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> I have, on occasion, refunded people, returned their data, and terminated their service. You have terminated a customer's account without notice because they

> I have, on occasion, refunded people, returned their data, and terminated their service. You have terminated a customer's account without notice because they made a complaint?

ColinWright 6y ago
Did I say without notice? No. I have not terminated someone's account without notice. I have always first tried to find out what the problem is so we can resolve it. But when someone has raised an issue, not given us time to resolve or even investigate, and then accused us publicly of inappropriate behaviour, I've contacted them to say that I think it better we go separate ways, returned their data, refunded their money, and gave them 48 hours before considering the issue closed. We (you and I) probably agree that the CEO did not get it entirely right, and certainly I would not have done what he did. But in this situation, where neither party comes off looking good, my sympathies still lie somewhat with the CEO.
- solidasparagus 6y ago
  Wow, I don't think I could ever really trust a service that thinks making a complaint on social media is a valid reason to terminate someone's account. It feels unprofessional (I can't think of a major company I've ever heard doing this) and makes me wonder what other reasons the CEO might find to terminate my account. I (like the author) never in a million years would have guessed that making a complaint on social media (a channel commonly used to get support) would be grounds for my account being terminated.
  - ColinWright 6y ago
    Please note: I'm not saying the CEO got it completely right, I'm trying to provide a different perspective. So ... It wasn't just making the complaint on social media that got the response, it was the wording of the original email as well. Already in that email he has said: > This is an extremely shady business practice ... and > ... makes me question my commitment to moving to Ghost. I think the CEO got it wrong, yes, but as I said, I have some sympathy. > I ... never in a million years would have guessed that making a complaint on social media ... would be grounds for my account being terminated. You might want to double-check the fine-print on some of the services you use. Often there's a clause about "publicly disparaging the service provider" or similar. Let me finish by saying I think the CEO acted wrongly, but I have some sympathy.
    - capableweb 6y ago
      Neither is someone saying you're saying the CEO got everything right. The issue is that you're still feeling sympathy for the CEO, even though you believe he did wrong (and also the author, but less important). > You might want to double-check the fine-print on some of the services you use. Often there's a clause about "publicly disparaging the service provider" or similar. Yeah, ToS and similar usually have language like that + "we can terminate your service for any reason, without telling you", but companies who do terminate peoples service for any reason, without justifying it, will rightly get less business because it´s a shitty thing to do. Just because it´s legal doesn´t mean it´s right.
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
      - ColinWright 6y ago
        > Neither is someone saying you're saying the CEO got everything right. It does feel like that. Perhaps it's not being said out loud, but there is a sense that that's what people think/mean. But you're right, no one has said that explicitly. > The issue is that you're still feeling sympathy for the CEO, even though you believe he did wrong The implication there is that if someone does something wrong, somehow you're not allowed to understand their motivations and sympathise, even if you don't agree. I find that disappointing, but I'm getting used to being disappointed by people. >> ... the fine-print ... > ... companies who do terminate people's service for any reason, without justifying it, will rightly get less business because it's a shitty thing to do. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's right. Absolutely.

> I have, on occasion, refunded people, returned their data, and terminated their service. You have terminated a customer's account without notice because they made a complaint?

ColinWright 6y ago

Did I say without notice? No. I have not terminated someone's account without notice. I have always first tried to find out what the problem is so we can resolve it. But when someone has raised an issue, not given us time to resolve or even investigate, and then accused us publicly of inappropriate behaviour, I've contacted them to say that I think it better we go separate ways, returned their data, refunded their money, and gave them 48 hours before considering the issue closed. We (you and I) probably agree that the CEO did not get it entirely right, and certainly I would not have done what he did. But in this situation, where neither party comes off looking good, my sympathies still lie somewhat with the CEO.

solidasparagus 6y ago
Wow, I don't think I could ever really trust a service that thinks making a complaint on social media is a valid reason to terminate someone's account. It feels unprofessional (I can't think of a major company I've ever heard doing this) and makes me wonder what other reasons the CEO might find to terminate my account. I (like the author) never in a million years would have guessed that making a complaint on social media (a channel commonly used to get support) would be grounds for my account being terminated.
- ColinWright 6y ago
  Please note: I'm not saying the CEO got it completely right, I'm trying to provide a different perspective. So ... It wasn't just making the complaint on social media that got the response, it was the wording of the original email as well. Already in that email he has said: > This is an extremely shady business practice ... and > ... makes me question my commitment to moving to Ghost. I think the CEO got it wrong, yes, but as I said, I have some sympathy. > I ... never in a million years would have guessed that making a complaint on social media ... would be grounds for my account being terminated. You might want to double-check the fine-print on some of the services you use. Often there's a clause about "publicly disparaging the service provider" or similar. Let me finish by saying I think the CEO acted wrongly, but I have some sympathy.
  - capableweb 6y ago
    Neither is someone saying you're saying the CEO got everything right. The issue is that you're still feeling sympathy for the CEO, even though you believe he did wrong (and also the author, but less important). > You might want to double-check the fine-print on some of the services you use. Often there's a clause about "publicly disparaging the service provider" or similar. Yeah, ToS and similar usually have language like that + "we can terminate your service for any reason, without telling you", but companies who do terminate peoples service for any reason, without justifying it, will rightly get less business because it´s a shitty thing to do. Just because it´s legal doesn´t mean it´s right.
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
    - ColinWright 6y ago
      > Neither is someone saying you're saying the CEO got everything right. It does feel like that. Perhaps it's not being said out loud, but there is a sense that that's what people think/mean. But you're right, no one has said that explicitly. > The issue is that you're still feeling sympathy for the CEO, even though you believe he did wrong The implication there is that if someone does something wrong, somehow you're not allowed to understand their motivations and sympathise, even if you don't agree. I find that disappointing, but I'm getting used to being disappointed by people. >> ... the fine-print ... > ... companies who do terminate people's service for any reason, without justifying it, will rightly get less business because it's a shitty thing to do. Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's right. Absolutely.