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Author Topic: New Survey...  (Read 23212 times)

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Shank_ali

    This user is banned.
« on: August 18, 2011, 12:14 »
0
Reaching out to it's contributor base or perhaps more concerned with how buyers are viewing the current site.Hope the information collected is acted upon in due course and not some useless propaganda move.
I shall complete the survey but would like a prize of $1000.


« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2011, 12:29 »
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Maybe they want to know how I feel about the 17 cents I got for my latest sale. 

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2011, 12:34 »
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Maybe they want to know how I feel about the 17 cents I got for my latest sale. 
There are spaces where you can mention exactly that.

« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2011, 12:56 »
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I thought it was a good survey. You really get to say what you want. I said I wanted 50%. We'll see how that works out.  ;D

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2011, 14:04 »
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Those who haven't done it yet: when it's your turn, take your time. As soon as I hit 'done' I thought of a whole lot more I should have said.

« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2011, 14:12 »
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crap i havent gotten mine... was it all sent out at once?

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2011, 14:36 »
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crap i havent gotten mine... was it all sent out at once?

Nope, it was going out in stages, though I guess I was one of the last as I had to sitemail them because I'm one of those who doesn't get emails or newsletters despite being opted in.
Thread here: http://www.istockphoto.com/forum_messages.php?threadid=333260&page=1

« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2011, 14:46 »
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I thought it was a pretty good survey too. Gave you plenty of chances for comments.

Since I have nothing to lose I gave my very honest opinion in both the positive and negative.

I thought the fact that they had questions on the forum and it's moderators was telling. What it tells is yet to be seen.

traveler1116

« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2011, 15:13 »
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It seems like a very positive move.  Hopefully they listen to some of the things we say.

« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2011, 15:30 »
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Quite frankly, after the thousands of messages from contributors on their forum, if they still don't know how we feel then this little survey isn't likely to do them much good.

When SS did a similar survey last year they did it properly and used the services of an independent professional survey company. All the interviews were done on camera (from home PC's) and the contributors who agreed to take part were paid $100 for their time (it took less than 30 mins). Much better than being entered into a raffle for a couple of iPods.

I guess the lack of investment into this 'survey' is a fair reflection of how much they actually care and how much notice they are likely to take of contributors' views. Not a lot.

« Reply #10 on: August 18, 2011, 15:34 »
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As others have pointed out, there's no need for IS to spend one penny to get contributors' opinions - they're readily available.  The only motivation I can think of for a contributor survey at this point would be that it's just more fresh paint being applied in hopes of a sale.  There might be one or two questions in the survey that, taken out of context, become positive spin.   "Look - our contributors say they'll stick with us."

helix7

« Reply #11 on: August 18, 2011, 15:36 »
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Why these guys need a survey to figure out what's wrong with their company is beyond me.

« Reply #12 on: August 18, 2011, 15:41 »
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Yeah, maybe nothing comes of it. But, isn't the whole point of leaving, not uploading or any other protesting is to get the other side to listen to your demands. I don't see a problem with spending 15 minutes to actually tell them specifically what I want.

« Reply #13 on: August 18, 2011, 15:46 »
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I gave 'em hell.  I told them exactly why I wasn't uploading, and am in fact removing what content I have there.  I expressed my views on the royalty changes, the zero sum nature of the current system, and the dishonest explanations from Kelly.  I also said the forum was a failure, and had been moderated into a state of utter uselessness.

Somehow I don't think I'll be asked for a followup.

SNP

  • Canadian Photographer
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2011, 15:55 »
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Quite frankly, after the thousands of messages from contributors on their forum, if they still don't know how we feel then this little survey isn't likely to do them much good.

When SS did a similar survey last year they did it properly and used the services of an independent professional survey company. All the interviews were done on camera (from home PC's) and the contributors who agreed to take part were paid $100 for their time (it took less than 30 mins). Much better than being entered into a raffle for a couple of iPods.

I guess the lack of investment into this 'survey' is a fair reflection of how much they actually care and how much notice they are likely to take of contributors' views. Not a lot.


I suppose it's like a company meeting versus the suggestion box. people tend to be less showoffy and more honest when the communication is direct and not public like a forum. I think they're also looking to distill comments into actionable points rather than sifting through rants....the proof will be in the application (or lack thereof) of the data collected ....
« Last Edit: August 18, 2011, 15:57 by SNP »

« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2011, 16:04 »
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I suppose it's like a company meeting versus the suggestion box. people tend to be less showoffy and more honest when the communication is direct. I think they're also looking to distill comments into actionable points rather than sifting through rants....the proof will be in the application (or lack thereof) of the data collected ....

I'd suggest that Rebecca has simply breezed in to her new job, had a meeting and been told that dissatisfaction amongst contributors is one of the issues facing the business. So she's decided to have a survey to find out why (she doesn't know because she wasn't there). She probably thinks that giving contributors the opportunity to vent will probably help anyway.

SNP

  • Canadian Photographer
« Reply #16 on: August 18, 2011, 16:15 »
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I suppose it's like a company meeting versus the suggestion box. people tend to be less showoffy and more honest when the communication is direct. I think they're also looking to distill comments into actionable points rather than sifting through rants....the proof will be in the application (or lack thereof) of the data collected ....

