pancakes

MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Author Topic: New Survey...  (Read 23280 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

SNP

  • Canadian Photographer
« Reply #25 on: August 19, 2011, 12:08 »
0
when I read the survey OP and subsequent replies on the IS forum, I also had the impression that the survey is about delivering news more effectively and reducing contributor backlash. I suspect the survey is really meant to improve communication and nothing more.

in any case, how I feel can be summed up as follows:

don't go back on promises made to contributors even if technically the contract protects you (the agent) as you effectively do as you please. value contributors because our work and only our work fuels the agency. take a long-term approach to our business model rather than implementing initiatives designed to achieve short-term profit increases that ultimately alienate your suppliers. truly lead in the industry; be successful without cutting corners or commissions further. value the work that you attach value to when charging customers. devaluing work and contributors will do nothing more than whittle revenue down to nothing in the long run for all of us. nourish your suppliers and we'll in turn provide you with our best work, some of us exclusively.

I also have to add that they need to do away with discussions in the forum now. people have to be so guarded and careful and the forum no longer serves any discussion purpose, at least as far as I'm concerned. use it to post announcements. the community has moved offsite to social networks and third party forums.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2011, 12:29 by SNP »


« Reply #26 on: August 19, 2011, 12:36 »
0
... don't go back on promises made to contributors even if technically the contract protects you (the agent) as you effectively do as you please. value contributors because our work and only our work fuels the agency. take a long-term approach to our business model rather than implementing initiatives designed to achieve short-term profit increases that ultimately alienate your suppliers. truly lead in the industry; be successful without cutting corners or commissions further. value the work that you attach value to when charging customers. devaluing work and contributors will do nothing more than whittle revenue down to nothing in the long run for all of us. nourish your suppliers and we'll in turn provide you with our best work, some of us exclusively.

Very well said. If you sorted the punctuation out they could etch that onto a brass plate and get the management to sing it as the 'Company Song' each morning.

It's not exactly rocket-science is it? Running Istock, after the legacy left by Livingstone, should have been child's play. Somehow they have conspired to destroy it in an astonishingly short time-scale. Still, at least someone has made an awful lot of money from their mistakes __ Jon Oringer.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2011, 12:40 by gostwyck »

SNP

  • Canadian Photographer
« Reply #27 on: August 19, 2011, 12:48 »
0
balancing the success of the company with the success of its suppliers and customers is a science. my summary isn't meant to gloss over the complexity of managing a venture as large as iStock. But, Getty has been around the block a few times; they should have access to good business minds and it's obvious that if they don't prioritize the financial success of their suppliers; it's not because they can't, it's because they choose not to. that's what needs to change.

« Reply #28 on: August 19, 2011, 12:57 »
0

Why these guys need a survey to figure out what's wrong with their company is beyond me.

Exactly. And if they really wanted to know, wouldn't they have listened a year ago, when they screwed everybody over?

And let me know when you guys all get a check in the mail for your consulting time on telling them how they should run their business and what they need to do to fix it. Didn't they just replace KK with someone who can do a better job? Shouldn't she know how to fix it, after all, doesn't she get paid big bucks?

helix7

« Reply #29 on: August 19, 2011, 13:29 »
0
...And let me know when you guys all get a check in the mail for your consulting time on telling them how they should run their business and what they need to do to fix it.

Exactly why I didn't fill out the survey. I'd be happy to consult on what they're doing wrong and what they can improve on. They can contact me to discuss terms if they're interested.

« Reply #30 on: August 19, 2011, 13:54 »
0
...And let me know when you guys all get a check in the mail for your consulting time on telling them how they should run their business and what they need to do to fix it.

Exactly why I didn't fill out the survey. I'd be happy to consult on what they're doing wrong and what they can improve on. They can contact me to discuss terms if they're interested.

perhaps this is a last ditch effort by istock to try to get TPTB to come to their senses before they run things into the mud?

ETA - in light of the 'sugar-coated' comments, I realize this is a bit of a naive comment.  I'm one of the ones who didn't receive the survey.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2011, 14:53 by blamb »

ShadySue

  • There is a crack in everything
« Reply #31 on: August 19, 2011, 13:57 »
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.
Yes, I noticed the sugar coating thing. I did remember to say that sugar coating meant nothing to me. I also said that a lot of the contract blurb is ambiguous - maybe deliberately so? - vide the discussions in the forums about details of e.g. the exclusivity contract or the content licence agreement, where no admins ever come in to give a definitive interpretation, and peer discussion is inevitably inconclusive, because different, even opposite interpretations are perfectly valid. I mentioned the Plain English Society, but then I often suggested them to whoever writes that stuff.

« Reply #32 on: August 19, 2011, 14:51 »
0
To get even marginally valid results from a survey, you need to use a random sample of the target group; and provide a sufficient incentive, otherwise results are skewed towards respondents who are anxious to express their opinions

Most corporate 'surveys' are self-serving, although the reasons may not be obvious. 


   

« Reply #33 on: August 19, 2011, 15:08 »
0
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%."

you don't show good faith with a survey..

no, no!

you can't show good faith with a survey after cutting the commissions to insulting levels..

« Reply #34 on: August 19, 2011, 16:09 »
0
Sometimes people pretend they are listening to what people say. Then they change something irrelevant, saying they're listening, but do not change core issues.

There is a quote by someone that is something like "In order not to change anything, you have to change something". Fom Visconti's "Il gattopardo", if I am not mistaken.

