A new call center and circulation software system have posed challenges at The Astorian.

Let’s just get straight to it. If you’ve tried to contact us in the past few months, let me apologize that our customer service has not been up to par.

Whether you called in, walked in or emailed us, we have—however unintentionally — made it tough to do business with us.

We can track some of the problems back to COVID lockdowns, when everyone who could work from home left the office to do just that. And they’re still working there.

At-home work created a conundrum for walk-in customers. There are no longer people in the office to take a classified ad, an obituary or subscription payment.

Those of us still working in the office are fairly helpless to do anything more than take the information and ask our specialists to give the customer a call. It works, but it leaves us, and our customers, without a feeling of accomplishment.

I’m afraid it’s the new normal, not only at The Astorian, but in many offices formerly full of employees now emptied out to work from home.

Faced with a dwindling team without enough people to handle the volume of phone calls for EO Media Group, we turned for help to a call center that works with other newspapers on subscription services.

The handoff has not been great. Phone system glitches have hung up on callers trying to choose an option, staff trying to transfer calls run into confusion on who to transfer to. Not all of the necessary information was provided to the new call center team. It’s been a rough go.

We also recently converted to a new circulation software system. The words “system conversion” will strike terror into anyone who’s been through one.

Despite best intentions and task plans that list every niggling detail, I’ve never been through a conversion that doesn’t create “whack-a-mole” troubleshooting once it’s gone live — including this one. The result has been that we’re working through the glitches and do see light at the end of the tunnel.

We understand where you’re coming from. It’s been a bit rough, but try us again. Our customer service team is standing by to help you at 1-888-781-3214.

Our customers are the backbone of what we do. And we don’t take you for granted — the improvements are designed to be more responsive and user-friendly for you — now that they’re working.

Thanks for your patience. Again, my apologies for any frustration you might have had with us in the past few months. We’re working to be better for you.

As always, contact me with your ideas, comments or questions: kborgen@dailyastorian.com, 503-325-4955.