They fixed my issue but didn't apologise...

[LifeOnPluto]

To cut a very long story short, I have been trying for over a month to renew a magazine subscription. I have sent numerous emails to the company that publishes the magazine, and most of them were ignored. Because of the delay, I have not been receiving the magazine in the mail, and have been unable to enter any of the "Subscribers Only" competitions on the magazine's website.

Three days ago, I had had enough. Previously, all my emails had been polite. With the most recent one, I didn't hold back. I wrote that I was surprised and disappointed by the sheer lack of competence shown by the company. I ended by telling them I was getting p*ssed off.

This morning I received a brief reply from the magazine, telling me that they have now renewed my subscription. (This is true - I checked my details at the website and I am definitely subscribed) However, the email contained no apology whatsoever.

Whilst I'm glad the issue has finally been resolved, I'm a little miffed that they never apologised for the lengthy delay. In fact, they did not even acknowledge my most recent email. I personally feel they should have at least said "sorry it's taken us this long". But perhaps I'm expecting too much? What do you guys think?

Also, does etiquette require that I write back and thank them for finally fixing the issue?

[WillyNilly]

No you don't have to thank them. For the same reasons they didn't have to apologize. Its business, not personal.

They should have apologized because it building customer loyalty is a cheap, easy and most of wise investment of their time and resources... but then again, you are still a customer anyway, regardless. But ultimately business is business and its not personal, and apologies are nice but not the core of the issue. The core of the issue was your subscription, which they fixed. And for the same reasons you needn't thank them. You paid them (I presume), that's enough for the business, they don't need the personal touch of a thank you.

[Amara]

Unfortunately, I think you are expecting too much. I subscribe to about a dozen magazines, and my various correspondence with them (mostly regarding issues and renewal dates) takes at least two days and seems eerily robotic. It's as if they are cutting and pasting sentences. There is no sense of a human behind the email.

I wouldn't bother to thank them; it probably won't reach the person who helped you. I'm glad you got your renewal, though. Good luck with the contests.

[Lynnv]

They should have apologized.  And you don't need to thank them.

However, as someone who works in the industry, I can tell you that it is unlikely that the magazine will apologize.  While there are certainly exceptions, the customer service standards in the industry are pretty poor as a general rule. 

Depending on the magazine, you may not even be dealing with their personnel (even if it looks like you are).  It may well be an agent or a fulfillment center.

[sparksals]

For things like this, I prefer to speak to a live person.  Businesses like that must get tonnes of emails. 

[Jelaza]

I work in customer service (but not for a magazine) and we were trained to always, always apologize* in cases like this, or even in cases where the customer is partly or wholly at fault for the screw up.  If this is a standard thing in magazine CS, I don't think much of them.

As for thanking them, if you just reply with "Thanks", no it probably won't get passed on and I wouldn't bother. if it were me.  If you had a heartfelt and detailed compliment about the rep who (finally) helped you, that's at least 2-3 sentences, it may or may not be passed on depending on company policy, but I don't see as how there would be something like that in such a brief email.

*Sometimes over the phone I forget to apologize, because I'm focused on fixing the issue without taking up more of the customer's time than necessary, but email always gives the opportunity to reread and add the apology if I missed it.  In a case like this where it had taken so long to get handled, I would have apologized once at the beginning and again at the end of the email.