Cyprus44 Reviews Section - Feedback Needed

izzet



Joined: 01/12/2006
Posts: 920

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 15:19

I am planning to open up a new section called "North Cyprus Reviews".



It will have subsections, from hotels to airlines, from restaurants to estate agents...



It will help many people to help choose a restaurant to go, a hotel to stay, an estate agency to work with.



Nevertheless, I am afraid that it will attract too much attention from the business owners, especially estate agents!



So, I am thinking that in order to have your review posted, a poster must present in full name and contact information (email address should be fine?).



Do you think people will contribute then?



Would you be scared to post negative reviews on a business, thinking you may be threatened?



I also would like to give chance to the business owners to reply to these comments. I think it is fair enough.



Lastly, how can we stop people from posting reviews with a generic name and an email address? I would like to keep this reviews section as unbiased as possible and I am very hopeful that it will be very helpful to most people, including myself!



What do you say?



Izzet

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 15:39

YES YES YES I Would have no hesitation posting positives/negatives

I would not be scared of being threatened .

Yes i would welcome reply's from business owners



I feel sure we could have input from a computer bod who could help stop people from posting with a generic name / E-mail address but could i ask that whoever did this guise posts there names would be revealed , this would also act as a deterrent .

izzet



Joined: 01/12/2006
Posts: 920

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 15:51

PIPIE - not sure what you meant by your last sentence.



I was thinking that in the reviews, the full name of the person will be displayed along with the review.



Or something like I. Zorlu instead of Izzet Zorlu.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 15:59

sorry Izzet read it to mean something else . but yes good with me .

simbas



Joined: 16/07/2007
Posts: 5943

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 16:09

yes , good idea izzet , but how you are going to stop the people using generic names and e-mail addresses , it could prove very difficult , but if it could be done that would be very beneficial to the forum ,

regards , pat

teapot


Joined: 11/07/2007
Posts: 30

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 16:22

Izzet, I am fully in favour of your suggestion and would appreciate a fair and unbiased opinion forum. I do get fed up with people who post unconstructively and get very personal, all we want is the truth, so that we can make our own decisions, many contributors have vested interests either for or against, so its difficult to judge and some just want to chat, but best of luck.

horny


Joined: 12/05/2008
Posts: 42

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 16:32

YES YES YES I Would have no hesitation posting positives/negatives as thay do to me lol.

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 842

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 17:38

I would be very wary of giving honest criticism for fear of repercussion from the business owner/employee, police, or TRNC authorities. Will businesses be forced to give the real name of the responder? Look at the response so often heard to legitimate threat of legal action 'you can't touch me because of who I am/who I know/the courts etc etc. You say that your review may attract too much attention from business owners. I'm sure it will. Whilst unfair reviews are rightly criticised, what about false wonderful reviews from business owners themselves? There is little to no legal protection for expats as it is and I suspect that many are already fearful of telling what has or is happening to them, How often do you see people actually naming their rogue builder/lawyer/estate agent?

How long will it be before a business owner threatens a writer with legal action? Are you as a website owner going to back honest people?

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 17:44

rtddci what about freedom of speech

Turtle


Joined: 28/05/2007
Posts: 2669

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 17:55

Freedom of speech is all very well and good and I subscribe to this however not all of us are honourable and well meaning.

A good sugestion from Izzet but I would imagine very difficult to administer?

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 842

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 18:01

PIPIE

'What about freedom of speech?'

It is a fundamental human right and one that must be without fear or retribution or persecution. Doesn't mean that you have it in the TRNC though.

Pipie


Joined: 05/01/2008
Posts: 5499

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 18:18

yes but on here we do , dont we ?

littlenige



Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 3594

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 19:19

A VERY GOOD idea, i WOULD SUGGEST THAT ONLY WHEN THE EMAIL ADDRESS HAS BEEN COFIRMED CAN POSTERS POST IN THAT SECTION ( IF AT ALL POSSIBLE )







oops caps on sorry

rtddci


Joined: 29/12/2007
Posts: 842

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 19:23

Re fear of intimidation and reprisals see



http://www.hbpg-trnc.net/documents/Press/Star_220808_HBPG.html



See the 3rd paragraph of the Cyprus Star article.

kenny



Joined: 26/05/2008
Posts: 405

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 20:10

great idea izzet but i think you could open a can of worms, cant see how it could be policed.

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 20:28

While I dont have a problem with giving name ,I never ever give out my e-mail in an internet site viewable by the general public.However I have no problem with confirming an e-mail address and name with Izzet.

The idea is excellent, something that is really missing,it would also be good if what people were charged was allowed to be entered. Along the lines of



Joes barbershop, £20 good haircut.

Bobs barbershop, £2, crappy haircut



One could decide who to go to determined on whether one is rich and vain, or poor and doesnt give a s---t.

orangekazzie



Joined: 31/07/2007
Posts: 1091

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 20:54

Yes I wouldn't have a problem with this. It could be controlled by both e-mail and IP Addresses.

