mistreatment of members & site reputation.

[Lee]

I felt quite disappointed at the recent response to a new member tackhead that joined the site last week & felt this was something that needed addressing.

 

I observed the topics & our reactions to them & am quite saddened by our assault of this fledgling member. I wasn’t the only one! I received this complaint via email this week

 

IMHO, this thread should be closed. A ton of guys just beating up 1 silly

gizah is no good. Whether they are right or wrong with their thoughts.

 

Harmony is very important in a forum.

 

Kind regards

I sent an PM to tackhead & with his permission I have published his reply to this topic, which reads.

 

Hi Lee

 

Thanks for the concern , but i made a decision on Sunday night to give this site a miss from now on .

 

Stu the shoe originally pointed you my way and i thought it would be a cool way of talking complete `cobblers` with a few other of the lads (- something we all like to do)

 

instead of the usual `how do u glue Clarks shoes ?` or `can u cut a ul2 on to a Merchant ?` type topics i thought i would ask why every one seems to think watch repairs are the first choice of money maker after keys /repairs and engraving when a lot of guys i know dont even do accepted `basics `like simple transponders,knife/scissors sharpening,shoe stretching,zips in boots,memorial plaques,Name badges,Vibrams,ammo boots etc (all things i do)

also i undercut a competitor enough (and no not at £1.00 a key !!) that eventually he shut - this in the world of commerce is called BUSINESS - then i crept my prices up to the acceptable level they are now - with no damage to myself - it would be a great world if these things did`nt happen - but hey! ho! - they do.

 

these two throwaway comments seemed to cause an outpouring of venom that really suprised me from a trade that usually sticks together (i`m known in my area and beyond ,and we all ring each other , have a pint occasionally ,visit each others shops and of course take the piss out of each other!)

 

to be called a`loser` a `pikey` ,running a `piss pot` business etc, and being wished to fail - did`nt upset me - just made me determined to react to the posts !

 

But then i thought `why go through with this ? - night after night , when i should just come home - shoes off,have my sausage and mash and fall asleep watching Eastenders.

 

Lifes too short .

 

I notice someone else posted a topic about `cleaning dirty keys` and was given a mauling as well - i sympathise bruv !

, and some of the pics of amazing refits and cool shop fits u show just can`t seem to please anyone (`tip` to a potential shop pic uploader - DON`T BOTHER)

 

thanks to some of you who tried to cushion the verbal kicking - but as i said at the top of this email ,

 

Im outta here !!

 

(cheers Lee - A gent ,feel free to post this reply on any of the forum pages- I dont give a shit as i wont be around to read it !!! ... and chips n` beer to Stu the shoe ... )

I have now locked the topics concerned.

 

Whilst I know that on forums this kind of behavior is common place, we are no ordinary hobby based site & we should remain professional at certain times & with certain events.

 

I feel that if a new member joins the site, that you don’t like then rather than attacking their content you should ignore it.

 

I am all to familiar with being gunned down on a forum as it happened to me recently when a topic I made on another forum was completely read out of character as a newbie & it also resulted in me not bothering to visit again.

 

We all know it can take a period of time to settle into a forum, understanding its rhythm, its members & its mood & we as members should allow for this.

With our forum & site it wouldn’t take long for its reputation to be damaged & once people start to switch off the respect & reputation of the site will be damaged, this I wouldn’t want to see.

 

Lee

[ironplanet uk900]

Yeah I for one take on board what your saying, but this particular member joined to wind people up " I know"

 

He did just that, and got what he deserved (in my opinion).

 

He got it from most regular posters on here. He is obviously anti-Timpson, and anti competition, and everyones posts in response were justified in my opinion. I too have had talks with members on the phone about this new member. who disliked his ideals.

If you post with the aggression as he does then you have to be able to take it on the chin ( I should know lol) when the responses start coming in. Its no good shouting for mommy like a baby, when you yourself insighted the response you got.

It only breaks down when the original cause can't take what he as started, which in this case is Tackhead.

 

I personally don't feel any remorse for my response, but don't bare any grudges either, if he comes in the chatroom he will soon find he could be amongst friends.

 

Others who moan are normally non posters, and undercover trouble makers who would like to undermine others who enjoy good relations with each other on this forum. They want to be daddy but can't because its all a big secret...

 

I for one would rather not post at all if I've got to change my style, or tread on eggshells.

So I'll carry on untill I get shown the door ..... Hope they're good locks though, cus I know tel200 will let me back in.

 

planet.

[Auto Key Wizard]

Hmmmmm I concur & agree Mark

 

We weren't too hard on Tackhead we're we,

I just noticed three removed posts, I never viewed them so can't comment.

[keithm]

I too concour with most of UK's post. The problem with the written word is that it can be taken in many ways. As I recalll Mark, when you first joined, some might have said that your post's were a little on the harsh side and your reactions to other posts possibly aggressive. However, whilst opinionated, you bring an awful lot to this site and all of us have benefitted from it

An outsider might see it differently but we all know you and your sense of humour.

