A couple of weeks ago I wrote quite a restrained post urging TextAmerica to have a rethink about their plans to delete their long-time customers’ free accounts and hence, peoples’ precious digital memories or
“It would be so easy to become victims of a very nasty hate campaign if they screw with people‚Äôs photos and memories.”
As I predicted, that campaign erupted, both directly and indirectly as a result of my piece. And TA executed a startling handbrake turn, that would have had Bo and Luke Duke gasping in admiration, and announced a plan for free “lifetime membership” for old customers.
If I can predict this kind of thing, why on earth coundn’t they and save themselves a whole bunch of hassle? You’d have thought that their role is to be close to their customers and this was patently obviously going to upset their oldest advocates, who incidentially, had been largely responsible to building up the service in the first place.
But even in doing the right thing (under immense pressure) they did it wrong, trying to dress it up and spin the change of heart as a result of some kind of “outpour of positive support” whatever that is. It would have been far more graceful, honest and authentic (all important characteristics for today’s brands)¬†to admit “Hey, sorry, we screwed up. But we listened to you and here’s what we’re gonna do…”
Because if I had a free account with TextAmerica, this mean-spirited concession would have made me lose faith in them altogether and I’d be wondering when they’re going to pull this kind of stunt again, or just lose my precious digital memories “by accident”.
Far better to change to a responsible curator like MoblogUK, who offer and will continue to offer, a free curating service and who drew the story to my attention in the first place.
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