Karen

pilgrim



Joined: 11/05/2007
Posts: 1404

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 22:01

Hope steps will stop scammers as on Ebay doggy businesses manage to generate false feedback.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
31/08/2008 22:11

RE Orangekazzie (...) Yes I wouldn't have a problem with this. It could be controlled by both e-mail and IP Addresses. (...)



No way, Karen. I can go to an Internet cafe, take a free and/or temporary email address for ten minutes, send my devastating message and delete my email address. You wouldn't find a trace of me. (I won't do it, but this is how it can be done - and *is* done by the notorious spammers).



There's a better way. Post your message and give your email address in the posting. Then confirm your email address (the request to do that will be sent to you in an email). This can easily be automated and I'm almost sure Izzet knows how to do it.

Holly


Joined: 27/05/2008
Posts: 67

Message Posted:
01/09/2008 15:11

I think it's an excellent idea as long as people who post negative reviews are at least constructive and not blatantly rude. Posts may need to be moderated initially.



Holly

robin hood


Joined: 26/05/2008
Posts: 238

Message Posted:
01/09/2008 15:21

An online counter showing the number of entries from a particular IP would at least give an indication if the comments were "biased" or all from the same source.Have the same problems with online surveys. You can never be totally sure that the participant has only taken part once. In surveys which say, 100,000 people take part in, this is a minor problem, but when you are only talking in 10's then the bias can be "influenced " far more easily. Wish there was an easy way. We use a double IP trasp. Justr negates any new comment from a particular IP being posted. A bit draconian, but at least you don't get the same person saying the restaurant is fantastic 70,000 times.

izzet



Joined: 01/12/2006
Posts: 920

Message Posted:
01/09/2008 15:32

I will definitely record the ip address, but that's not really a solution.

It may be an indication.



I was thinking that people need to enter their phone number and I can ring them when the post their first review to verify the account. I can do this until we are running smoothly I guess.



Also to confirm: the reviews will be subject to moderation before posted. So, if they are not constructive, too bad to be true or too good to be true, it'll mark them as fake and will not post.

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
01/09/2008 22:13

izzet.



You already have an idea of the authenticity of the members from Members list.



If out of the blue,brand new member GARR.ROBB 29 sent a message singing the praises of Amaranta Valley as an investment ,then that might ring alarms. If someone recommends someone or something and their date of membership happens to be on the same day,then could be looked at.

I dont have problem with phone number, to save time and money, you could text, say 44 and get reply 44.

However dont see that e-mail or phone prevents self promotion.

For example, I, girne 29, am an estate agent or works for one, I give you my name and telephone number when I sing the praises of A1 Estate Agent.You phone/e-mail me and I say I am indeed J.Smith and I dont have any connection with A1.Iam obviously smart enough not to use my business e-mail/phone number.

Another way ,might be to only add to board when 2 or more messages are about the same business.If 2 or more messages are from 'different'names but dates of joining both roughly at same time ,then wait.

aslan


Joined: 23/06/2008
Posts: 757

Message Posted:
02/09/2008 14:35

You would be better of having a system like lycos chat where for example, a member is restricted on what input for a section of this forum they can post on, I would not have an issue if 4 and 5 star members can post on all sections 2 and 3 different sections e.t.c if a member has used this forum for a number of years and their input has been good enough and helpful to be awarded an extra star then they should do the reviews, you would guess that the five star members have the experience and will be unbiased in their posts.

izzet



Joined: 01/12/2006
Posts: 920

Message Posted:
02/09/2008 17:05

That's true aslan, but I don't want to limit a newcomer (eg. a tourist) from posting a good review of a superb restaurant they accidentally found by the sea in famagusta....

aslan


Joined: 23/06/2008
Posts: 757

Message Posted:
03/09/2008 16:37

well thats a choice you have to take, the fact that a tourist had a good experience at restauarant X, one would assume the the 5 star members have already given a similar accurate and cyprus44 stamped approval to the establishment mentioned.! dificult time ahead Mr Izzet the forums have lost there purpose and are now seen as a media where memebers can slag off other business's and individuals in the TRNC which as we are all aware was not the purpose of this bulletn boad, unfortunately the ignorance of members to the purpose of the board will lead to idiots writting posts that are totally irrelvant to the promotion of the TRNC, thats assuming the owner lives, invests and works here and is not stuck in a new york ofice earning money on the back of something they don't care about?

Stewart


Joined: 19/07/2008
Posts: 1107

Message Posted:
03/09/2008 18:38

Different people have different expectations, sounds if it will be esay to manipulate, ie from friends and relatives, and dissatisfied customers...more like a minefield...good luck with it!

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
05/09/2008 12:22

izzet

Taking on board the suggestions offered, why not just go for it.If it doesnt work out then nothing lost.

The basic idea is good and it would be a shame not go ahead because of what abuses might happen,the emphasis being on the 'might'.

Will also help to end the ripoff merchants, as eventually businesses will know , that if they give good service then others will use the recommendation and that brings its reward in long term repeat custom.