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WGT official forum moderator introduction!

• alosso 21,072 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 9:02 AM

  YankeeJim:

  alosso:

  @YJ: Is it your true opinion that "We need your help" (Thread title) and "Please give us your opinion" (multiple invitation by WGT, opening a discussion) is user-driven? You can't be serious!

  They then become one of the users.

  Apples, peaches.

  YankeeJim:

  Take it to the extreme here, Alosso.

  O.k. Imagine you call a client and ask him what features of your products he likes or would like to have improved. Would you then go away, let him talk alone, record his thoughts to check later what he said? Would it be o.k. for you never to get back to him to discuss his thoughts or even thank him for his efforts?

  Additional question: Would that be a client-driven phone call, maybe because he spoke more than you?

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 9:07 AM

  Actually good valid logic and you missed it.  You're right in that we all have the option to open our wallets here.  Being rude to potential customers doesn't pay.  And IMO that's what WGT does by not replying.  Its not good business.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 9:14 AM

  andyson:

  Being rude to potential customers doesn't pay.  And IMO that's what WGT does by not replying.  Its not good business.

  I agree about being rude and WGT would be just that if they didn't respond to the way they request you contact them. It isn't in the forums, it's through the Contact button. To expect them to carry on a dialogue in a public forum that they don't religiously monitor is unreasonable and shouldn't be a basis for judging their efforts. 

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 9:36 AM

  I thought we were talking about WGT responding to product suggestions in the Product Suggestion forum?  So its not unreasonable to expect replies in their forum where they ask us to put our suggestions.

• srellim234 2,077 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 9:38 AM

  Such behavior on WGTs part may well be only to provide a sham appearance that they care about customers' desires. They may be starting these threads with absolutely no intention of actually paying attention or doing anything. It appears that enough of the employees play the game that their desires are the only ones that get programmed. Occasionally those will overlap with others' desires because everyone wants a better gameplay experience. Customer requests outside of WGT employees' whims appear to have no bearing on what actually gets programmed.

  Since at least as far back as 2010 WGT has published listings of what the most requested customer suggestions are. They have steadfastly refused to keep the customers informed as to what is considered, dismissed out of hand, under development, considered but on the back burner for future development, etc. 

  Cynical? Yes, I am. For over 7 years they've proven the current customer doesn't matter because they can get more customers and make more money in spite of themselves. There are billions of potential customers still out there. Plus, like many other businesses these days, should anything slow down you can bet upper management has their golden parachutes in place and they'll take whatever money they can on the way out, leaving the rank and file workers holding the bag.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 10:01 AM

  andyson:

  I thought we were talking about WGT responding to product suggestions in the Product Suggestion forum?  So its not unreasonable to expect replies in their forum where they ask us to put our suggestions.

  This goes to the Suggestion Box where answers aren't directly expected. IMO, they shouldn't be expected here, either. Send them an e-mail if you want an answer. Heh, how "canned" that answer is is another story.

  The expectations are what's throwing a wrench into the works. As soon as people part with money those expectations go up. Don't have expectations with a free to play game and this isn't an issue.

• MrSCicero 154 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 10:03 AM

  srellim234:

  Such behavior on WGTs part may well be only to provide a sham appearance that they care about customers' desires. They may be starting these threads with absolutely no intention of actually paying attention or doing anything. It appears that enough of the employees play the game that their desires are the only ones that get programmed. Occasionally those will overlap with others' desires because everyone wants a better gameplay experience. Customer requests outside of WGT employees' whims appear to have no bearing on what actually gets programmed.

  Since at least as far back as 2010 WGT has published listings of what the most requested customer suggestions are. They have steadfastly refused to keep the customers informed as to what is considered, dismissed out of hand, under development, considered but on the back burner for future development, etc. 

  Cynical? Yes, I am. For over 7 years they've proven the current customer doesn't matter because they can get more customers and make more money in spite of themselves. There are billions of potential customers still out there. Plus, like many other businesses these days, should anything slow down you can bet upper management has their golden parachutes in place and they'll take whatever money they can on the way out, leaving the rank and file workers holding the bag.

  OK Guys,

  Enough is enough, I did not start this thread as a bashing grounds against the staff of WGT, I was just trying to find out who the moderators for the forums were as I did not know, I did not realize that the forums were just customer driven,I guess I just assumed that they were trying to give the customers what they thought we wanted if it was within reason and possible and would add to the playability of the game experience, My hat goes off to all involved in making this the game it already is,And it does not matter if it is the Admin,The programmers,or even the person that sweeps the floor there,They still have made one hell of a game!

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 10:14 AM

  YankeeJim:

  The expectations are what's throwing a wrench into the works. As soon as people part with money those expectations go up. Don't have expectations with a free to play game and this isn't an issue.

  Free to play is not relevant for me, (and probably you), I've paid.  So we agree.  If I've paid then I have a voice.  ;)

   

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 11:41 AM

  andyson:

  Free to play is not relevant for me, (and probably you), I've paid.  So we agree.  If I've paid then I have a voice.  ;)

  LOL. Of course you do, it never was about having a voice. It's the response, or lack thereof, that seems to be causing the upset in a few.  And for you, I could do a free cabinet. ;-)

• plebian7 3 Posts

  Wed, Aug 20 2014 12:25 PM

  srellim234:

  Such behavior on WGTs part may well be only to provide a sham appearance that they care about customers' desires. They may be starting these threads with absolutely no intention of actually paying attention or doing anything. It appears that enough of the employees play the game that their desires are the only ones that get programmed. Occasionally those will overlap with others' desires because everyone wants a better gameplay experience. Customer requests outside of WGT employees' whims appear to have no bearing on what actually gets programmed.

  Since at least as far back as 2010 WGT has published listings of what the most requested customer suggestions are. They have steadfastly refused to keep the customers informed as to what is considered, dismissed out of hand, under development, considered but on the back burner for future development, etc. 

  Cynical? Yes, I am. For over 7 years they've proven the current customer doesn't matter because they can get more customers and make more money in spite of themselves. There are billions of potential customers still out there. Plus, like many other businesses these days, should anything slow down you can bet upper management has their golden parachutes in place and they'll take whatever money they can on the way out, leaving the rank and file workers holding the bag.

  I agree with your assessment Srellim.  I am cynical too.  There are critical areas of function in this game which remain unresolved, some of which have been the subject of my own complaints to WGT.  

  Does everyone know that WGT's Better Business Bureau rating is "F"?  IMO, that rating is directly because of WGT's refusal to address valid customer concerns.  See the details here:

  http://www.bbb.org/greater-san-francisco/business-reviews/golf-courses-public/world-golf-tour-in-san-francisco-ca-458102

  I agree with you Srellim, that "they've proven the current customer doesn't matter because they can get more customers and make more money in spite of themselves."

  The failing grade with the BBB appears to stem mostly from WGT's refusal to answer consumer complaints.  The BBB rating reveals that it really doesn't matter to WGT what existing customers think, there are always new revenues regardless of their track record of failure to fulfill the requests of current customers.  And it's all about the money, ultimately.