Mods - Damn cheek

[#1]

Careful - you just broke a forum rule by quoting all a post, especially an adjacent post 

[#2]

I note that these questions have been ignored

Quote from: Spider

Now please indicate how you become a member of the this 'elite' Usergroup and what specific relevance that as against the decisions of a mod on this forum.

Quote from: Santiago

I suspect because many users of the community forum have no idea what the Usergroup is, what its purpose and scope is, who the members are, why they are members, how they got to be members.

Quote from: jelv

How many posts about the new product set have there been on the public boards on the PUG forums? What responsibilities do PUG members have on these forums (if they are not also moderators)? How were the PUG members elected?

[#3]

at long last i registered for the pug forum and was shocked at the lack of posts in genral there were on there.
i would like to know abit more about the purpose ect of the pug. i have bein a member for well over a year and have only seein your pug status on your profile's but never realy seen anything about what you do posted on this site.
as this comunity forum has trouble getting  a gd % of pn users acative  maybe pug's need to vist there neioughbours more often to let new customers know you exist and what you do.

[#4]

Just bring this thread back closer to the original topic. I find it strange that there as been a lack of Mod input so far to discussion other than the original post saying why the mod action was taken. As a reminder:

Quote from: Barry

That is exactly the point. Plusnet are taking our feedback on-board in the first week of the product launch.  Also, all the various options available are settling into people's minds. Next week, I'll run a poll on the 18 month contracts - hopefully including plenty of 'options' to choose from which encompass a lot of the ideas put forward in the Product Refresh thread, and then Plusnet will be able to see the most popular options. I've already closed two other polls on the subject, so I haven't singled you out to persecute you. B.

I also would like to highlight that we are not just talking about one poll being closed, but three.

[#5]

Santiago,
There is no elite-ism in the usergroup. We are a bunch of customers who volunteered to help. We have signed a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with Plusnet, which means at times we are party to information from Plusnet that we can't reveal publically. A lot of our work is behind the scenes working on behalf of customers.
For example, we were recently consulted about the new products (before launch), and disliked a lot of what we were presented, and challenged Plusnet in great detail. Without giving away details that we can't disclose, we can say that we have been instrumental in seeing changes to that offering, both before and after launch. There are pages and pages and pages of discussions back and forth between Plusnet and PUG refining the products away in a private forum.
We are glad of the refinements that have taken place so far (both before and after release), but are also still fighting the case for more refinements to happen (and hopefully we'll see more changes yet!). Because of the NDA, we can't reveal more specifically at the moment. I can see how the NDA creates a feeling of elite-ism, as we rarely get a chance to talk about our work, even after a product release. It would be great if we were able to tell you what the products would have looked like without our intervention, but that would contravene the NDA. I think that leaves PUG in a difficult position when presenting what we do to the wider public.
The mods have a very difficult and very public role that is visible to all and they occasionally make mistakes and take the flack for it. PUG on the other hand has an equally important role, but most of it is unsung because it is unheard about. I think we could do with raising the profile of PUG and seeing if we can get more recognition of the work we do behind the scenes... and maybe getting non important info from past successes released from the NDA so Plusnet customers can see what we have achieved on their behalf. Until then, we will always have a potential "image" problem because of the hidden nature of our work.
I became a member because I saw this advert and responded:
http://usergroup.plus.net/News_080918_PUG%20recruiting%202008.php
More info about PUG can be found here:
http://usergroup.plus.net/about.php
PUG is totally independent of Plusnet, but has a good working relationship with staff in the decision making levels. Anyone is free is apply to become a member, and if your offer is accepted, then you too can help by becoming an unsung hero. There is no glamour in the role, and it consumes more time than you'll freely admit to family or friends, but you have the satisfaction of knowing you've made a real difference to Plusnet on behalf of every day customers... and that is a very rewarding feeling! Of course we don't always win our battles either, so there is always the potential for disappointment... but then Plusnet is a business, and our impact on behalf of customers is always heard, if not heeded!
The other problem with the time the role takes up in hidden forums, means that for example, I have much less time to post publically on Community site now I work for PUG. That only adds to the perceived secrecy of the role. Ideally we'd have our own marketing team to keep Plusnet Customers informed of what we've been up to, so that we can keep on doing it without being seen as secretive. In fact you can see in the advert, that PUG was specifically seeking people with skills in writing, so that we could talk more about what we do...
If you feel you could do that job of writing about PUGs hidden work (or offer skills of value to any PUG work), then feel free to get in touch via the routes talked about in the advert above, as new members are always welcome.

