did you get the email????

[loobi]

Apparently, we are told, after mega grumbling - that Rocks did do their customers the courtesy of an email to let them know what was going on with the chat room :clapping:............... they seem rare though - I have yet to find anyone who actually got one. Through different channels ...FB etc etc rumour and speculation have dribbed out. What a way to treat customers - many of whom have been loyal and supportive, not just with words of kindness, but more importantly their hard earned cash. For 2 members of the family to be in the chat room virtually as the plug is pulled and for them to have said nothing is a little bit off perhaps?

So is it really that they are being sued for bullying and if so - does their disclaimer not protect them - I cant believe they werent protected from this very scenario.

So now we have no easy way of getting questions answered, have you tried live help recently - I could get to the midlands quicker to get my question answered in person........... I have emails that have gone unreplied, I have had promises not been met in terms of credits due. Shame all round really .

So - if you had THE email - can we see a copy - maybe someone in Rocks still has it in their drafts box and whooops forgot to press send - easily done!

 

[fluff]

Hi loobi .... I didn't get an email and am completely in the dark as to what's going on with the Chatroom because I'm not on FaceBook or Twitter. I hope it does come back but it isn't looking likely is it? :thinking:

 

[Rocchic]

Hi Fluff and Loobi
Rocks have two email addresses they could email me on and I too have not rcvd an email - this is the first I have heard of an email being sent out. I am not on Twitter or Facebook and of course it is all rumour and speculation - I completely agree it is no way to treat customers but I stand by my original post in another thread - if it effects sales it will be back - if it doesn't it won't. If John or Sarah can care to update me/us on this as they have kindly updated us on every other thread in both Gems and Rocks.TV a lot of ppl would find it both helpful and courteous. The lack of response on this subject with respect speaks volumes.

 

[nanpam]

I haven't received an e-mail either - I have sent one about chatroom and new studio but had no reply to date.

 

[loobi]

Rae posted a response on FB and said that she had been told without any shadow of doubt that Sarah B had confirmed to her an email had been sent to all customers................ presume Rae was acting as Rocks mouth piece in response to the emails and messages that she had received personally.... the deluge of replies to Rae was amazing - not one person could report the email actually landing in their inbox.

 

[Rocchic]

In which case one would assume that Sarah would very quickly re send the email to everyone as no one has got it - or copy and paste it on here - or at least respond to this thread......................

 

[loobi]

for those with no fb - here is Raes comments

Report5 Oct 2010 - update on Rocks Chat roomby Rae Carpenter on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 2:35pm
Many of you have private messaged me either on chat or twitter re. the current situation with Rocks Chat.
I've spoke to Sarah Bennet - this is where we stand at the moment.

We, as a comany are facing serious legal action from chat room users who feel that they have been subject to abuse in a chat room that we run. This is a very, very sad situation. Steve is in discussion with our lawyers, and the hope is that chat will return in some form in the future, but for the moment and until this very unfortuante situation is resolved, chat will remain switched off.

I hope this helps clear up some of the rumours and you can understand why Steve has had to take this decision.


Rae Carpenter Final comment on this: Sarah has said that an email was sent to all Rocks customers explaining the current situation. It would seem many of you haven't received it. : (

 

[Rocchic]

Thanks Loobi - I dont hve fb - something very odd about this but I suppose we will have to wait and see

 

[Sarah Bennett]

Hi All,

There was an email sent out last week as soon as chat came off. It was sent to all customers who used the chatroom regularly.

I double checked with IT on Monday as a few people have said that they hadn't receievd the email. As far as we are aware it was sent (IT also sent a copy to themselves to check it went).

Apologies if you haven't receieved it. I will question it again tomorrow as more of you have said now that it hasn't been received.

Chat will hopefully be coming to a conclusion this week.

Thank you for your understanding and patience

Best Regards

Sarah Bennett

 

[Sarah Bennett]

For those who didn't recieve the email......


Dear Valued Customer



It is with sadness that yesterday we were forced to remove the chatroom from the website. We apologise that it was not possible to forewarn that this was about to happen.



As you know we have faced horrendous issues lately with some customers abusing other members and some people posting not very nice comments about each other. This has escalated to the stage where we are now being threatened with legal action.



We are taking advice on the best way forward. We are sure there will be something back at some stage, but right now we are evaluating our situation.



Regards



Steve Bennett

 

[Rocchic]

Thank you Sarah for updating those of us who do use the chat room but didnt get the email.

 

[Sarah Bennett]

No problem Rocchic we were unaware that it had possibly not been received until Monday night. We will hopefully be able to update you all by the end of the week. ( And will triple check that the email has been received!)

Best Regards

Sarah

 

[PJ.]

Having been a moderator for Lycos Chat for 2 years a while back I saw first hand how normal people use the anonymity of the 'net to abuse people who in all likely hood will never meet.

I try not to say anything nasty to anyone let alone strangers.

I do find it odd people are blaming Rocks but understand why they pulled it.

