Do yo think the MSG community has driven away Agency reps?

[KnowYourOnions]

Maybe Leaf can help here? Why they don't participate?

[Pixart]

I can remember the day Serban had enough and said he would never come participate here again.  Can't remember why exactly, but that he was attacked and I was a little disgusted with our behaviour.

I have been contacted directly by agency reps after I've posted a problem or question here.  A few private PM's (most recently Grant from Veer) and once even received a phone call from Canstock offering to help with an issue.

I am pretty sure even if you don't think they stop by, they all lurk. 

[Pierre]

I hope so, but wonder if they would have the common sense to do it.

hmm .. i don't remember having ever read a CEO interview where they admit being wrong about their marketing strategy, one way or another they always blame someone else or even their own customers ...

nobody is actually selling what buyers really want, it's always a compromise between price and quality, greed is also a major factor ..

[Pierre]

I can remember the day Serban had enough and said he would never come participate here again.  Can't remember why exactly, but that he was attacked and I was a little disgusted with our behaviour.

That's very unprofessional, and if their job includes posting on forums and socials they better learn how to deal with their own user base or find another career.

I had to listen to the most ridicolous BS and trash and even a few insults when i was working in retail, face to face, i've never lost my frame and neither my colleagues or we would have been fired on the spot ...

I don't know why for so many it's so hard to deal with people online and with their complaints, i guess some of them are just plain jerks and they're even more jerks in real life ?

[leaf]

I don't think there is a single big reason why there is or isn't more agency reps here.

Matt is doing a great job for Fotolia right now and it's easy to see it is a lot of work.  Envato has a ton of people registered on the forum but they haven't been too active recently.  If they launch something new or make changes, they are generally around with very capable people answering questions.  Lee was working with Canva full time last year, and doing a super job answering questions here,  but has now moved back to Argentina and I'm not sure how involved he is with Canva at the moment.  Scott was very active here but he moved on to another job and the person who took over his job hasn't had the same drive to make a presence here.   Brian from Veer was another rep that was very helpful here but moved onto another job... and let's not forget LuckyOliver ... they also moved onto other things.  I think the majority of agency reps have simply moved onto other things with no-one to replace them.  Oh, and Marius from DepositPhotos is another one that changed jobs... but was here and did a great job while he worked for them.

Being an agency rep is a tough job and not everyone is cut out for it.  They need to take critique (and attacks) lightly while considering what is (actually) being said - or what the true problem is and try responding to it.  Not everyone is capable of responding to the negative posts in a polite way that isn't an attack back. 

[Pierre]

 
Not everyone is capable of responding to the negative posts in a polite way that isn't an attack back.

it's all a matter of having a healthy "I don't give a F k" attitude ...

in general, people attacking back tend to be insecure, lack of self esteem, and full of other personal issues.
they don't realize if they played their cards well nobody would start calling names or personal attacks in the first place !

it's full of hot blooded people out there, just learn how to deal with them, all you need is practice and empathy.

of course customers are rightfully angry when they buy a product or service that turns out to be a ripoff, but all you need is the right attitude and you can manage any possible unpleasant situation, after a few months in sales or customer care you will hear it all 24x7 and won't even think too much about it, it will come natural ..

if that matter, i see similar unprofessionalism also in stock agencies' newsletters and blog posts, must of that stuff is clearly not written by professionals and left to the good will of a random employee .. it usually backfires because it gives the impression their company can't even hire someone good enough to communicate properly and effectively, this is even more sad if we talk about companies like getty or corbis who are worth billions .. same sh-it even in many other multinationals ..

unfortunately very very few companies care about these little things that make a big difference, they've no idea how many customers they lost because of that, iStock being a textbook case in the art of shooting themselves in the as-s.

 

[KnowYourOnions]

 
Not everyone is capable of responding to the negative posts in a polite way that isn't an attack back.

if that matter, i see similar unprofessionalism also in stock agencies' newsletters and blog posts, must of that stuff is clearly not written by professionals and left to the good will of a random employee .. it usually backfires because it gives the impression their company can't even hire someone good enough to communicate properly and effectively, this is even more sad if we talk about companies like getty or corbis who are worth billions .. same sh-it even in many other multinationals ..

Soooo true and so disrespectful...slap onto our face who helped them grow! 

[ShadySue]

I don't think there is a single big reason why there is or isn't more agency reps here.

