Complainers

[vank]

As an admin how do you handle serial complainers

[bigballofyarn]

There's a saying that goes something like, "Some people will criticize anything. They will watch you fall off a cliff and then criticize how you died."

Some people will not be happy even after you give them the world. As an admin, you can't and probably won't please every single person.

However, what are they complaining about? Maybe we can offer some suggestions.

[vank]

First he says my forum is good and then bad and then he says why other topics get replies and not mine and then he pimps is own threads and bump bump. He mad when other topics replies first. Angry person. Then says peoe should reply to his topic and not more fun topic and then he complain to staff and. Ake accusations that staff is bad or that his topics need more of love just for him

[harryk]

^^ As above.

"You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time."

What are the complaints about?

[bigballofyarn]

It sounds like he made topics that may have been less than engaging for your members or the topics didn't get an immediate reaction like they may have on social media. He sounds like one of those people will pat you on the back when he gets what he wants and then act like the staff members did something wrong when things are less than favorable for him. I don't know him, but he sounds like he could be very difficult. This is your forum though. You get to decide whether or not he is worth the stress. If he complains, tell him that the door is open and he can leave at any time. Some people make trolling their full-time job. You don't have to put up with that if you don't want to.

[vank]

What to do with their rude posts

[bigballofyarn]

Do what's best for the forum as a whole. If they are creating negativity where it isn't needed, delete or archive them. See if you can settle things with him via PM. This "dirty laundry" of his doesn't need to be handled out in the open either way.

[harryk]

This is how I do it. I don't just delete the posts, instead I move them to an Admin/staff only quarantine board. That way I keep a record.

Then contact the member publicly and via PM to caution them. If that fails I'll start with the official warnings.

I keep this public and inform all members what's happening. Plus tell the individual when and where to stop.

Usually they leave before the warning reaches banning level.

This is your forum, you can ban anyone for any or no reason at all but people like it if they're kept in the loop.

[bigballofyarn]

I actually do archive posts too. It comes in handy more often than you think.

During the DDoSing, I archived the 2-3 posts I received from the attackers and it was helpful to the ProBoards admins.

[vank]

Hi. Thanks to both you.

So good idea for staff or archive board. I see

[bigballofyarn]

vank,

Definitely equip your forum with some moderators you trust and have a moderator board where you can discuss things like this.

[Kami]

"I am sorry to hear our community is not up to your standards. I hope you can find one that fits your needs. Best of luck, and take care."

It's not worth it, to me, to engage with someone who doesn't like what I / my community is doing. I am here to have fun with people who share my interests, not babysit a curmudgeon, so they can leave.

The most important thing that any forum admin needs to learn is that a forum community is a garden: it needs to cultivated with what's good for its growth, and weeds that would be detrimental to its health must be removed immediately, by the roots, with as little ceremony as possible.

Yes, problem members can and often do reform. But, people who do not find satisfaction unless they're the star of the forum every day do not.

[bigballofyarn]

vank,

I just want to check in and see how you're doing. How did you decide to handle the complainer?

[vank]

I gave him a preaswnt

[bigballofyarn]

I'm not sure what you mean by "gave him a present." However, my advice to you is to not try to buy love. Don't do this in real life either.