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Why I broke up with Audible.com [update]

I am impressed by the prompt follow up by Foy Sperring, EVP of Customer Acquisition at Audible, Inc. Here is his comment left on my last post:

Kendall,

I just read your message and I am very disappointed by the way we treated you. Please accept my deepest apologize for what we have done to a very good customer.

It is clear from your message how much you care about our service and we let you down. Please know I will see that we learn from our mistake and insure this does not happen again.

I would ask that you please give us one chance to make this up to you and put everything right back the way you wanted it.

Please contact me directly.

Foy Sperring
EVP Audible Inc.

Like a splinter in my mind I could have sworn that I’ve either met Foy or heard his name somewhere before. After hunting, I tracked down our previous digital intersection – Knowledge @ Wharton. I spent the last 8 years in Philadelphia and while getting my MBA at Villanova I participated in a number of Wharton events and became a loyal follower of the Knowledge @ Wharton Podcast.

Here is a March 15, 2006 interview Foy did for the Knowledge @ Wharton Netcast.

[audio:Will_Audible.com_Survive_the_Podcast.mp3] Will Audible Survive the Podcasting Onslaught.

Wanting to know who I’m talking to I did a little internet sleuthing. Who is Foy Sperring?

Foy Sperring

Here is Foy’s Profile on LinkedIn

Google churned up a 9 year old Employment Contract for Foy with Audible. I am hesitant to post this link because I am unsure of it’s accuracy and for a overall respect for privacy. Google also provided a number of links to other interviews mostly focused on Audible.com

Nice to meet you Foy. It is clear that you are a bright guy with great dedication to the goals of your organization. Thanks for reaching out. I will take you up on your offer to make this right. Although I am sure I could call you and ask for a free month of service or a few free credits, I do not have a problem paying for high quality content and that is what you provide. I just want Audible to play fair and either due to a poorly executed customer retention plan or a major design oversight, hiding the cancel my account button did not make me very happy.

My proposed solution. I would like to interview you. The interview will focus on an analysis of Audible.com, where you are now, where you see it going in the future, discovery engines, user privacy, and specific action items that have come about on your end due to my public letter on why I canceled my account. If I am statisfied with the answers then you are well on your way to having me back as a loyal (paying) customer. The ball is in your court. I belive you find this solution fair and more fitting for the web2.0 community and my readers. You may post your response in a comment or email me at kendall at kendallschoenrock.com. I hope to hear from you soon.

Kendall Schoenrock’s business background includes experience in tech startups, real estate development, and angel investing. Currently he runs Schoenrock Investments, a family real estate investing office that is an umbrella to multiple other entities focused on residential, commercial, and entrepreneurial endeavors.

This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Done!

    Name the place & time. I am yours for an interview. All I ask is that you remember we are a public company and some things are off limits. Audible is a granddad in this space and we need to always be willing to change if we are to grow and survive.

    Foy

  2. Thanks for the feedback guys. I am thinking of questions for Foy and should send out an email early this week. Depending on the PR department we should have a response in the near future. Thanks for reading! 🙂

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