« Reply #35 on: August 19, 2011, 17:26 »
0
As others have posted - IS already has all the information they could possibly want.   Like what's already in their database.  They could ask an IT guy to develop some queries for that database that might, for example, extract a set of contributors whose images sold reasonably well, and see if the volume of submissions fell off when commissions were reduced or rejection percentages increased.   They don't care if we're happy, but they might care if they thought their supply of new images was drying up as a result of their actions.   But I doubt anyone currently there cares very much about anything long-term.   

« Reply #36 on: August 19, 2011, 18:14 »
0
Haven't got it.
These days even sending an email seems to be to complicated for Istock's IT.
Can somebody post the survey's questions here please? I'm curious to know what they still don't know...
Thanks

« Reply #37 on: August 19, 2011, 21:10 »
0
The survey may well be Rebecca's first initiative to test the water before she decides how to run the business.

« Reply #38 on: August 19, 2011, 23:24 »
0
The survey may well be Rebecca's first initiative to test the water before she decides how to run the business.

I think you are right.  Also it could be used as a tool to gauge her success a year from now if they choose to send out the same survey and compare the results. 

I wonder if they are reading the comments and cringing or reading the comments and laughing.

« Reply #39 on: August 20, 2011, 00:50 »
0
I'd say they are reading them and swearing under their breath.

Shank_ali

    This user is banned.
« Reply #40 on: August 20, 2011, 03:49 »
0
It may take months/years to read all the replies if a high percentage replies to the survey.Still no sign of the survey but Joyce said it will be sent again on Monday....Waiting

« Reply #41 on: August 20, 2011, 04:10 »
0
I have not received the survey yet.

I will give Rebecca the credit for doing her homework first. The contributors have complained a lot since the RC announcement last year but she was not managing IS then.

I will keep an open mind until at least she makes her first annoucement. 

« Reply #42 on: August 20, 2011, 16:55 »
0
I got the survey and completed it. I told them what I think in unvarnished terms. I really don't find anything positive in sending out the survey - it's acting on what information they receive back that counts.

Given that they've used the forums as a virtual safety valve to let buyers and contributors vent so they don't have to deal with them, I'm not even slightly optimistic that change will be forthcoming. Meaningful change, not a new newsletter to be able to say you've "done something".

Earning back lost trust is a very hard row to hoe. It can be done, but words mean less than nothing. I'd be happy if some things changed, but I can no longer take iStock's word for anything. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice...

« Reply #43 on: August 20, 2011, 17:32 »
0
This survey seems kind of dumb and pointless from where I sit. I mean, do they really need a survey to tell them what people don't like? Do they just ignore their forums or what?

Also, did everyone see this from Joyze:

Quote
There will be a number of us reviewing the responses which will help us understand what you like, don't like, what can be improved etc. We're not making any promises to implement every suggestion we get, but we're building a plan that will allow us to communicate more effectively with all of our contributors.

So basically, that's letting them off the hook from doing anything, except "communicating" more "effectively.

Microbius

« Reply #44 on: August 21, 2011, 05:46 »
0
Also, did everyone see this from Joyze:

"... We're not making any promises to implement every suggestion we get...."
So pathetic, the only suggestion is really "stop screwing us" but I'm sure they'll be doing their very best to read around it rather than actually correcting the root problem.

« Reply #45 on: August 21, 2011, 06:16 »
0
Quote
There will be a number of us reviewing the responses which will help us understand what you like, don't like, what can be improved etc. We're not making any promises to implement every suggestion we get, but we're building a plan that will allow us to communicate more effectively with all of our contributors.

So basically, that's letting them off the hook from doing anything, except "communicating" more "effectively.

Exactly. The survey is just about 'communication', nothing more. That's probably because nobody at Istock actually has the authority to do much else. Their targets are set by Getty/H&F and the targets dictate how the business will be run. Fail to meet those targets and at best you get 'promoted' to be VP of a minor department based 3000 miles from where you live. Any optimism about the situation is likely to be misplaced.

michealo

« Reply #46 on: August 22, 2011, 07:15 »
0
What concerns me is that they can't even email all their contributors successfully ...

« Reply #47 on: August 22, 2011, 07:19 »
0
Filled out the survey last night.  I liked the way there's plenty opportunity to write opinions freely in text boxes.

Very much hope iStock will go through the surveys properly and some positive changes will result.  After 11 months of disappointment, broken promises, cynicism and all the rest of it, the ball is in iStock's court to turn things around, if they want to.  I'm being optimistic and hoping this survey is the first stage in that process.

Doing similar surveys of customers and iStock staff would also be useful if iStock are interested in knowing where they've been going wrong and how to fix it.

Microbius

« Reply #48 on: August 22, 2011, 08:01 »
0
I don't think they are pretending that they are even considering changing any of their policies.
It just seems to be about how they communicate ie. not really addressing the size of the appendage, just the amount of lubricant used.

« Reply #49 on: August 22, 2011, 11:51 »
0
...And let me know when you guys all get a check in the mail for your consulting time on telling them how they should run their business and what they need to do to fix it.
Exactly why I didn't fill out the survey. I'd be happy to consult on what they're doing wrong and what they can improve on. They can contact me to discuss terms if they're interested.
+1 except that I wouldn't want them to contact me. I've wasted enough of my time with them.


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
PDN Survey

Started by Istock News Microstock News

0 Replies
2528 Views
Last post March 14, 2007, 13:11
by Istock News
PDN Survey

Started by Istock News Microstock News

0 Replies
2428 Views
Last post March 15, 2007, 12:11
by Istock News
13 Replies
5603 Views
Last post July 08, 2011, 07:15
by aeonf
4 Replies
4553 Views
Last post June 25, 2020, 20:49
by pancaketom
42 Replies
20750 Views
Last post February 22, 2022, 14:20
by cascoly

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors