I'm not sure I understand where anyone could think this article was all that informative. The DOJ plug has been used time and time again - and while it's a legitimate concern, brandying it about as though every possible third party processor has been contacted and instantly shriveled into a ball and ran away is patently absurd.
The fact that this "large group of players" who were "abusing the P2P transfer policy" never gets a number attached to it is another red herring. It's a tactic, pure and simple. And while I don't doubt some people helped themselves to some trading and straight cashing out, by not putting any sort of general number out there in reference to those committing such a heinous act, you instantly lose credibility on the subject.
Let me get this straight. The "large group" of "mule" account persons are being used as a reason for cashout delays. This investigation, by the way, took place "over the last few weeks", as though the cashout issues have only been around since the middle of April. Cashout times when I first started playing on Lock back in July of 2012 were 3-5 weeks for WU and two months for checks, and those were lengthy waiting times in of themselves. So where was this investigative notion in September last year? October? December? Are people really just now engaging in this activity, frothing at the mouth of making 66% on their money with projected 4-6 month wait times? Again, credibility here is almost less than nil. And if your number one priority is supposedly "reducing payout times over the next few weeks", you would be buying up GDMP or Netspend codes, or Walmart gift cards, or do something...anything similar, and immediately giving them to those who have waited for their payments since before the clock struck 2013 - even if their cashouts are "in the queue". Eat the loss, cancel the checks, write it off. However you term it, it's the least you can do. It won't bankrupt you and it would be a huge win in your column from the online community.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jen Larson
The other ongoing challenge for us and all online poker networks is creating and sustaining a balanced network ecology. Based on my experience this is achieved by all partner sites investing in new player acquisition, player loyalty and retention and maintaining a strong growth pattern. On Merge the ecology was healthier because there were partners with aggressive marketing budgets who were focused on bringing in new players and liquidity. That was not the case on Revolution.
This is the most ridiculous thing I have read of all I've seen from this fiasco. Thank the good Lord above the very few sites out there like Intertops, which is on Revolution, doesn't engage in Lock's infamously insipid promotions, grandiose growth strategies, in trying to sign a bunch of professional players and giving away bounties on them (or lavishly wining/dining them and sponsorships). This idea that ramming marketing down people's throats makes them loyal to your brand is about 15-20 years out of date. While true that marketing is essential and branding in today's world is no easy feat, you lose credibility once again by being "aggressive" in your marketing to attract the new, mostly uninformed players while remaining docile on maintaining relations with those who play and pay rake to your company. A little humility can go a long way, even in today's shark eat shark world. Not every successful business is run with the mantra that "people are sheep and idiots, so let's just bombard them and they'll eventually line our pockets". It's disingenuous and amazingly transparent.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jen Larson
There has been a lot of confusion and misinformation about the ownership of Revolution Network.
That statement alone completely mystifies me as someone who is laying the groundwork to start their own business. Any confusion and misinformation,
on any subject, can be easily defended against and repaired. It's called proper customer service and public relations. And by giving this "interview" to someone who is either directly or indirectly associated with you only reinforces the fact that Lock and their representatives have no idea how to treat their customers properly. If this was pretty much any other industry, Lock would be long out of business. The sad thing is that they know it, too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Conversation with Shane on December 16, 2012
ME: ...giving people too much information will just confuse them, so let's just give them the info for instances when no issues occur and let them come to support when it goes awry?
SHANE: Yes. That exactly.
ME: That doesnt speak very highly on Lock's opinion of people...
SHANE: Planning for the worst doesn't speak very highly on the confidence in ourselves.
Planning for "the worst"...or any and all contingencies, good and bad, is a simple and well-taught part of owning or operating any business. Being real with people goes a long way. Pulling a Tiger Woods "cheating on wife" press conference-type move (the staged reporters, camera angles, and recited speech/apology - remember how well that went for Tiger in the public eye) simply indicates to those who are able to decipher through blatant BS that you could care less about the real people who are affected by your company's inane administrations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jen Larson
The Lock Retreats are annual and included in our budgets and paid for out of the company profits.
And finally, despite this fact, in lieu of the 2013 that Lock has had, this was still a terrible move. Again, the fact that it was paid for, announced, and budgeted is beside the point. An ample opportunity to at the very least avoid further public scrutiny and outrage, if not showing people that you really cared about their issues with Lock. Here's a simple thought - cancel it. Save a little money. Even if some or most of the cost was embedded and irretrievable, you could have stood to gain a lot more in the minds of the online poker community. And you can belittle this community all you like - but this isn't 1996, when the internet was limited to colleges, schools, a few scattered homes and businesses, and underground UFO watchers. It's 2013, and anyone with a smart phone, computer, tablet, or friend that has one (which basically includes most of the civilized world) can find out all they want to know about Lock Poker by pulling up Google and having at it. And what's among the first four links that pops up when that someone types in "Lock Poker issues", as it were? Aside from Lock's website (and I'd bet anyone who's dealt with online support in other areas of consumerism knows to do a tiny bit of research before going straight to the source - and would definitely do so after speaking with Lock's group), 2+2 is right there, along with other forums. Which leads beautifully into this last quote.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Conversation with Shane on December 16, 2012
Shane: 2+2 is never a clear indication of cashout times.
Never is a
very strong word.
This article is a sham, given by an Lock insider and answered by someone clearly not wanting or caring to answer actual questions with real answers.
But then again, the truth might be more damaging. We have to sit here and speculate about that, thanks chiefly to Lock's inability to do simple and basic things that smart and successful business do. So in all actuality, Lock's continuing to fan the flames regarding their demise themselves.