Innovation?

Back in January, an announcement on my former employer's message boards stated:

"In 2005 [The Company] will expand its selection of fan-focused products and services while striving to reach new levels of innovation. To achieve this goal, some internal reorganization was necessary."

Judging by this recent article on TrekWeb, three bouts of "internal reorganization" haven't helped them achieve that goal. Far from expanding their fan-based products and services, it would appear their original fan-based service, the Official Star Trek Fan Club, has received so little attention that its magazine, the Star Trek Communicator, has ceased publication, without any notification to subscribers. Former editor Larry Nemecek (who apparently was "transitioned out" like the rest of us) says that Paramount intends to revive the Fan Club and magazine, and made this telling observation:

"I also expect that Paramount ... will be insisting that the next incarnation will be in experienced hands, with a return to a more accessible payment and customer service attitude."

This doesn't come as any great surprise to me; I overheard the in-house end of far too many phone conversations where the beleaguered CSRs had to try to explain to irate, bewildered, and/or computerless customers that the only way to buy or renew a subscription was to go online and "do it yourself", establishing an online store account and paying by credit card. No sales by phone or mail, no checks accepted. Of course, those phone calls subsided somewhat once the phone numbers (and email addresses) were eliminated from the magazine and the website, leaving a website form as the only option for "contacting" customer service.

Oh, and did I mention that the entire customer service group either was laid off or left voluntarily? Now, that's what I call "a new level of innovation." Take away the phones, the email, and the CSRs, and presto – no more customer service problems!

And to think that Paramount has issues with this... I guess they just don't know innovation when they see it.