Who’s a cheeky bugger then? Oh yeah, me!
I host a website for a local business. I offered them a pretty sweet barter deal when I was in negotiations with them, and they passed on the offer. I still update their schedule on the website and post weather related delays/closings when I remember, but it’s a money pit and time suck in every other regard.
Recently, when I added the 2010-2011 class schedule, I added a twist – in order to get to the schedule, you have to read through my explanation as to why the site isn’t run by the studio, and you’re asked whether or not you feel the website is useful by clicking “yes” or “no”. I was simply trying to gauge whether or not I should continue the endeavor – for free – or figure out something else to do with it.
Then I started getting snide comments in the emails – I have a comment form on the site. I make it clear, both in the footer of every page and also in the comment form, that the site isn’t run by the studio, but by a parent who feels they should have one. The most recent comment was:
Nobody asked you to do the website so you shouldn’t complain. We get the schedules in the mail and they are also in the paper. We have never had a problem before. No offense but I think you have stepped into territory that has nothing to do with you.
So now I’ve taken a different approach.
When you click the “no” link, you’re blocked from accessing the site. If you make a snarky, anonymous comment on the comment form, then you’re blocked from the site. The only way to get off either of those lists is to send me another email, along with your “reason” for being blocked:
Common reasons for being blocked:
“banned” – leaving negative feedback via the comment page, without using a valid email address. If you can prove you can play nice with the webmaster, he will let you have access again.
“said_no” – you indicated that you don’t find the website useful – if you don’t find it useful, then why are you coming back???
“abuse” – it has been determined that your computer is accessing the website too much and you are being blocked for that reason.
Am I being petty? Maybe. Am I pushing the limits, considering it’s a domain that I registered but the business belongs to someone else? Probably.
Do I care anymore? Not really. It’s getting to the point where it’s clear to me, at least, that they need a website. It’s 2010, and it seems like they’re finally getting internet access on their office computer. What they plan to do with that, I don’t know, especially since they do ticket sales (and recording of said ticket sales) all by hand. The schedule looks like it was cut and pasted.
I’m not knocking their “old fashioned” way of doing things – what I am knocking is their refusal to even think of joining the rest of us in the 21st century.
David 20:41 on 2007/11/26 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hello it’s david,
If they don’t get your DSL resolved or as least sync within the next day or two and want me to investigate send me an e-mail or see my contact page.
Thanks
david
http://www.dslreports.com/profile/637748
p.s. I have a typekey id but for some reason it kept popping up a message about a feature not enabled and you have to contact the site owner. Not sure what’s up with that.