea that this is a "glorious experiment" is crap. Prince knows EXACTLY what he is doing.

Prince wants it all. He wants to be an artist who does what he wants and still have people fund him. Who doesn't want that?

This is nothing more than an experiment in how much people will take from him before they pull their funding or he begins to listen. (And it appears he has been listening because there have been positive changes in Year 2003)

I love Prince to death and I will stay along for the ride, but stop glorifying it. Prince does what HE wants.

In the past years of the club, the customer service has been surly at best. The information given to the members by the club has been vague, confusing and conflicting if any information was passed on at all. That to me was the most frustrating because it was so unnecessary.

This argument can go round and round. I'm glad there is a club. Better a club than no club. (As I for one realized the long months the club was on hiatus earlier this year.) I'm in for the long ride so I will take the good with the bad. I just refuse to buy into this "Prince should be FREE to do what he wants" argument. Wanting information from a club you have paid to join is not inhibiting his freedom. It's a matter of respect and I wonder how much respect Prince has for his fans.

Okay...vent is over.

Nothinbutjoy said:

being free to do what he wants according to the letter is limited to artistically. the letter acknowledges that information is important.
.
.

I love how the letter downplays the shortcomings of the club while it consistently belittles people who dare criticize The Great and Powerful Oz...erm, I mean Prince.

Let's face it, the man's a visionary artist and a beyond-brilliant musician, but where marketing and running a business are concerned, I'd say that's where his bounty of talent hits a screeching dead end.

People give money and patience to the club because of the guy's art, not because it's such a great service. It's not an "xperiment in freedom", it's a fan club. If it were an actual business that was trying to make a fighting change in the way we consume music, the efforts of the NPGMC should reflect that - in marketing, in customer service, in range of products (we ALL know NPG retail bites the big one), not to mention in other areas.

I like the club. I like supporting Prince's musical endeavors. For the past three years he's run a business that's been of consistently questionable quality. But as a fan, my ass is over a barrel, really, isn't it? As long as he continues to offer exclusive content (regardless of how many months it takes to ship, and how UNexclusive it feels by the time I finally get it), there'll always be some kind of demand.

Of course, it's always interesting to see how thin folks can be stretched before they finally break.






U will receive ur edit sooner if not later.
Love4OneAnother,
NPGMC
[This message was edited Mon Jun 23 6:51:52 PDT 2003 by Anxiety]

Some people will just bitch and cry forever - no matter how much NPGMC makes up for earlier faults. Negativity, unfortunately, always rises

Anxiety said:

Very well put Anxiety.

I think I might feel a little bit better about the business practices of the club if the club actually came out and addressed the issues that members have raised. Instead there has been a lot of smoke and mirrors to try to make it appear as if there is no reason anyone should be unhappy with the club.

Artistic freedom is wonderful, but somebody gotta pay the bills. I also differentiated between Prince's artistic freedom and the business of the club. The club is, in part, paying for Prince's artistic freedom. Plus the concept that the club is an extention of Prince's artistic freedom is constantly presented (as part of the smoke and mirrors) when the service of the NPGMC is substandard.

When I start to speak poorly of Prince's music THEN call it negativity. If I speak of the pros and cons of the NPGMC it's business.

"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain."

Suggested viewing: "The Wizard of Oz"/"The Wiz" and "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory".

doegx said:

Speaking of asses, don't let the door hit you in yours on the way out!

stymie said:

DAMN, GINA!!!







Gee your edit smells fantastic
[This message was edited Mon Jun 23 20:03:34 PDT 2003 by Anxiety]

doegx said:

Nix the 'smart' part and I agree!

fran said:

I love the use of "so far" on the end of that sentence

when it appears in stores BEFORE the majority of NPGMC members get their copies then the "so far" bit will make me chuckle

BKB13 said:

hmmm, how prophetic...
.
.

There isnt much to complain about this year at all(not for $25 anyway).

One question I do have however is about postage an packaging costs from the club. How come so many otehr companies acn offer much, much cheaper rates of shipping and why do they vary so much in the club?

shipping for the $5 Days of Wild CD cost me $15!!! (just for shipping) whereas for NEWS it has cost me $9???

Why the huge difference (especially as Days of Wild has got to be lighter)?

purpledoveuk said:

they are using a new retail company for NEWS, and they will see how it works before deciding to stick with them, based on complaints such as the high shipping costs and bad service from the previous retalier.