PJ


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rocchic]

I am the same PJ would never knowingly upset anyone - I know the written word can appear far more harsh than the verbal equivalent - and I see this first hand with student fb and text issues - we have tried out verbal and written experiments with my students so they can see how perceptions can be made - however unfortunately I have read some pretty awful stuff of late on Rocks and gather as you say its common in chat rooms. I suppose its difficult for Rocks because unlike an ordinary forum where chatters can be warned and banned - they are banning their customers which is their livelihood. I too find it strange ppl are blaming rocks - they have really done their best to moderate what is a marketing tool but also a free service and they do have a business to run. I was new to chat rooms 2 years ago when introduced to Rocks and have only recently posted on here - I hope it is resolved soon and it is unfair to blame Rocks as it deflects the responsibility from the perpetrators who are being abusive. Dont see the point tbh

 

[argeybargey]

Modern culture I'm afraid. Accept no responsibility for yourself and sue the nearest poor schmuck who happens to be at hand. Somebody climbs an enormous aged tree in the park, branch breaks, person gets bruised finger and sues the council.

Having said that, I do think Rocks are somewhat careless in their moderation, or lack thereof. Someone has to be watching otherwise how do they pick up all the nice remarks that they are so keen to flash on screen. Surely this other stuff must also get noticed, and was certainly to be expected once the channel became televised. xxxxxxxx

 

[Mrs James]

Rocks started off so well with proper rising auctions,great bargains, great CS and fun in the chat which kept me watching thru the pieces that weren't of interest to me....and dare i say it, but once this forum got wind of a row/disagreement over there, i'd be there like a shot to see what was going on *blush (but i'm sure i wasn't in the minority there)...then quality started to slide, as did CS, embarrassing ads appeared and annoying 'presentation with limited gosh words' turned up and now finally my affair was over......and i've cancelled my email subscription so even tho i'm sure i would have got one (!) i didn't

 

[loobi]

To pick up on a few points raised... thanks Sarah for a copy of the email

I dont necessarily "blame" Rocks but it seems to have descended into chaos, rumour and speculation - something that could easily have been rectified without the need for endless discussion by a simple resend of an email just to be sure....for this I think Rocks take 100% blame

As to complaints of bullying - I agree with the view that the written word can be misinterpreted, I also agree that there has been some pretty awful stuff on there but I also agree that Rocks could have policed it. When I asked about moderators on the chat I was told that by placing moderators Rocks was taking on a liability - seems that some people think that they have a liability without moderators so easier to put someone in there and stamp out the problems. It was well said that someone is watching all the time for them to be able to post the glowing words of adoration on the screens. I do think though, If I felt I was being bullied ...I have a big button to disconnect and off I would go - to return when I felt comfortable after all we never get on with everyone in life and thats the way it is.

At the end of the day Chat not only kept buyers there, it entertained and informed.......... many of my questions are now going unanswered and unacknowledged and hence I am loosing interest. We look forward to the email at the end of this week and hope it brings us some good news ..... for those of us who find chat useful.

 

[rebeccab]

I havent been in chat for a few months now, which is a shame as I used to enjoy chatting with fellow blingaholics, getting info about pieces and chatting about what we had/hadnt bought, its a shame it has descended into chaos, although not seeing it first hand, i did hear rumours about what was being said and tbh thats what put me off logging on, unless i saw a name i recognised i usually just lurked, sadly or thankfully (my cc is no longer at melting point), depending on how you look at it, I havent bought for a while i feel that what was happening in chat spoilt the buying experience, along with worsening cs, I would love for chat to go back to the good ol days, people sharing a common interest having a laugh and getting along, but feel it may have gone too far already,
Anyway apologies for rambling, am working nights, so am off to bed, to dream about bling

 

[Mirabelle]

No Email

Sarah..I too am one of so many who also... "Didn't receive this email!..:mail:

I havn't posted here for many many months..so Hello to all...

As for the bullying that went on, you had to have been there, i'm sure many did witness this and also the swearing, name calling and blaspheming, the perpertrator/s know who they are and have only themselves to blame that chat was made liable and shut down.. I know it's a shame, and many will miss it,:sad: but let's face it the Bennetts were left with no choice, and in a position they needed to get advise on.. It had to be done really as it couldn't go on the way it was..with the rude bullying confrontational and obnoxious behaviour towards rocks staff when confronted on their behaviour in chat/chit, and the same behaviour to other chatters.

 

[jacqualina]

Having said that, I do think Rocks are somewhat careless in their moderation, or lack thereof. Someone has to be watching otherwise how do they pick up all the nice remarks that they are so keen to flash on screen. Surely this other stuff must also get noticed, and was certainly to be expected once the channel became televised. xxxxxxxx

Spot on Argey, how clever of you, hadn't even thought of that. Of course someone was following the chat, otherwise we wouldn't have had the sycophantic messages constantly popping up on screen. Reminds me a bit of the emails that are read out on Steve Wright in the Afternoon! If they could manage to spot the praise, why on earth couldn't they notice the undesirable ones? Could it be because they don't want to alienate potential customers and any customer will do?
If I were running this company, I'd be extremely worried about all the negative comments on this forum from previously loyal (dare I say even fanatical?) customers. But, of course, maybe they just don't care about them as long as new customers are being roped in and sales figures are on the up.
I've stuck with them longer than some on here, but I only today received my refund emails from them for items I sent back by Special Delivery on September 13th!! I don't care what their T&C's say, this is shocking customer service and I'm loath to give them my money again until they've sorted themselves out.