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[Martin (Admin)]

Well it seems Model Boats magazine have taken great exception to some of the posts on this Forum
regarding some of the "issues" they have had with fulfilling a few subscriptions and thus they have made it
more than clear they will take action against this forum if untrue, unsubstantiated statements or private
communications between private parties are posted here on Model Boat Mayhem.

I do not follow each and every post and topic on here are there as there are  more than just a few every day.
I was also sent an email requesting me to remove a post on this subject but this was not received until 24 hours
later to which I responded to straight away, hence this post...but this wasn't deemed as good enough.

I regret this action to prevent open discussion on this matter but I'm not repaired to lower this forum to a
competition between like minded organizations - ANY subsequent posts regarding complaints, missing issues,
delays, incorrect, payment problems, etc, regarding anything to do with subscriptions form Model Boats magazine or
any other magazines from the My Hobbies Group Ltd. will be automatically removed.

Please contact My Hobbies Stores Ltd. direct whom I'm assured will help you.

Subscriptions - 0844 848 2827
Customer Services - [email protected]
My Hobby Store Ltd
Hadlow House
9 High Street
Green Street Green
Orpington
Kent
BR6 6BG

 Martin - Model Boat Mayhem - Administrator and Proprietor.

 

[Dekan]

Martin, It a shame that their customer relations department isn't as proactive as their legal department.. but I guess that normal for some businesses nowadays...

[tica]

What can I say, I'm in shock !

I do understand your posting and the only response I will give here is that I will take prober action. Need a smiley with a mouth like a sipper 

Br
Carsten
Denmark

[RaaArtyGunner]

Martin,
Why am I not surprised.
As we say in OZ it stinks  and I trust the membership is behind you 100%. 
We have been reading here in OZ about the battles with lawyers  using the courts to stifle free speech and suppression orders etc.
Wonder how all the vets feel about this.
Much truth in the saying actions speak louder than words.
Hope this doesn't muzzle or affect the good commentary and assistance from connected parties.

[CGAux26]

The July issue of MB's has an editorial from the editor/publisher .itching about people .itching about their poor subscription service on the model boat websites.  So we could have seen this coming, Martin.  Cheaper to feed the lawyers than to fix the problems.

Keep up the good work, Martin.

[Colin Bishop]

Having been out of the UK for a few days I have only just seen this and as the Website editor of the Model Boats site (albeit on a freelance basis) I must declare an interest of sorts.

My understanding is the MyHobbyStore took exception to statements being made that were factually incorrect thus giving a false impression of the situation. MHS Customer services do make mistakes on occasion but, to be fair, do get it right most of the time as evidenced by an increasing level of subscriptions. As with any organisation, you do get cock ups from time to time and MHS is no exception to the rule but sounding off on third party forums doesn't actually solve the problem and in many respects can make it worse.

The problem with Internet Forums is that people can hide behind a user ID and say pretty much whatever they like and unfortunately many other people will take what they say at face value. This does not exactly assist informed debate! Personally I prefer to say who I am and take responsibility for what I say rather than remaining anonymous. Subscriptions are very important to a company such as MHS. If Customer Services are falling down on the job then the correct course of action is to complain to the company direct rather than whinge on Mayhem. There are contact names given in each edition of the magazine including the Managing Directors's name so it isn't exactly rocket science. If there is a problem then it is very much in their interests to put things right, it's hardly sensible to alienate their customer base as some people appear to be suggesting.

Basically the issue is that if you have a problem then contact the people who can actually solve it rather than post statements on Mayhem that may leave Martin open to legal action. Simples?

Colin

[dougal99]

Basically the issue is that if you have a problem then contact the people who can actually solve it rather than post statements on Mayhem that may leave Martin open to legal action. Simples?

Surely the point here was that the people who should/could have sorted the problem had been contacted but, allegedly, to no avail.

This all seems to me to be a sledge hammer to crack a very small, one could say insignificant, nut.

I should also say that I am quite happy with my subscription service.

nuff said

[Colin Bishop]

The point I was making is that if you don't get the expected level of assistance from Customer Services then it is better to alert somebody further up the line in the company rather than post a complaint on a forum that most of the people who work there are quite unaware of. This accomplishes nothing positive whatsoever.

Model Boats has an editor, his name is Paul Freshney and while he does not have direct responsibility for subscription and other issues, he is always more than happy to ensure that genuine complaints get acted on as others on Mayhem will attest. But you do have to tell him about them first, neither he or I for that matter have time to spend mointoring internet forums for possible complaints - life is too short!

Colin

[ACTion]

Dougal

Not quite. The gentleman who made the original posting had wished to renew his subscription but had proposed a method of payment which was not acceptable to the company (for whatever reason). If you walked into LIDL and tried to pay with a Credit Card then you would be told politely that they can't accept it. Similarly if you opened a cheque book in almost any British supermarket then a shake of the head would quickly follow. That other shops might accept these methods of payment is beside the point.

There is no mileage then to log onto an Internet Forum and vilify both the company and its staff - no mileage, that is, unless your sole intent is mischief. I posted a day or so ago about the consequence of not moderating what you write - this is it. Freedom of speech is not an open-ended deal. If you post something offensive about an individual on a forum then you can - and should - be pulled up for flaming. Why then should this not also apply to a company?

I speak as a member of the model trade. We aren't all avaricious monsters with forked tongues and horns. We know that customer service is important or we risk losing business. That said, we have to do what we feel is necessary to protect our reputations against untruths and insults which might appear on the Internet or in the press etc. If we don't then some folk might take that silence as an admission of culpability.  Imagine yourself in that postion and tell me you'd do something different. No - of course you wouldn't. In this case the moderation process on this forum failed to stop this thread from escalating. As such, a threat of legal action was the natural consequence.

