I know someone is going to get mad at me, but I feel it is necessary to bring this up.

Recently there was a post made by a member who was complaining about one of our sponsors. He brought up some issues that seemed very disturbing to me. Also, I have a close friend who has had some rather serious issues with the same sponsor, and kept it personal (his decision and I respect that).

But why delete the member’s thread that brought up some issues that needed to be addressed? Why not just edit the thread to keep it on track, and on subject?

I did not see why it got deleted, and I am sure there was a valid reason. But why not just delete the posts within the thread that were offensive or otherwise needed to be deleted?

I personally think that the ARC community needs to be aware of anyone’s issues regarding a sponsor. Especially since my friend has also had issues. People deserve to know if they need to be weary of a sponsor!

I personally do not want to be a member of a club that protects its sponsors more than its members! That is just insane.

Please do tell why it was deleted, and why my fellow members are kept in the dark?

Well there is a protocol for complaints with sponsors. If all of those were followed and the member let the BoD know then there shouldnt be a problem. I am guessing that wasnt done if the post was deleted.

If there are A LOT of issues with one sponsor then the members should let the BoD know and we should look at removing them as a sponsor.

One of the last posts before it was closed was something to do with the BoD was in the final stages of discussing the matter and how to handle it. Then the thread started before they could finish their discussion. They were deciding what course of action to take in best interests of all.

What Hackman said.

The thread was posted before the BoD was finished researching the issue and attempting to mediate a solution between both parties. In the interest of fairness to the Sponsor and the Complainant, the thread has been temporarily closed until the situation has been dealt with. The use of the soft delete function closes the thread from view and further posts, but preserves it for later restoration.

Please do not jump to conclusions about the thread. Give the BoD time to mediate a possible solution before any further rumours and inaccurate assumptions are spread.
Dave

I think given Mojo's response, the thread should have stayed and there's no beef either way from me

Well said Dave.. Beat me to it.

Awesome. Thanks.

I forgot to mention that I did not know if the proper protocal was followed or not.

I think given Mojo's response, the thread should have stayed and there's no beef either way from me
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who seen that.

My appraisal of several stores was edited and I was just stating facts...nothing subjective was stated. But if I was found in violation, I guess I vote by walking (quitting). However, I find the information exchanged and comraderie (sp?) to be much more valueable than the store appraisals, so for me and many others it nets-out to a good thing.

If the objective of the club is to promote the welfare of the hobby and most importantly, the life that is ripped out of the ocean and placed in captivity (hey, I have seen some tanks that look like a better deal than the actual ocean and there are no natural predators!) maybe there should be an vehicle to express our opinions very similiar to the polls/reveiws that we see on Amazon. I know we are all volunteers and I have sat on several boards myself, so we may not have the resources to do that (or it may just be a bad idea).

If the goal of the club is the aformentioned, stores that consistently provide good service will be rewarded when a general concenus has been reachd - often evolving over time. I don't think one person's experience is going to turn-off an entire group. And hopefully, no store's business model is dependent on the club.

As it stands right now, many have communicated to me that some of the compliments are gratuitous and the criticsms are white-washed. That really penalizes the well-run shops because no one can appraise whether or not a compliment was well-deserved.

BTW, many of know which stores are winners and which have some work ahead of them and I try, and probably others do too, to patronize them all (despite having to be de-cricketed after leaving one shop :-))

Just one lowly man's opnion. Amen

I feel the need to chime in on this.. Not that I feel its headed towards disaster, but just to let everyone know the protocol.

If you have a negative experience with a store, the first course of action is to let them know of dissatisfaction in private to an employee or manager.. Be it a call or while you are at the store. If that doesn't work try and contact the owner and let them know of the issues you've had. If you have exhausted all options to give the store a chance to make it right, then you are by all means allowed to post FACTUAL feedback about the store..

I feel the need to chime in on this.. Not that I feel its headed towards disaster, but just to let everyone know the protocol.

If you have a negative experience with a store, the first course of action is to let them know of dissatisfaction in private to an employee or manager.. Be it a call or while you are at the store. If that doesn't work try and contact the owner and let them know of the issues you've had. If you have exhausted all options to give the store a chance to make it right, then you are by all means allowed to post FACTUAL feedback about the store..see my response earlier... protocol WAS followed

see my response earlier... protocol WAS followed

LoL.. I'm aware of that more than most.. Just putting it out there for anyone that may not know the proper procedure for matters like this..

