What's this area for?

Put your recommendations for services in this area. No negative or defammatory comments allowed. Only club members can make recommendations
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Eamonn Townsend

What's this area for?

Post by Eamonn Townsend »

During a discussion in the pub last night, a question about who is the best company for chrome plating came up. There were a few suggestions of companies offering such service in the local area, but surprisingly there weren't that many mentioned.

It occurred to me that we must have many members who have their favoured suppliers for all sorts of services related to bike renovation and maintenance - perhaps we should collate that information here?

I propose that a new topic is started (by anyone) for a specific service (for example chroming, wheel building, speedo repairs, nickel plate, etc., etc.) and then as people wish to make their recommendation it is added in to the topic relevant to that service.

There are some rules to be adhered to though:
1) you are not allowed to promote a business to which you have a relationship other than as a customer. We already have options if you want to advertise.
2) No negative or defammatory comments will be permitted - this is a recommendations area and not an area for complaining.
3) Include the name of the business you are recommending and at least the county/state in which they operate - this will allow other people searching by county/state to find your entry.

This new forum area called Recommendations allows you to create your own entries and other people can then search by county or type of business.
Eric
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What's this area for?

Post by Eric »

I did wonder who this guy admin was? So hello Eamonn.

I think its a very good idea, but it will need some monitoring in case it does become a disguised means of free advertising. I also think there should be the opportunity for someone who may not be satisfied with a service to say so politely, but perhaps only as a response to an existing recommendation one.

Many of the large online retailers subscribe to such schemes but do allow complaints to be posted, this lets potential customers get a better overall view rather than just the opinion of one or two satisfied customers. It almost certainly improves the customer service knowing there is always the possibility of someone posting a complaint.

Which magazine have a national online one for members use only, called Which Local and this allows negative comments besides accolades, as does of course the infamous eBay, but I am unsure of how much this one can be trusted.

Perhaps my earlier comments indicate that if this topic is added to the forum, it should be for the use of Club members only, this will allow you or other administrators to at least make contact with the poster should the need arise.

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Eamonn
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What's this area for?

Post by Eamonn »

Eric, the problem with allowing negative comments to be posted (even in a members only area) is that it requires almost constant checking and a strong understanding of the laws of libel. It's a very fine line between someone entering their own experience backed up with real evidence versus someones subjective impression of a service. It's all too easy to get carried away in the heat of the moment and write comments that could be considered libel. As a club, we provide the forum facility, and therefore we have a responsibility for the information and comments that are held on the forum. So any libellous comments could result in the club itself being prosecuted for allowing such comments on this system.

Even placing the comments in a "members only" area doesn't detract from the fact that we have allowed the comment to be written in a place that the public can access and thus may be swayed in their decisions by inaccurate statements.

No-one would ever object to positive comments (I hope!) and as said elsewhere an ommission of positive comments can be interpreted appropriately. If anyone has strong opinions on a particular service and wants to make another member aware of this, it should be done outside of this forum.
Corners like a Lego man
One pot
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What's this area for?

Post by One pot »

Hi Eamonn,
I still have concerns about one satisfied customer (a friend of the supplier perhaps) putting a glowing testimony on the recommendations page whilst every other customer gets poor service and no ability to share their expreience.

I completely accept the risk of libel and other legal remedies if negative comments were posted on the forum, but I do not accept the concept that ommission of a positive comment can be interpreted as a poor supplier and that the converse is true.

At the risk of bulging your mailbox (clearly not the Royal Mail one at the moment!) could negative experiences be PMed to you - or other victim - and if their number increased above a threshold, then the recommendation is removed. or a legally safe text appended to the recommendation?

One Pot
If Something goes wrong, check the last thing you mended first
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Malleon
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Location: WREXHAM UK

What's this area for?

Post by Malleon »

Two sources of paint finishers, both of whom offer a choice between powder coating or stove enamelling :-
North West Enamellers in Buckley, Flintshire
and
C&G Finishes, in Liverpool, Merseyside.
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Ian5913
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What's this area for?

Post by Ian5913 »

Hi Eamon.
Where this is going wrong is the word favoured. If you just list suppliers in an area that will do classic bike work then buyer beware. No recommendations no slagging off just a supplier of a service. A sort of club based yellow pages. I would suggest any that offer a discount for members should be highlighted also.

Ian

PS Malleon follows the suggested process, the post states what's on offer not if it is good or bad. Ian
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Malleon
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What's this area for?

Post by Malleon »

But from the service I've received from both sources, I do recommend them!!!
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Rob Harknett
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Post by Rob Harknett »

Is there a need for what may be stated.
If a supplier or service is listed, it is listed by a statisfied customer.
Service etc offerd and named. Nothing more.
If you have dealings you are not happy with, they just dont get listed by you.
This saves Eamonn or anyone else having to check for any dodgy comments being made.
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