Matt is doing a great job for Fotolia right now and it's easy to see it is a lot of work.  Envato has a ton of people registered on the forum but they haven't been too active recently.  If they launch something new or make changes, they are generally around with very capable people answering questions.  Lee was working with Canva full time last year, and doing a super job answering questions here,  but has now moved back to Argentina and I'm not sure how involved he is with Canva at the moment.  Scott was very active here but he moved on to another job and the person who took over his job hasn't had the same drive to make a presence here.   Brian from Veer was another rep that was very helpful here but moved onto another job... and let's not forget LuckyOliver ... they also moved onto other things.  I think the majority of agency reps have simply moved onto other things with no-one to replace them.  Oh, and Marius from DepositPhotos is another one that changed jobs... but was here and did a great job while he worked for them.

Being an agency rep is a tough job and not everyone is cut out for it.  They need to take critique (and attacks) lightly while considering what is (actually) being said - or what the true problem is and try responding to it.  Not everyone is capable of responding to the negative posts in a polite way that isn't an attack back.

Interesting that so many have moved on.
Wonder how many of them hated being spin doctors and were unhappy with the way their companies were going.

[Sean Locke Photography]

Oh, it would have been nice if Lee had let us know.  I was a little worried.

[Pixart]

I can remember the day Serban had enough and said he would never come participate here again.  Can't remember why exactly, but that he was attacked and I was a little disgusted with our behaviour.

That's very unprofessional, and if their job includes posting on forums and socials they better learn how to deal with their own user base or find another career.

I had to listen to the most ridicolous BS and trash and even a few insults when i was working in retail, face to face, i've never lost my frame and neither my colleagues or we would have been fired on the spot ...

I don't know why for so many it's so hard to deal with people online and with their complaints, i guess some of them are just plain jerks and they're even more jerks in real life ?

But when you are publicly made fun of for your ponytail and openly hated for the country you are from it is a bit much wouldn't you say? That wasn't the time he left, but I seem to recall that same photographer was pushing the buttons. 

[leaf]

I can remember the day Serban had enough and said he would never come participate here again.  Can't remember why exactly, but that he was attacked and I was a little disgusted with our behaviour.

That's very unprofessional, and if their job includes posting on forums and socials they better learn how to deal with their own user base or find another career.

I had to listen to the most ridicolous BS and trash and even a few insults when i was working in retail, face to face, i've never lost my frame and neither my colleagues or we would have been fired on the spot ...

I don't know why for so many it's so hard to deal with people online and with their complaints, i guess some of them are just plain jerks and they're even more jerks in real life ?

But when you are publicly made fun of for your ponytail and openly hated for the country you are from it is a bit much wouldn't you say? That wasn't the time he left, but I seem to recall that same photographer was pushing the buttons. 

Posts like that are highly unacceptable here.  Yes they happen, and the guilty users are banned but it's pretty hard to control it from ever happening.

[Pixart]

And we appreciate it!  I think it was your summer hiatus and a bunch of us guilted him into deleting his original post.  The dude did get banned eventually though.  A Cannon guy with a Sigma Bigma.  Haha, can't remember his name but his gear, I am not normal am I?

The Internet really brings out personality extremes.  The anonymity can really bring out the worst in people.  But then, look how sweet we all are on facebook also!

[PixelBytes]

I can remember the day Serban had enough and said he would never come participate here again.  Can't remember why exactly, but that he was attacked and I was a little disgusted with our behaviour.

That's very unprofessional, and if their job includes posting on forums and socials they better learn how to deal with their own user base or find another career.

I had to listen to the most ridicolous BS and trash and even a few insults when i was working in retail, face to face, i've never lost my frame and neither my colleagues or we would have been fired on the spot ...

I don't know why for so many it's so hard to deal with people online and with their complaints, i guess some of them are just plain jerks and they're even more jerks in real life ?

Serban was not simply the agency rep.  He owns Dreamstime.  It was not his job to come here and answer questions.  He did it as a courtesy, and it was appreciated by many but just not the loudest ones.  When you own your own company you don't have to make contributor relations your job.  You can hire it out or leave it altogether.  I don't see that it is unprofessional for a CEO to decide they don't want to put themself out there to be attacked.

[Pierre]

Serban was not simply the agency rep.  He owns Dreamstime.  It was not his job to come here and answer questions.  He did it as a courtesy, and it was appreciated by many but just not the loudest ones.  When you own your own company you don't have to make contributor relations your job.  You can hire it out or leave it altogether.  I don't see that it is unprofessional for a CEO to decide they don't want to put themself out there to be attacked.

in my experience CEOs are disastrous at answering to complaints in public forums/blogs/socials .. these guys are used to give orders and to manage teams, it's not in their nature to deal peacefully with sneaky attacks from anonymous users and/or trolls.

