Changes in Highways magazine

jeffcarp wrote:
A company that does what is best for the owners and not the customers does so right up to the point that it has no customers anymore. I find this entire subject to be absurd. Anyone calling out someone as having "FAILED miserably in every way possible" over a MAGAZINE needs a reality check. YOU ARE STILL GETTING THE CONTENT OF HIGHWAYS MAGAZINE. How many times does this have to be explained? How in the world are you harmed by this change?

In my opinion, no one can objectively look at the work that Mr. Lemonis has done as the CEO and conclude anything other than he has a personal passion for his job and that he is motivated by doing the right thing. You can see that in his removal of BP products from stores after the oil spill (which I didn't agree with personally), you can see that in his Secret Millionaire appearance, and you can see that in the time he spends to respond to people personally on this site.

His job is to act in the best interest of >1.7 million members, his employees, and his shareholders. Frankly, I think he is doing a pretty dang good job of it. It is a job that most people here, including myself, couldn't last a month in.

The hardest job that we as members have is influencing change by getting our collective voices heard when it comes to influencing the direction of a company. To get the pulse of a membership of millions, a company has to try to discover and filter the real collective voices from all of the noise. Flame throwing posts like this do NOTHING to help that. Nothing.

Good Responce.... And keep up the great job Marcus and your people....

camperrvtent wrote:
Marcus I have been a member of Good Sam since the 1990's. I became a Life member November 2002. I am NOT the least bit pleased with "Your" changes as they DO NOT benefit me at ALL. I especially do not care for you discontinuing HIGHWAYS magazine. You have FAILED miserably in every way possible. In short, A BIG FAT GOOSE EGG.

Ouch! First, Highways is not going away. I have attached a note from Marcus Lemonis, our CEO explaining the change. I see this as more value for members. I hope you'll agree.

Second, I would like to speak to you about what specifcally you are note pleased with Life membership. I belive that over the past year or so our changes have been to add benefits and lower cost for all members.

Please drop me a personal message or contact me at the e-mail below. I am more than willing to call you so that I can understand your perspective.

Mike Siemens
President of Good Sam Club
Camping World and Good Sam
650 Three Springs Rd
Bowling Green, Ky 42103
msiemens@campingworld.com

Dear Members,

I have received lots of feedback on Highways magazine. Not ALL of it is has been positive, including my own perspective. Over the past few years, our team has worked to make positive changes in an attempt to produce the publication that you want. Despite the attempts, it seems that we continue to get constructive feedback that indicates you want something different. We often hear comments like: too much advertising, not enough content, too much wasted paper, not enough RV technical, travel and destination stories – just to name a few. I have come up with a solution that I believe will address your feedback.

My goal is simple:
• Give you more and better editorial
• Reduce advertising
• Continue to provide the content you love from Highways

To accomplish this goal here is my plan:
• Beginning in February 2014, we will provide you with four (4) FREE quarterly issues of either Trailer Life or MotorHome magazine
• You can select which magazine you wish to receive for these four quarterly issues–Trailer Life or MotorHome–included FREE as part of your Good Sam Club membership
• In the future, your Highways magazine (less all the advertising) will be inserted into each of your four FREE quarterly issues of Trailer Life or MotorHome magazine
• These four FREE quarterly issues will be delivered at NO COST to you–now and in the future–as long as you are a Good Sam Club member

Here’s how you select which magazine you wish to receive – Trailer Life or MotorHome:

If you’re already a subscriber to Trailer Life or MotorHome magazine:
• There’s nothing more to do
• Starting in February 2014, we will insert Highways each quarter into your existing subscription
• As a current Trailer Life or MotorHome subscriber you will not be penalized by this change
• If you are an active Good Sam Club member and a current subscriber to either magazine in February 2014, you will receive four additional months of Trailer Life or MotorHome added to your magazine subscription - at no cost

If you’re NOT already a subscriber to Trailer Life or MotorHome magazine:
• Starting in February 2014, you’ll receive the first of four FREE quarterly issues of your choice of Trailer Life or MotorHome magazine
• Only the four FREE quarterly issues will include the Highways insert
• As long as you are a Good Sam Club member you’ll receive these four FREE quarterly issues each year at NO COST to you. There is no additional billing or subscription obligation
• Select which magazine you prefer, Trailer Life or MotorHome, by calling toll-free 800-508-9755 or go on-line to GoodSamClub.com/magazinepreference . You can choose to have these four issues delivered either by mail or electronically

When we wake up each day, we know that earning your business is how we exist! The reason I am doing this is to provide you with MORE and BETTER editorial content that is specific to your RV, important to your lifestyle and without so much advertising. Highways is not going away; it will just be included inside your Trailer Life or MotorHome magazine.

Thanks for your continued trust and feedback. We are excited about the upcoming changes and serving you down the road.

Sincerely,


Marcus Lemonis
Chairman and CEO
Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises

I'm not sure why so many are upset at this change. As I see it, the actual content of the Highways magazine will not change. By reducing the advertising of each issue, the actual content could easily be published in four issues. Also, I get four copies of a magazine I was thinking of subscribing to so I can try it out at no charge.

I've resigned myself that any forum, group or club will have people that are thankful for the sunshine in the morning and others that will be mad because the light woke them up. Not a whole lot of logic in the arguments sometimes. There also seems to be a fair amount of CEO / Corporation / "The Man" bashing - always thinking someone is trying to cheat them. To each their own.

Great point Jeffcarp! People need to remember that magazines are expensive to produce and mail. If we don't want to pay $5-7 an issue then advertising can be reduced. The other challenege that all activity based magazines have is repeating content as there are only so many tech articles or even discovery articles you can write before you start rehashing old subjects.

Marcus has a tough job in a slow economy, face it our "hobby" is disposable income based and many people have from none to very little of that right now and are very careful how it is spent. He has an obligation to give us value in all that he offers for product and service, or we will go somewhere else that does offer at least perceived value. At the same time he needs to make a profit, because if he doesn't no matter how much we like what he does he will go out of business and offer us nothing!