Merbite extortion

[Techman]

I`m starting this thread in response to a post in the advertiser section that may not be viewed by most members. See here for the original thread... https://merb.cc/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=10994 . What I would like to know is how common this practice really is. It is quite easy for anyone to claim to be a member of this or the other board in order to get discounts or better service. What should happen when this occurs and it is reported here? If it can be proven that the member is the one who actually made the demand I feel it should result in an immediate suspension if not a total ban. Anyone who trades a good review for a discount should be considered a shill of the worst kind and should be exposed so that we can consider his reviews to be worthless. Any opinions from the Mods would be greatly appreciated.

BIG PS:

I`ve been informed by another member that this topic has already been gone through over the past weekend. I was not on-line and it seems that those posts have been removed so I didn`t see them. While this particular event seems to have been resolved I still think that there is room for discussion on the general topic.
If no one is interested I have no problems with the Mods deleting this thread.

 

[Uncle Kracker]

edit:
read on the other board that this shit was settled... no need to start it back up.

removing my comments.

 

[Bruce34]

Been asked

I have been in the situation in a new outcall agency, that I can get a rebate, small, if I gave out my handle. Of course, it implied that I would give out a great review. I found that disgraceful and simply did not accept the SP, but failed to report it.
To all agencies and SPs, I believe to give a fair report. I do know for a fact that one famous - now deceased - reviewer did have a few freebees because his accurate reveiws did bring good business to the girls. But even if it is the case, do you get better service at the restaurant because you are a regular, or a rebate at yoiru garage because you have told a few friends about it?
It has been said "it's not the message, it's the medium". MERB reaches thousand of clients when a review is up, so telling your two friends isn't the same anymore are you are reaching more people with a simple review.

 

[Sadie]

Do you think that some people expect a discount for a good review? Sometimes I feel like I am supposed to give a discount.. though I haven't, even though I feel guilty sometimes.

What do you think about giving discounts to some clients and not others? (I am just wondering your opinion). I seem to have issues with this as sometimes in the past some people have asked for discounts, and I have said no, and when I meet up with them it seems like they have lots of money! And often people who never ask for discounts I find out are not rich at all when I meet them.. maybe thats why they have so much money?

I do think that better service is different from a rebate though. There will always be some clients you gel with more than others...

Sadie

I have been in the situation in a new outcall agency, that I can get a rebate, small, if I gave out my handle. Of course, it implied that I would give out a great review. I found that disgraceful and simply did not accept the SP, but failed to report it.
To all agencies and SPs, I believe to give a fair report. I do know for a fact that one famous - now deceased - reviewer did have a few freebees because his accurate reveiws did bring good business to the girls. But even if it is the case, do you get better service at the restaurant because you are a regular, or a rebate at yoiru garage because you have told a few friends about it?
It has been said "it's not the message, it's the medium". MERB reaches thousand of clients when a review is up, so telling your two friends isn't the same anymore are you are reaching more people with a simple review.

 

[Lion Heart]

Interesting questions...uneasy answers

Techman: In a perfect world, everyone would write good reviews when they are satisfied and bad reviews when they are not. Unfortunately, we’re only humans as the song says and various situations raise various questions.

Threatening an agency owner of a bad review to get a compensation is an unacceptable behaviour. You get your rebate, you shut your mouth until the next opportunity. Some have called this board terrorism, I’d say it’s just blackmail.

Is complaining to an agency owner when something went wrong acceptable?. An agency is offering a service and when it’s not rendered properly, I think complaining is the normal thing to do. In any business, this is called customer service. What if then the agency owner offers you a compensation? If you accept, do you shut your mouth or post about it, praising the agency’s good behaviour.

In any of the 2 above-mentioned situations, what if no compensation is offered, in or you refuse the rebate and post about it, will the agency owner say afterward you threaten to make a bad review to get a rebate? Your word against his and the line between a blackmail situation and a good customer service situation can be very thin. Who are you banning from the board and on what grounds? Will we have to tape our future phone discussion with agency owner?

Unfortunately I don’t have clear answers to provide to all these various scenarios. I personally had a few mishaps with some agencies. I’ve been offered a 100$ rebate toward a future encounter after a no show but I refused as their explanations towards this event were simply unsatisfactory to me. 've just taken my business elsewhere. However, I’ve accepted a half-price session after a last minute cancellation with another agency with another of their SP one hour later, which I think was a nice gesture for the inconvenience. And I had a great time with the substitute SP. But I would never resort to blackmailling someone to get a rebate.

Sadie: As for someone expecting a rebate from you after he posted a positive review about you, I don’t think this is right either from this individual to expect that. You should keep your rates the same for everyone and don’t offer rebates in such a situation. Or people will start taking advantage of you. The more your clients will enjoy being with you, the more they will tell about it, and the more they and other people will want to see you. Call this a “reward” program if you want, I simply call this good client relationship and good business.

Lion Heart