If that's the protocol (which I am sure it is), then that's what we all agreed to honor when we joined. We should have all read the fine print....which I did not (mea culpa)

There seems to be a vaccum in the market for rants and raves similiar to Kudzu which I regularly contribute to. It was invaluable to me when I moved here and didn't know any contractors from window tinters to roofers.

Is anyone interested in a site simliar to Kudzu but for FSs? The reveiws would be similiar to what you see on Amazon e.g. 4 or 5 criteria (Service, Quality of the Advice, Value, etc, and a brief comment section? Let me now via PM and I will look into. I can lool into the cost of development and hosting if members are interested.

Can we set-up a poll just to gauge interest? Or PM me and I will keep a count over the next 60 days.

There seems to be a vaccum in the market for rants and raves similiar to Kudzu which I regularly contribute to. It was invaluable to me when I moved here and didn't know any contractors from window tinters to roofers.

Kudzu isn't as cut and dry as it may seem. I've seen numerous negative reviews deleted for positive ones - including some for a vet hospital recently mentioned on here.

There's nothing from stopping you from creating such a site for LFS's, but please be aware of the volume hate mail, phone calls, personal threats, and other ill will thrown your way. I've seen the ugly side of hosting sponsor stores, and I assure you that it won't be pretty.

LoL.. I'm aware of that more than most.. Just putting it out there for anyone that may not know the proper procedure for matters like this..Ah, but even though procedures followed, post was deleted.... want to reinstate it?

There was a post made right before it was closed that laid out why it was soft deleted. Many didn't see it, but it was for the reason Dave (acroholic) stated above. Its being reviewed by the BoD to try and reach an agreement between the 2 parties. Its not in effort to try and hide anything what so ever.. Just trying to get all the details from both sides.

One of the problems with the internet is that it's too easy to "launch a torpedo" at a business.

I know of several instances in the restaurant industry where employees of a competitor or a recently fired employee would post bad things anywhere that they could, and they would appear to be factual.

I like the idea that ARC doesn't just randomly let that happen here. If someone's complaining, then they at least look at it from both sides and try to work things out and make sure no unfair shots are taken.

If a company is truly doing bad business, then it will show... somewhere... and it will become their common M.O.

IF there was an issue between more than one member and a sponsor, I for one feel like I should be aware of such a thing to prevent me for potentially getting scammed.

Just my .02

(wow... 19 folks are watching this thread right now...)

(wow... 19 folks are watching this thread right now...)This is better than jeresey shore!

There was a post made right before it was closed that laid out why it was soft deleted. Many didn't see it, but it was for the reason Dave (acroholic) stated above. Its being reviewed by the BoD to try and reach an agreement between the 2 parties. Its not in effort to try and hide anything what so ever.. Just trying to get all the details from both sides.I am definitely looking forward to what the BoD decides in this matter given the user in question DID follow rules and regs... should the post stand as rules were followed, or just the BoD overrules without pejudice in favor of a "sponsor" ? ? ?

Good advice.

But many told me that my appraisal was benign and not in any violation, but it was edited.

We all have our war stories about unjust or irresponsible posts. If one is going to deal with the public, they gotta deal with the pubic (I think Confuscius said that or I read it in a fortune cookie :-))

As a CPA and HR executive, I get knocked and blamed left and right from causing the Enron debacle to high unemployment, yet I have never contributed to any of those things. I have corrected more accounting errors, poorly prepard tax returns and found more people employment than anyone I know...yet the knocks and digs keep coming.
Such is life. Okay, I think I have beaten this one to death and will craft one more Ponzi scheme and get someone fired before I go to bed. LOL. Hey, this is a great club, I get excellent advice, meet incredibly and selfless hobbyists and store FS owners. It's all good. I hope to make the next meeting. I met some super people at the tank tour. Unfortuantely a migraine abbreviated my trip. Have a good night.

Tony, that was YOU who did the Enron thing? Man....

We have no lives LOL Good night folks!

Believe me everyone, your BoD is intelligent, fair and hard at work.

This too will turn out alright.

Patience folks, remember that word? Patience. Don't draw unfounded conclusions.

Yes, I foul-up books and get people fired when not putting contracts on their lives (especially when a LFS owner doesn't give me a receipt with my purchase or put enough air in the bag holding my damsels). Ok, now I am really going to bed.

Hope everything gets worked out for the people who have issues.

the BoD overrules without pejudice in favor of a "sponsor" ? ? ?

Please review forum rules 17 and 18. This thread is closed.

Which can be found here

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=890