Do users have any right to discuss Plusnet's spending on advertising?
Another user has raised the issue of the alleged £7.2M spend on the recent advertising campaigns and trying to make a totally spurious link to the charge being imposed for payment by cards.
Firstly I don't see why how much they have spent should be an issue for us. The campaigns have been ramping up over the last couple of years; they must be being successful in bringing in more users and be giving a net profit or Plusnet wouldn't be continuing with them. I've noted that the number of users online at any one time as shown by the performance graphs has doubled in the last couple of years or so - the campaigns must be working.
I think there is a valid debate to be had as to the timing of the campaigns - I've posted previously that I thought they should be scaled back until the support resources were ready to cope with the extra workload the new users bring. But I see no relevance in discussing the amount of the spend - that is a commercial matter just for Plusnet and their owners.
Firstly I don't see why how much they have spent should be an issue for us. The campaigns have been ramping up over the last couple of years; they must be being successful in bringing in more users and be giving a net profit or Plusnet wouldn't be continuing with them. I've noted that the number of users online at any one time as shown by the performance graphs has doubled in the last couple of years or so - the campaigns must be working.
I think there is a valid debate to be had as to the timing of the campaigns - I've posted previously that I thought they should be scaled back until the support resources were ready to cope with the extra workload the new users bring. But I see no relevance in discussing the amount of the spend - that is a commercial matter just for Plusnet and their owners.
It goes without saying that you can discuss what you like on these forums. But I would add that discussing something that no figures or statistics have been published about would surely make discussing the matter very difficult indeed.
Do we not think this would lead to speculation rather than discussion?
Do we not think this would lead to speculation rather than discussion?
It's worth bearing in mind that the £7m quoted figure is for an advertising campaign over a considerable period of time. But anyway, why shouldn't we? Isn't it in any company's interests to grow?
Jelv - I welcome your comments on timing, but would also assure you that we continue to grow internally at a continued rate and from monitoring the daily call and ticket volumes (which I do) and monitor the customer sat responses (which I also do), I haven't seen any downturn in performance apart from when we saw the silly white, fluffy stuff and also when we first brought all support back to Sheffield.
I think we in a decent place support wise, and continuing to make improvements, so I'm not massively concerned about the timing of the advertising. Besides, it's nice to see our name on telly
Jelv - I welcome your comments on timing, but would also assure you that we continue to grow internally at a continued rate and from monitoring the daily call and ticket volumes (which I do) and monitor the customer sat responses (which I also do), I haven't seen any downturn in performance apart from when we saw the silly white, fluffy stuff and also when we first brought all support back to Sheffield.
I think we in a decent place support wise, and continuing to make improvements, so I'm not massively concerned about the timing of the advertising. Besides, it's nice to see our name on telly
Quote £7m quoted figure i
It's worth bearing in mind this is an arbitrary figure for the whole advertising campaign as James says so my point is that without understanding how this is broken down you might find this difficult to discuss.
Quote goes without saying that you can discuss what you like on these forums.
We cannot stop you from doing this so go for it.
Quote from: thisoldman adam i am only interested in seeing a full discussion of the issues. your ceo has provided the figures to yorkshirepost.
i sincerely believe that there are concomitant implications of this amount of spending for we, the people who pay plusnet.
jelv hAs already expresed some concers. I would simply like to see a full discusiion by the members who, after all ...pay the bills.
We are not members of a club.
We are just customers and Plusnet seek to minimise their expenses and maximise their income.
It's called Capitalism.
It's called business
I'm always a little bemused at discussions like this. In one respect, yes we can discuss what we like; Yes there's not a lot to gain without more information: No it might be considered none of our business how Plusnet (or Tesco, or Barclays) run their businesses, but on the other hand, those businesses are run (and profits earned) using our money.
However, I compare that with government (and particularly local government) spending, when all the arguments are turned on their heads. Authorities are now required to publish every single spend over £500, on the grounds that we're spending our customers' (the taxpeyers') money.
Isn't Plusnet merely spending our money? So why shouldn't they be required to publish how much they spend on running the business?
/runs and hides/
However, I compare that with government (and particularly local government) spending, when all the arguments are turned on their heads. Authorities are now required to publish every single spend over £500, on the grounds that we're spending our customers' (the taxpeyers') money.
Isn't Plusnet merely spending our money? So why shouldn't they be required to publish how much they spend on running the business?
/runs and hides/
