How to destroy your PR firm in less than 12 emails.

Started by Callie Del Noire, January 03, 2012, 11:30:03 PM

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Callie Del Noire

http://venturebeat.com/2011/12/27/ocean-marketing-how-to-self-destruct-your-company-with-just-a-few-measly-emails/

This guy has NO customer service skills. His firm (which is just HIM) went on to hold a client's social media (email, twitter, ect) hostage in exchange for a new contract.


Izzie Aditi

As a PR manager myself, I've been on the receiving end of this. When I started at this company, they had a webdesigner they spoke highly of. We needed a change done to our website and they were the ones with access to the layout. Big mistake. It took me over a year to get everything sorted: the guy was 'ill' a lot and his co-workers wouldn't tell us for how long, he'd ignore emails and phonecalls completely...and there was not a thing I could do (plus honestly, being the entire PR department, I didn't have time to make angry calls all day). Eventually he even refused to give the password up (yes, I didn't agree with this entire policy where an external party could access the layout and I had to do content only, but that was sorted that way before I started said job). I threatened legal action, got the password, changed it and fired him on the spot.
“Redheads are said to be children of the moon, thwarted by the sun, and addicted to sex and sugar.”


Callie Del Noire

I have mostly avoided it, but customer service seems common sense. You try to work with the client, don't treat them like idiots and use diplomacy. You don't talk down to them. I've tried to avoid it in the few times I've had to do customer service, I try to be polite and diplomatic.

Izzie Aditi

Quote from: Callie Del Noire on January 04, 2012, 12:24:27 AM
I have mostly avoided it, but customer service seems common sense. You try to work with the client, don't treat them like idiots and use diplomacy. You don't talk down to them. I've tried to avoid it in the few times I've had to do customer service, I try to be polite and diplomatic.
Any normal person would think so indeed. Yet we had one designer who would flat out refuse to do what I asked of him for flyers and such because it wasn't artistic enough or shit like that. His company consisted of two people....Listen fellow, I'm the one with the money, take it or leave it *grumbles*
“Redheads are said to be children of the moon, thwarted by the sun, and addicted to sex and sugar.”


Callie Del Noire

The thing is.. it takes like next to NO time to wiki 'Penny Arcade' and know that Gabe is the type of guy who is perfectly happy to unleash his fan base on you for being an utter tool to someone. I mean these guys came up with the John Gabriel's "Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory".

Which definitely tells you these guys are acutely aware of the internet as a tool to use. Not to mention the fact that they have gone round and round with folks like Whacky Jack Thompson.

Semantics

Even beyond that, Gabe was being sent these emails the entire time.  It wouldn't have taken long to check out the name at any point, but you can tell that the guy doesn't really believe what Gabe says at least until Penny Arcade is specifically brought up, if even then.

Overall, just a hilariously bad and marginally depressing example of how not to handle yourself, no matter what your job is.

Oniya

I was one of the people that re-posted it on Facebook (after hearing about it from Armor Games).  Not that it matters, but I had no idea this was a one-man operation at the time.  He could have avoided the whole thing by saying 'I'm terribly sorry about the delay - as compensation, I'm going to give you the same $10 credit that we're giving to new orders.'
"Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women.~*~*~Don't think it's all been done before
And in that endeavor, laziness will not do." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Don't think we're never gonna win this war
Robin Williams-Dead Poets Society ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Don't think your world's gonna fall apart
I do have a cause, though.  It's obscenity.  I'm for it.  - Tom Lehrer~*~All you need is your beautiful heart
O/O's Updated 5/11/21 - A/A's - Current Status! - Writing a novel - all draws for Fool of Fire up!
Requests updated March 17

Serephino

I think both parties were idiots.  The customer service guy didn't do himself any favors, but a few emails down the guy did start swearing and threatening.  That was bad behavior too, and personally, I would've been just as skeptical because people threaten to do stuff or claim they're someone important when they aren't all the time. 

That Blue One

I remember hearing about this... I honestly thought it was a hoax, or someone's idea of a prank.

But from what I've read, the PR guy deserved it.  Penny Arcade has a track record of calling people on stuff like this ($10K donated to a charity in Jack Thompson's name when he refused to follow through on some bet), and it makes no surprise they'd be vocal about it.

I hope the company he represented can make a comeback, though.  They were working on some special kind of controller, I think?

consortium11

Quote from: That Blue One on January 04, 2012, 04:58:06 PM
I remember hearing about this... I honestly thought it was a hoax, or someone's idea of a prank.

But from what I've read, the PR guy deserved it.  Penny Arcade has a track record of calling people on stuff like this ($10K donated to a charity in Jack Thompson's name when he refused to follow through on some bet), and it makes no surprise they'd be vocal about it.

I hope the company he represented can make a comeback, though. They were working on some special kind of controller, I think?

The Avenger Controller.

It's essentially a peripheral which is attached to a normal controller that seems to have two applications:

1) Improving high level play

2) Making games easier to play for people suffering from disabilities.

That Blue One

Yeah, that's the one!  I hope it doesn't hurt the chances of the Avenger to get distributed, especially to disabled people.  The PR guy was a tool, but the product deserves the attention.

NotoriusBEN

it looks like the controller has sunk. all the images of availability from distribution sites and content save for the page that consortium has posted seem to have been pulled down.

i feel for those gamers with disabilities, but when a product is a blackhole, it does not deserve praise.

That Blue One

Well, in that case, I hope the project can be revived at some point, with a staff that knows what it's doing.  It would have been nice to see something that helps open up a bit more of the world for disabled people.

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: NotoriusBEN on January 04, 2012, 07:56:23 PM
it looks like the controller has sunk. all the images of availability from distribution sites and content save for the page that consortium has posted seem to have been pulled down.

i feel for those gamers with disabilities, but when a product is a blackhole, it does not deserve praise.

Problem is.. the product is a solid thing. It's been reviewed well (least till this tool torpedoed it) and works well. My nephew doesn't have a lower right arm and this sort of thing is very helpful for him.

That Blue One

Maybe somebody could convince Gabe to put the power of his fanbase behind the Avenger?  It's got a lot of potential, and if one massive tool could ruin it, well... one tool could ruin everything, I guess.

NotoriusBEN

maybe that came out wrong, callie.

yes, the avenger is a good product to help disabled gamers.
there was a tool that pretty much nuked the product with his suckitude.

but reading the emails, i dont think it went past the prototype, unless im reading it wrong. I think they were using pre-orders to fund the project at an unrealistic goal of Dec 2011 release.

My primary concern now is: is this still a legitimate product?

it doesnt help to pre-order something that is no longer 'a thing'.

Oniya

If it's been 'reviewed well', then someone (several someones) have seen it, yes?  There was a response from N-Control saying that
QuoteAll PS3 Avenger pre-orders are currently slated to ship by January 15th at the latest. Some orders will ship in advance of January 15th. In consideration of the events of the past two days, N-Control ask their customers to bear with them as they sort out updating individual order estimates. General updates regarding shipping will be regularly delivered to customers starting next week.

source
"Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women.~*~*~Don't think it's all been done before
And in that endeavor, laziness will not do." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Don't think we're never gonna win this war
Robin Williams-Dead Poets Society ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Don't think your world's gonna fall apart
I do have a cause, though.  It's obscenity.  I'm for it.  - Tom Lehrer~*~All you need is your beautiful heart
O/O's Updated 5/11/21 - A/A's - Current Status! - Writing a novel - all draws for Fool of Fire up!
Requests updated March 17