That's life - better get used to it.

[dougal99]

It's only human to vent one's spleen if one feels one is not getting satisfaction over a particular problem. I don't think a anyone posting on Mayhem, or any other forum, would expect a reaction to the post from the cause of that dissatisfaction. Least of all, a threat of legal action legal.

Has a raw nerve been touched?


Having made my views known, I will say no more on this topic

[bikerdude666]

Just my opinion, but, I agree with action, complaining you can't subscribe because you've chosen to not have the accepted methods of payment is you own fault not he companies so don't complain.

However, on the bike forum I go on, I have plainly advised every member to avoid my local dealers service dept as from personal experience, they are useless, why shouldn't I be allowed my say and to give my opinion to others, to be honest I'd say threatening legal action is more admitting that there are faults, they have no return argument so have to use the threat of legal action to silence people,

[Dekan]

My problems with Myhobbystore was nothing to do with an attempt rewriting their business practices...It a total failure to sort out a subscription problem...

It was resolved in the end ...I just gave up.... 

[Dekan]

My problems with Myhobbystore was nothing to do with an attempt rewriting their business practices...It was total failure to sort out a subscription problem...

It was resolved in the end ...I just gave up.... 

[mikearace]

For avoidance of doubt I am speaking in general terms and not about any particular supplieror suppliers of goods or services.

I agree with Action that if you want something which isnt offered and are declined on the basis that the service isnt available  then there is no point in complaining that you cant purchase what isnt on offer nor can you complain they wont offer you what you want because its not available.  If however, I try to purchase something from say a car hire company at the price advertised but when I go through to the link to pay and it is not the price offered and no satisfaction is gained from Customer Services then in my opinion it is reasonable to point out the problems to someone else.  If having ordered goods or services despite numerous calls no product or service arrives despite repeated ongoing contact with the companys customer services I dont think its unreasonable to also relate the difficulties to others as long as they are based on truth and are not unfounded and can be substantiated.   

[Netleyned]

What has happened to the old saying

'If we've given you good service, tell your friends
If we haven't please tell us'  ?


Ned

[CF-FZG]

Well it seems Model Boats magazine have taken great exception to some of the posts on this Forum
regarding some of the "issues" they have had with fulfilling a few subscriptions and thus they have made it
more than clear they will take action against this forum if untrue, unsubstantiated statements or private
communications between private parties are posted here on Model Boat Mayhem.

....................

I regret this action to prevent open discussion on this matter but I'm not repaired to lower this forum to a
competition between like minded organizations - ANY subsequent posts regarding complaints, missing issues,
delays, incorrect, payment problems, etc, regarding anything to do with subscriptions form Model Boats magazine or
any other magazines from the My Hobbies Group Ltd. will be automatically removed.[/b]
 

Martin,

While I feel that the first highlighted portion of your post is absolutely fine, the second one is, I feel, leading the forum down a very dangerous path.

If the poster can show that it's a truthful statement, and can be substantiated, the post should be allowed to stand - any other action is pandering to a company who is prepared to threaten legal action against someone telling the truth.


Mark

[Colin Bishop]

I don't think MHS were objecting to valid criticism expressed in reasonable terms although there is little point in posting it on Mayhem rather than say on the MB Forum itself where soembody in the company might actually see it.

The mention of legal action was made because Martin had appeared not to respond to a request by MHS to moderate some of what they considered to be derogatory and unsubstantiated comments about the company.  (In fact Martin explained that he was unable to to access his emails while at work and this was the reason for the delay in replying).

Whilst people do feel they have the 'right' to vent their spleen instead of perhaps doing something more constructive to sort things out (which goes some way to explaining the state of the country), they also have a responsibility to Martin who can be held accountable for anything that is allowed to stand on Mayhem. If you want to vent your spleen then do so to the company's managing director. MHS is not a big company and you will almost certainly get a reply and maybe some positive action to go with it.

Colin

[Dave13]

I think is all rather silly really whats wrong with going to your local papershop and getting them to reserve you a copy each month thats what I do 

[Jonty]

  And of course, Dave, you help to keep a local shop in business in these difficult times.

[Dave13]

Well yeah every one wins you help your local shop in bisiness and get your mag LOL   And the people in my local shop are very friendly!

[Dekan]

Well yeah every one wins you help your local shop in bisiness and get your mag LOL   And the people in my local shop are very friendly!

That won't have worked in my case as the subscription was a late Christmas present for a friend....

[Dave13]

That won't have worked in my case as the subscription was a late Christmas present for a friend....

Oh sorry I didn't know it was a Xmas present  I was just saying what I do
Dave:)

[Dekan]

No problem Dave ...The newsagent is a good idea and supports British/Indian businesses 

[pompebled]

I think is all rather silly really whats wrong with going to your local papershop and getting them to reserve you a copy each month thats what I do 

Hi Dave,

Prior to having a subscription, I got my magazine at the local shop, where they reserved a copy for me.
For reasons unknown to the shop owner, the supply dried up and no more magazines could be purchased, I phoned the importing company and they said there was no problem with the availability...
This went on for several months, making me miss a number of issues.

As a last resort I subscribed and payed via Paypal, upon renewal, things went somewhat pearshaped...

I gave up on MHS and subscribed to MMI. (paying by bank or Paypal).

My apologies to Martin for causing him inconvenience, I'll stick to boats in the future.

Regards, Jan.

[pompebled]

I have to break my promise, as today I received a second letter to remind my of the fact my subscription is running out...

The organisation must be too big, with departments that fail to communicate with each other.

Regards, Jan.