 

I think 'Tackheads' problem was self inflicted to a large extent. He never gave himself any time to settle in and then makes a quite crass post, we've all done it

 

It's a shame he never hung around any longer as he may have learnt something he didn't know, if thats possible

 

Keith

[x minit uk]

Thats a shame, I was looking forward to some good old debates between tickhead and uk. What I did notice was though he did seem to be able to put things accross in a inteligent way, and I would love to know his true id as I have also worked in south wales for a few years and its bugging me as to who it is.

[Guest Iain Cheall]

Ok his style was aggressive but we didn't need to go at him like a bunch of junk yard dogs...

 

I'm with Lee new posters should be gently guided not savaged....

[ironplanet uk900]

Ok his style was aggressive but we didn't need to go at him like a bunch of junk yard dogs...

 

If members read a post, they automaticaly respond in a way that suits the post they just read... That doesn't make them "Junk Yard Dogs"

They were obviously miffed with his comments and so was I.

Tackhead is a grown man, he can read his own posts, he should know that he's stiring up a hornets nest. If you give it then you have to be able to take it.

 

I'm with Lee new posters should be gently guided not savaged....

 

Mighty fine words Iain, and words you have used before. No disrespect but I haven't ever seen you "gently guide" anyone on here. But I have seen you jump in with words of wisdom, words are easy to type out.

Practice what you preach I say.

No-one on here will claim to be whiter than white, but one thing that has happened is there has developed a huge amount of respect for one-another, and some great friendships going on. You can't ask for the wrong thing.

 

So before all the "knockers" jump on the band wagon, remember this...Folk who use this forum for what its meant for are very protective of all the services and comerardary that exisists within here.

 

 

So when some fool hardy nerd jumps in and starts spouting all sorts of rubbish, then I'm afraid they will either learn the hard way, or guys like yourself will have to show them the light, cus it aint my style & doubt if its anyone elses who replied to Tackheads self destructive posts, because it certainly wasn't just me.

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

I thought it was on of the best topics for many a while, we all have our own opinions on each Service and some folk are very sceptical of posts made and try to belittle the postee with remarks that can at times be infantile (yes it's me folks).

 

Shame... I thought he was going to carry on and that he was in the same frame of mind as the rest of us.

[hibsjo(SCO)]

I read the post regarding the watch straps and batteries and thought it desrved the replys it got regarding the profitable business it is.

 

I can understand the anti timpson stand from tackhead "them and us" im cool with that.....

 

the key cutting thread made me laugh as the guy obviously was looking to provoke a response.....i was always told silence is consent so it was right for the posters to tell the original postee how they felt with regards to his business practice.

you dont shut the door after the horse has bolted.

 

so if education is going to be our aim we should just put this affair down to over exuberance of testosterene and move on....

 

carry on!

[elfman]

personally i can not see how any one attacked him , you cant attack some one you dont know but you can voice your oppinion on his attitude and tackheads was aggresive and so we all voiced our own oppinions ,you only have to look at his statement i,e the customer is allways right but not in my shop .

to purposly go about closing competitor down is not good business its sheer madness as the saying goes be carefull how you treat those you meet on the way up as you could meet them on the way down

if a customer is not happy with your prices or service then you must respect there choice to go elsewhere which tackhead didnt by trying to remove that choice

[key cabin]

Hi Guys,

I hav'nt been on the forum for a while and just popped in to see how everyone is, wow what happened here?

As i see it the new member should have been told in the first reply to his post about our policy on conduct, then maybe it would not have gone as far as it did.

After i finished reading all the post's i was gutted that the forum members stooped to the depths they did. OK he did deserve a ribbing for his foul comments but we are all profesional enough to nip it in the bud at the earliest convenience.

I have been a member now for a little over a year and have never had any of you come down on me as bad as that (even if i have asked some daft questions).

When a new member arrives i think it would be a good idea to have an automatic link sent to them outlining the rules of the forum, if they break them rules they should be blocked from posting anything on here again.

As with all forums you will always get the wind up merchants but as long as it is recieved and sent in a sense of fun and friendly banter it should be ok.

 

 

LONG LIVE THIS FORUM =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

[Guest Lock N Safe Buddy]

=D> =D>

Agreed all. Sorry for having a go a Pcrikhead, but as mentioned he did ask for it. He will sorely miss the help that could have been offered, then again he knew it all, didnt he? . As a new member on the forum myself, I would never have deliberately gone in gung ho like he did. To keep the quality on the site, folks like him should be BARRED! (in Bet Lynch voice) IMHO

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

There by the grace of God go quite a number of us.

 

If we banned everyone who had a bombastic posting attitude you would not have any members left

 

I thought he did no wrong, just starting a debate, even if it was to wind folk up.... ?I do it myself often and so do others, we are not Silver Winged Angels, though at least 1 member can fly

[ironplanet uk900]

 

I thought he did no wrong,

 

Nor me, he had an opinion. and so did everyone else...he let himself down by crying wolf.

[decker]

i am suprised to see anyone defending Tackhead or attacking the responce he got.

it seemed very obvious that Tackheads main objective in his posts was to wind people up, and he achieved his objective and should have expected the responce he recieved.

I for one cannot sit and read a post and not reply where he wallows in obvious delight at sending another person out of business.

He got what he deserved and if i read correctly, although he got a negative responce it was him that started the foul mouth replies.

[keithm]

All I can say is:

 

'You reap what you sow'

 

My last contribution on the matter