NO.

[substitute]

Customer questions Six Apart's decisions. Six apart employee anildash responds with hand-waving and personal attacks. He invokes his insider status and then disingenuously calls his shilling for the company "personal," and then says the customer is being deliberately dishonest.

Hey, Anil? Even if springheel_jack was wrong, even if he is guilty of everything you said, you are not entitled to behave that way. At least have the courtesy to put on a sock puppet before you abuse us.

I'm waiting for the public apology.

Guys, we paid for this thing. If you want to keep getting paid just for being Top Bloggers, you can't keep shitting on your customers, even if the customers make you very, very angry. I learned that as a Radio Shack clerk 22 years ago, and I continue to practice it as a well-paid technology professional.

anildash should have his LJ suspended and get a week off work without pay. If you want to be a jerk, go blog for free and get a real job.

Comments

Re: VPs Anonymous

[nikolasco.livejournal.com]

I was just pointing that he's more than just another staff member; he's a VP and should arguably know better. I found the vague AA similarity to of his own introduction amusing, especially considering how obsessed Six Apart is with blogging.

I'm working on a more thoughtful entry about this crap, but it's taking time.

Re: VPs Anonymous

[substitute.livejournal.com]

Got it, thanks. I am going to rest my brain now.

Re: VPs Anonymous

[springheel-jack.livejournal.com]

He's a VP?

We're doomed.

Re: VPs Anonymous

[matgb]

Yup, and you'd have thought he'd have learnt after the last time he made a stupid comment (scroll down - Posted by: Anil at June 5, 2006 11:08 PM)- a VP of a blogging company critiquing a customer for expressing an opnion, because "there are starving people in the Congo".

From what I can tell, he's an arse. I may be wrong.

Re: VPs Anonymous

[anildash.livejournal.com]

I am, sometimes. Other times I'm not so bad... but I figure I've got a better chance at not being an arse if I'm at least out there trying to talk to people. Most of the folks who've IMed/phoned seem to think I'm being reasonable, so I should probably just do a better job of not posting comments when I'm frustrated by people.

Re: VPs Anonymous

[substitute.livejournal.com]

It is good that you're talking to people. More communication from Six Apart and LJ is welcome.

Since your job is PR and you speak directly to customers in a public forum, everything you say is taken seriously, and everything is ex cathedra. It's going to require a different voice than the one you use for blog arguments and flame wars.

If you're the night manager at a cafe, you can tell someone that there's no more soup today, that the steak special went up a buck, that you don't wish to serve him today, or that he's 86d and needs to leave before the police arrive, but you have to do so politely and professionally. And bartenders don't get to have bar fights any more.

Re: VPs Anonymous

[matgb]

Making comments when frustrated I relate to, and have been there. Stopping yourself from doing it is hard, but essential, especially if you're in a public role.

But to an extent, yes, talking to people = good. Unfortunately, people misinterpret, over analyse and pick through even well made public comments, and badly made comments will do more damage than good.

Still, that you are responding is a good thing. Just, y'know, hit preview nd double check those unintentional insults...