Constructive posting

[#1]

This post is a result of some recent topics which have been less than satisfactory. Hopefully by reading this new (and existing) users posting will get the best from these forums.
Plusnet do sometimes get things wrong and users are left which extremely poor service (or no service at all). Often this will be at the point of joining Plusnet where the migration of the service(s) goes astray. The temptation is to post on here with a rant.
The problem is the rants are always along the line "Plusnet's fibre service is rubbish - don't touch it with a barge pole". That is patently rubbish as there are hundreds of thousands of very happy customers and it is inevitable that several people will post to refute the assertion (usually a pretty brief "Squawk: Mine's great") - this does nothing to resolve the situation and will usually anger the original poster further.
If the poster instead posted along the lines of "I've been having trouble with my connection dropping every three or four hours, I've been talking to Plusnet about it for two weeks and it is still not resolved" it would be far more constructive, give a far better picture of the sort of service they've received and also be far less likely to provoke the "Squawk: Mine's great!" responses. As well as the Plusnet staff on these forums there are a number of very experienced users who will often be able to help users resolve the situation.
What really matters is how an organisation responds when things have gone wrong. Many of the users posting on here would say that in that respect Plusnet is better than most and that the staff who man these forums will do everything possible to resolve problems. When the problem is resolved they will usually offer some form of compensation.
It's also worth pointing out that frequently Plusnet's ability to control events is limited and they are just as frustrated as the user that things have not gone to plan. Like all ISPs, including those with their own equipment in the exchanges, they are reliant on OpenReach engineers, and like all ISPs using BT Wholesale services* they have to communicate with them to report and progress faults. Frequently the issues are the responsibility of those organisations (e.g. engineers not turning up for booked appointments). Another frequent point of failure is the actions of the ISP the user is leaving. The procedures defined by OFCOM are designed so that the existing service is not terminated before the new service begins; however we've seen many cases where the old ISP terminates the service prematurely - there's nothing Plusnet can do to stop that happening.

* ISPs using BT Wholesale services are those who deliver broadband over the normal telephone line but do not have their own equipment in the exchange.

[#2]

Well said!
In short, as my late mother used to say, (repeatedly)!, politeness costs you nothing & will get you a lot further, a lot quicker than behaving like a neanderthal moron. I would also add that the correct useage of spelling & grammar will increase the chances of a positive response.

[#3]

Can't disagree with any of the above. As much as I can understand some people being angry about their problem, let's hope they take note.
Edit: I have also suggested the thread be made a sticky.

[#4]

In total agreement

May be the thread should be pinned

[#5]

Thats a very good post Jelv and I think it should be pinned. Ted.

[#6]

Well I think this should be mailed to each and every Plusnet customer 

[#7]

Not yet and possibly not here even though this board catches most of the rants (used to be called Rants and Raves Section) - this is probably the correct place http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/board,17.0.html but it really would lack visibility
Will wait and see other comments and staff thoughts
My initial thought as a forum member not a moderator is that this guidance could be of more benefit to other posters who can pile in and scare off a new poster as the really teed off poster would probably ignore it. As such a reminder about Forum Etiquette in replying to somewhat abrasive and intemperate newbie posts  wouldn't come amiss

[#8]

I did consider putting it on the other board Jim, but thought that as this is where the 'troublesome' topics often appear, this was the more appropriate place.
Even if it's not stickied, I intend to post links to it (or quote it) when needed in response to some opening posts.
If a really teed off poster ignored it and then carried on in the same style would you be more tolerant of critical responses?

[#9]

well said jelv, excellent post

[#10]

Well I think it should stay on this board. There is frankly no excuse for the way some rants are constructed - whatever the individuals education has been. It ought to be patently obvious that there a lot of posters fed up with seeing rants that are phrased the way some of them are even when the poster has a legitimate grievance with Plusnet.

[#11]

I understand a lot of these posts are the result of posting when seeing red mist but personally I agree with everything above.
Whilst BB problems are very annoying it is obvious when, someone fires from the hip,especially on their first post, they are not doing themselves any favours. It is the concise and well explained posts that gain the most help.

