"Dissing" a company online.

Genghis

OK, the details are not that relevant here, so I'll spare you! Suffice to say that I have recently been the subject of truly awful serice from a small, professional company. I have complained numerous times (face-to-face, and by telephone), but to no avail and to no satisfaction. I paid for the service by deduction of money they collected for me (i.e. I had no choice), and when I sought a partial refund, which was agreed as a result of a complaint, I was later told to get lost.

While I have cut all ties with them at this stage, I would like to put up a webpage that details the pithy service they provide. Just to be clear, some of their cock-ups could be very expensive, and I would like others to be made aware of their incompetence (which I believe is endemic in their company, rather than a series of mistakes). (For your info they are auctioneers, and their customers charge them with the responsibility to buy /sell /let their most valuable asset).

I contend that they are professionally inept, largely incompetent and not to be trusted. While they enjoy a good franchise in their area, I want potential customers to know what to look out for before they decide to use them.

My idea was to put a frank, objective account of my experience on my website, together with a 'watch out for' warning. With time my acccount should come up alongside searches for that company's own site - much of their business would be online, and potential customers can make their minds up.

I would also take substantial satisfaction in e-mailing the principal with a link to my opinion, and telling him that potential customers will now be made aware of his crappy service before they decide what to do.

Please note, that everything I decide to use will be defensible, previously discussed with them (but not fully resolved), and of a nature that could potentially harm the interests of clients.

What are the legal pitfalls I should watch for here? Any useful links?

whiskeyman

http://btireland-sucks.com/
He did something similar... and received a letter from the company
What sort of company are they?
Perhaps post your experience on message boards where such customers (potential or past) may be and there could be some who share your troubles.

Kinetic^

whiskeyman wrote:

http://btireland-sucks.com/
He did something similar... and received a letter from the company
What sort of company are they?
Perhaps post your experience on message boards where such customers (potential or past) may be and there could be some who share your troubles.

Do it, Do it!!

The Corinthian

The bottom line is that if you can legally prove what you claim then you are not legally liable.

homeOwner

Thread carefully.

I used to work for this company and knew the guy who hosts this website and most of the people who are mentioned on it.

http://pw1.netcom.com/~stuartk/daa.html

They got into all sorts of trouble and law suits abounded but they still have the page up (It was moved from its original hostsite).

The company even managed to win a case to reveal the identity of yahoo posters on one of the yahoo message boards that dissed the company. They were still working there at the time.

Still what else can they do except ask you to take it down.

Genghis

whiskeyman wrote:

http://btireland-sucks.com/
He did something similar... and received a letter from the company
What sort of company are they?
Perhaps post your experience on message boards where such customers (potential or past) may be and there could be some who share your troubles.

That site is an inspiration! Go Adam. BTW, if you ever read this, I'd love to hear your advice, man!

They are a local (very local) auctioneers in a commuter town about 50 miles from Dublin. They operate onder the principals name (no brand name), but would be well-known locally and via myhome.ie to people moving to the area. I doubt that they would be big enough for me to meet with someone on boards.ie with the same experience, but now you have me thinking, I could post it on the relevant regional forum.

The Corinthian, thanks for the advice, also. That is what I thought too.

rsynnott

Note that TheCorinithian said if you can legally prove it. Can you? Be VERY sure before you go talking (tho, erm, you seem to have started anyway). This country (along with the UK) has quite draconian libel law, and that the onus is on you to prove your allegations, as opposed to being on the company to disprove them.

sceptre

Much as I love the www.<company>-sucks.com route, it can come with quite a bit of legal difficulty which will suck away your time.

However, register a different domain that doesn't contain their registered name, make an effort to move up the google rankings and you'll still get the site coming up at the top of the google list alongside theirs. And no possibility of them using the easier route of trying to pull you for passing off by using their registered name as they'll be left with nothing but trying to prove you're lying. Crapauctioneers.com or something similar is what I'd suggest. Of course if you've got a big brass neck like young Beecher you could just say sod it and go the more in their face route. I wouldn't write anything you can't demonstrate to be true though as you'll be in sticky ground then regardless. However I wish you well, just make sure, as TC said that you can legally prove your accusations to be so.

ballooba

Remember that defamtion law does not apply to companies, only individuals.

Why don't you sue the company for breach of contract?

Who is the auctioneers btw? Name and shame.

rsynnott

ballooba wrote:

Remember that defamtion law does not apply to companies, only individuals.

I'm moderately certain that libel law applies to companies. If not, the whole McLibel thing would be rather silly, no?

Slice

You say you've complained both face to face and by telephone - this is usually not that effective.

Have you tried writing to them? Your best option is to exhause your avenues of complaint with the company - so keep a record of all contact - note dates and times of contact if face-to-face or by phone and details of contact, if writing to them you're best avoiding emailing them since this is usually a dead end but if you do then keep a log of all email dialogues. if writing to them keep a copy of all correspondence sent and received.

Just remember that as a customer of this company you have a right to speak to the superior of of every person you're dealing until you get to the very top. You'll find that the larger the company and the less time the person on top has to deal with individual customers the more likely they'll want to get rid of you by whatever means necessary even if that means doing for you whatever you want them to do.

If you've exhausted your avenues of complaint with the company you sould refer to the regulator of whatever market they operate in if you have a valid case. You should also refer to the Consumer Association Ireland and the government body The Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs.

If necessary you can make things awkward for the company to the point that they'll bend to your will (even if your will is unreasonable). This can be done by making various requests through both the data protection act and freedom of information act for information they have on you but which they may not want to share. Alternatively you can choose the costlier option of having your correspondence through a solicitors which is usually enough to get their attention.

Either way - you have alot of options.

RainyDay

Have you made a formal compaint to their professional body (IAPI or IAVI)?