Quote from: ASBO

at long last i registered for the pug forum and was shocked at the lack of posts in genral there were on there.

As I said above, most of the work of PUG is in hidden forums, due to the NDA covering our items of discussion. The PUG forums are VERY well used, just behind the scenes. The public facing forums are less used because the Community site has done a good job in some areas, and also Plusnet have had a relatively stable time in the last few years. People tend to use PUG forums mainly when Community has failed them, and they  need something escalating. Or if the topic is of a more technical or niche in nature. The PUG public forums remain (albeit less used currently), as a place that could instantly be used if Community ever fell into excessive censorship, or if Community site had a major outage at some point. If PUG needed to run a public campaign to challenge Plusnet, it would also be the place we used for that purpose.
Hope this helps provide some clarity.
Mike
Usergroup Volunteer

[#6]

Do you wear aprons and sing songs with your trouser legs rolled up, publicly?

[#7]

You'd have to join before we told you... and once in, the NDA would stop you telling others....  
All I'd say is don't join if you value your free time! 
Mike
PS... in case anyone is under any doubt, I am joking! I'm free to say anything I like... (PUG chairman, See I didn't give anything away, you can stop monitoring my internet connection now!)
(edited to add clarity... sort of)

[#8]

Quote from: xpcomputers

For example, we were recently consulted about the new products (before launch), and disliked a lot of what we were presented, and challenged Plusnet in great detail. Without giving away details that we can't disclose, we can say that we have been instrumental in seeing changes to that offering, both before and after launch.

You mean their first proposals were even worse than what we've got now?

[#9]

Maybe    it's NDA -
but you were largely instrumental in pointing out the issue with BBYW - which was then put right - so it's all a team effort 

[#10]

Jelv,
Some rough edges have been refined... and more refining is hopefully still possible. Can't say more.... But know that PUG are a great bunch of people who put in many hours behind the scenes for the sake of customers! (I can say that as a newbie, since I have only personally done it for a short while, but have now seen first hand the dedication these other guys & gals put in for everyone here... and I'm impressed by their commitment!)
But it is not just PUG that help.... there are moderators here (controversial in this thread, but they mean well and work hard, even if they don't always get it right)... and normal customers who help others in these forums without even a title... along side the staff who help outside their paid hours beyond the call of duty.... they are all different elements of what help make the wider Plusnet community (for want of a better word - I don't mean just the "Community" site), such a great place.
With a little more work, it will be even better... I hope that day comes soon!
Mike

[#11]

Jelv, I can assure you our comments weren't aimed at making the products worse.
In connection with PUG expressing their views here, that might seem like trying to force members to adopt those views. Plusnet are well aware of PUG's views. These forums provide means for other customers to express theirs - and PUG are trying to reflect those views in posts that are made in behind-the-scenes places.
David

[#12]

Its a shame really on the extensive thread, I have for my sins been doing a poster analysis, Pug 9 mods 5 others a massive 80  It doesnt help the image of PUG at all

[#13]

the sounds of it you pug guys could do with a kit kat break . to keep the secarcy alive i surrgest you change your forum names to Mr Black, Mr Red and pull short straws for Mr Pink, or if you have the fairer of the sex on the team miss pink

[#14]

I'd have liked to stand as a mod as I really enjoy corresponding with the people on this particular forum but I won't do business with a company that treats its customers with the same lack of consideration PN has so alas I can't be

[#15]

Mitch, there's a difference between 'lack of consideration' and 'contempt' - I think the latter is a bit unfair on PN. I realise you're not happy with them at the moment, but spreading hatred on the forums isn't really going to help anyone.