[WeatherENG]

For a long time now, the trend in corporate communications has been to say less and less in public, and to respond to questions by simply repeating previous statements while saying nothing of substance.  I think eliminating the role of these reps was just the next logical step.  There is really no need for these agencies to communicate with photographers at all; we're not their customers.

You nailed it, that is exactly what is happening in corp comm and media relations, and I am seeing that to the extreme in emails to the point I have replied to these emails by saying, "did you even read the message I just sent?".

[stockastic]

For a long time now, the trend in corporate communications has been to say less and less in public, and to respond to questions by simply repeating previous statements while saying nothing of substance.  I think eliminating the role of these reps was just the next logical step.  There is really no need for these agencies to communicate with photographers at all; we're not their customers.

You nailed it, that is exactly what is happening in corp comm and media relations, and I am seeing that to the extreme in emails to the point I have replied to these emails by saying, "did you even read the message I just sent?".

The same thing has been happening in politics.  The number one rule for a candidate today is "stick to the script", and the script contains as little meaningful content as possible.   In tech support, we now have what are called "sponge listeners" who will apologize and offer empathy, but can't seem to actually answer your question or solve your problem.   

[tickstock]

It's not just agency reps.  I think the greater loss is the big contributors, they had a ton to offer but were run out of here.  Sean is the only one I can think of that is still around.

[Semmick Photo]

Arent you a big one as well? Mellimage posts here too. So thats 3. And there are a plenty of others. Gbalex, PixelBytes, PaulieWalnuts, Hobostocker, Baldrickstrousers, all with tons of experience. ShadySue, Jo Ann, etc etc.

[Pierre]

It's not just agency reps.  I think the greater loss is the big contributors, they had a ton to offer but were run out of here.  Sean is the only one I can think of that is still around.

cost/benefits analysis.

after a while all the most common topics are discussed to death and it gets boring.

[cathyslife]

Yes, more time shooting and less time forum-ing. 

[jeffbanke]

For a long time now, the trend in corporate communications has been to say less and less in public, and to respond to questions by simply repeating previous statements while saying nothing of substance.  I think eliminating the role of these reps was just the next logical step.  There is really no need for these agencies to communicate with photographers at all; we're not their customers.

Until the day comes we all have enough and walk. Then the CEOs and the like will come begging.

I don't think they will come begging, they operate a pyramid scheme, always some new suckers out there who will just love to get their images seen. Many of us are at the point with the stupidity of reviewers that we are ready to dump them anyway.

[Semmick Photo]

Hey Jeff, hows things?

[jeffbanke]

Hey Jeff, hows things?

Apart from the silliness over at SS, things have been great, my granddaughter got Married, I got to walk her down the aisle, that was special, I have a wonderful great granddaughter who loves her papa (that is what the grandkids and now Great grandkids call me), I get to skype with them every couple of days. Trying to talk my wife into retiring and moving to Idaho or Washington ;-)
How goes it with you Ron?

[PaulieWalnuts]

Lately SS and Canva are absent from the forum, when they were the most regular ones to communicate here. Most agencies had a rep here communicating with us. It all seems to have dried up.

Do yo think the tough MSG community has driven away Agency reps?

The sites seem to have a pattern of sending someone here when they want to announce something like a major change and then the person disappears until the next announcement or the person's replacement does an introduction.

But yes, if I was an agency rep I wouldn't want to spend any time here. Things usually start off with decent semi-professional communication and quickly go to keyboard warriors with heated debates, bickering, and insults.

When the bickering gets to be too much I give this place a break and check in once in a while.

[gbalex]

For a long time now, the trend in corporate communications has been to say less and less in public, and to respond to questions by simply repeating previous statements while saying nothing of substance.  I think eliminating the role of these reps was just the next logical step.  There is really no need for these agencies to communicate with photographers at all; we're not their customers.

Until the day comes we all have enough and walk. Then the CEOs and the like will come begging.

I don't think they will come begging, they operate a pyramid scheme, always some new suckers out there who will just love to get their images seen. Many of us are at the point with the stupidity of reviewers that we are ready to dump them anyway.

They simply do not care. It is evident when they will not even listen to the folks who have helped thousands and thousands of new contributors gain the skills & insight they need to be accepted as contributors.

Now that they have what they believe to be sufficient training in place through the blog, community leaders, vids and skillfeed. The people who helped them become successful in the first place are all expendable.

In fact I think they are hoping older contributors disappear, if they replace us with new contributors, it is less out of pocket.