I'd suggest that Rebecca has simply breezed in to her new job, had a meeting and been told that dissatisfaction amongst contributors is one of the issues facing the business. So she's decided to have a survey to find out why (she doesn't know because she wasn't there). She probably thinks that giving contributors the opportunity to vent will probably help anyway.

I'd guess it's a bit of both. but anything that indicates concern for contributor sentiment is a good thing right now, assuming that it's used for good and not evil.

« Reply #17 on: August 18, 2011, 17:35 »
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I suppose it's like a company meeting versus the suggestion box. people tend to be less showoffy and more honest when the communication is direct. I think they're also looking to distill comments into actionable points rather than sifting through rants....the proof will be in the application (or lack thereof) of the data collected ....

I'd suggest that Rebecca has simply breezed in to her new job, had a meeting and been told that dissatisfaction amongst contributors is one of the issues facing the business. So she's decided to have a survey to find out why (she doesn't know because she wasn't there). She probably thinks that giving contributors the opportunity to vent will probably help anyway.

I wasn't aware that she had started yet. I thought the change was to take affect after this month.

« Reply #18 on: August 18, 2011, 18:14 »
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I thought it was a good survey as it gave lots of tell us what you think spaces.
The software actually worked as expected - a new thing for istock.
I think it's worth having atleast having a whinge, if you don't then they'll use the data to prove that everything is rosy.

Points I highlighted

Pissed off with reduction in royalities
Reduction in royalities means that
a) don't upload or produce work specifically for Istock customers
b) I won't refer customers there

Site doesn't work for long periods
Dumping of agency etc and stupid best match
Rude responses to customers in the forums from Istock staff, contributors have to help

« Reply #19 on: August 18, 2011, 18:15 »
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I'd guess it's a bit of both. but anything that indicates concern for contributor sentiment is a good thing right now, assuming that it's used for good and not evil.

It's a nice thought ... but I suspect it's not how it's going to work. The people that run H&F only understand numbers expressed in P&L. KT did not satisfy their expectations so out he went. Rebecca's job will be to grow the business and improve profits ASAP. 'Concern for contributor sentiment' is unlikely to sway many of her decisions because it doesn't add directly to the bottom line and takes a relatively long time to have a measurable effect.

I think Istock are basically f**ked because their (bosses') time-lines are too short to enable them to grow the business properly. It seems to me that their attempt to rapidly boost profits, with total disregard to both contributors and customers, has imploded fairly spectacularly in their faces. The route back is obvious enough but I doubt that anyone within the organisation has either the guts, the authority or the understanding of the the situation to make it happen.

« Reply #20 on: August 18, 2011, 23:34 »
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I think it's the conspiracy theorist coming out in me, but when I was filling out the survey, I had this thought.  IS has shown good faith in offering a survey to hear our opinions. But, all the survey information is private.  IS can say the results were WHATEVER they wanted them to be. Therefore make any changes they desire claim that "Your survey results suggest you wanted us to raise RC targets 300%."

« Reply #21 on: August 18, 2011, 23:50 »
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I think it's the conspiracy theorist coming out in me, but when I was filling out the survey, I had this thought.  IS has shown good faith in offering a survey to hear our opinions. But, all the survey information is private.  IS can say the results were WHATEVER they wanted them to be. Therefore make any changes they desire claim that "Your survey results suggest you wanted us to raise RC targets 300%."

Maybe KK is filling out 3000 himself

Shank_ali

    This user is banned.
« Reply #22 on: August 19, 2011, 00:01 »
0
Quite frankly, after the thousands of messages from contributors on their forum, if they still don't know how we feel then this little survey isn't likely to do them much good.

When SS did a similar survey last year they did it properly and used the services of an independent professional survey company. All the interviews were done on camera (from home PC's) and the contributors who agreed to take part were paid $100 for their time (it took less than 30 mins). Much better than being entered into a raffle for a couple of iPods.

I guess the lack of investment into this 'survey' is a fair reflection of how much they actually care and how much notice they are likely to take of contributors' views. Not a lot.
!
This does seem the best approach rather than staff at HQ thinking up the questions.Hopely the results don't lead to 8/10 dont give a h@@@

« Reply #23 on: August 19, 2011, 03:15 »
0
I am still waiting for mine. I think that they are sending out a survey to everyone is good.

They can always follow it up with interviews of a smaller group later. Certainly sounds interesting what Shutterstock did and that they paid the participants properly for their time shows how much they appreciate their input.

I hope that istock will do surveys like these every year. The contributors are paying the agency a lot of money for the service the agency offers. It is always good to get feedback from your customers.

Microbius

« Reply #24 on: August 19, 2011, 03:29 »
0
It seems a bit redundant to me. Seems like most of the questions were about how to best sugar coat bad news. If the truth is "we want to shaft you for more money" it doesn't matter how honest and open they are about it, you still ain't gonna be sitting comfortably when they finish. I doubt the results will have any impact outside of contributor relations, and all they can do is fiddle with the wrapper not the content.
There is no way it's going to result in higher commissions for us, so it's a waste of time as far as I'm concerned.


 

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