Things are looking up for Xlibris parent company Author Solutions (AS), the self-publishing arm of Penguin Random House. In an interview with weekly news magazine Publishers Weekly, AS president and CEO Andrew Phillips revealed the company’s growing commitment to provide quality and upfront services to its existing and prospective authors, as well as improved measures to ensure “that our authors are happy.” Moreover, the recent dismissal of a class action lawsuit against AS has strengthened the company’s foothold in the supported self-publishing industry. Customer service measures include the Author Care initiative composed of a Twitter team that responds to questions and complaints, as well as regular staff meetings where author complaints are discussed for resolution.
“We work with all our authors to set realistic expectations,” Phillips noted.
AS estimates the industry to grow around 15% to 20% in the coming years, as more and more writers favor self-publishing. To date, AS has help over 200,000 authors publish more than 250,000 titles. Returning AS authors also climbed 30%, and the company’s Better Business Bureau rating improved from A- to A+ since Phillip’s appointment two years ago. He stressed that unlike DIY publishing companies that provide limited support, AS offers a complete range of services from cover design, to editing, to marketing and promotion.
“Authors certainly can do their research about what the different companies offer … We give writers a menu of choices to help them get discovered in a cluttered market.” Authors, however, have to realize that unlike traditionally published authors, self-published authors have to work harder to market their books. “We set out expectations as clearly as possible,” he added.