[#12]

I agree with what Jelv has said in the opening post, and I agree with Oldjim too. There needs to be a balance between feedback, help and welcoming people to the community.

[#13]

Chris,
Whilst there needs to be balance, people (with problems) need to understand that there is a proper support process which should be followed first, ranting here is emotive, often devoid of facts and therefore does not help willing others to assist them - indeed it can deter people from giving assistance.
Given that these boards are open to all - including non-PN users (potential users) they frequently portray an highly inaccurate view of what PN does deliver for their users and therefore can be highly (incorrectly) detrimental to PN.  I note with some degree of annoyance that when an issue (having a very negative title) has been progressed and resolved, the OP rarely says thank you or considers revising the title.  The one entitled "I'm leaving... becasue PN is so dammed bad" about some guy with a (comparatively) minor complaint about PN billing and went to Talk Talk, got right royally stiffed, came running back to PN who did 'above and beyond' to get him a new line and back on air... particularly comes to mind.  To anyone visiting here to see what PN are like, would (unless they read the many pages of the saga) get the view that PN are so dammed poor that people readily leave for Talk Talk!
Whilst the position that "my contract is with PN so everything is PN's problem" is to a point valid, not accepting that PN (like all other ISPs) is at the mercy of BTw / BTOR (the distinction of which is lost on most) is highly unreasonable.  I have had a long on going line issue since Dec 2012; I have had multiple BTOR visits with varying degrees of success.  The fact that the issue is not resolved to everyone's satisfaction is not PN's fault.  The local BTOR infrastructure is questionable - PN have moved and still are moving heaven and earth with BTOR to rectify this.  I do not believe that any other ISP would have tried as hard as has PN, nor do I believe I would have received the same level of first class assistance from other forum users and PN if I'd ranted about it.
These are 'lessons' that need to be explained to some people here on the forum, because frankly (irrespective of the fact that they might have a justifiable complaint) their posts are quite rude.
Please make Jelv's post 'sticky' and include the sentiments into the forum rules.

Regards,
Kevin

[#14]

As has been implied on here people having a red mist rant are doing so down the barrel of a gun with no peripheral vision and would therefore not see jelv's sticky post good as it is...unless it was pointed out to them which may inflame the situation.

[#15]

Quote from: Oldjim

My ... thought ... is that this guidance could be of more benefit to other posters who can pile in and scare off a new poster as the really teed off poster would probably ignore it.

This would be my view, too.
----------
Flying accusations of 'being childish' at posters who rant, are equally 'childish':
Griever: PN is shit.
Responder: You are a moron.
Who is the nobler here? Who is the more mature? Neither.
Folks, you are asking rationality from those who are in a state of anger. It is like asking the impossible. Asking for black to be white, hate to be love. It is like asking someone to eat when their system is flooded with adrenalin and the stomach has shut down. People who are so wound up that they rant are in no position psychologically to say, with calm rationality 'Oh, hang on a minute, I best read the guide for how to behave so that I may come across well and get the help that I need.' They are already at the point where they think they can get no help to sort things out because they have often tried and tried on the phone to PN. So they blow and post. This is not to say that certain rants are entirely excusable, or even likely to garner help for the person with the grievance. Neither does it mean that negative reactions are excusable, either. What is so difficult about reading a rant, and though you may think it's a bit much, being able to see and say to oneself 'I understand this person is so wound up and they need to express' without getting embroiled in a personal reaction? Why get personal about what people may say about a company with which you have no personal ties? Because, let me tell you, you are just a paying customer to a business that does NOT love you. You do not need to protect it or it's reputation. It doesn't care, it has no feelings.
If someone posts an angry post, see it for what it is, understand ... and then move on if you are not inclined to help.
It has several times been expressed that so many who have come and posted angrily just don't come back so they don't deserve us trying to help them anyway. Has it not occurred to you that they may not post again because once they have calmed down and become 'rational' again, they may feel embarrassed by how they expressed themselves? Why not stop judging people on what is apparent and think a little more about what is or may be back of.
As a certain generation would say: 'Props' to those like Anotherone, who despite his views still calmly makes effort to help the angriest poster.