Just a thought for future consideration....

[DSWaltenburg]

I totally understand the ruling about no personal contact for authors/customers outside of CC, however some customers and authors would truly appreciate the ability to shoot their requests straight out their mouths via telephone, all without any intent to deceive or circumvent the CC system. To grant such privileges sitewide, I know is a problem. However, to develop a system with a binding user agreement that would allow writers and customers working on private projects to use the phone could increase revenue coming in to CC.

Not everyone has time or access to get to the computer, log in, go to the request page, type out a long request, or article specifics, especially when they just have a spontaneous thought or idea. This isn't a random thing I came up with, it spawns from a note from my client stating that sometimes, even though he prefers not to, he writes his own material simply because he knows it would take a gazillion words typed to try to convey his thoughts and needs on particular pieces.

I'd be more than willing to sign a contract stating that I would not circumvent the CC system in order to possibly obtain that much more work from my client within CC if he's able to call me. Even IM's would be an improvement, but still I see his point.

In summation,

A system (for private project authors/customers only) that allows:

telephone contact
contract that prohibits dealmaking outside of CC
specific article requests still must be sent thru system

Or someday when CC is a megaconglomeratesupercontentbigboxstore, a system can be implemented where customers call a specific CC phone# and the call is rerouted to their private author, with no personal contact information being exchanged, and then all calls are recorded and monitored for inappropriate discussions (.ie making deals that circumvent CC).

Clearly I've reached my Manic phase for today, and thusly am rambling. Carry on. Just a thought :)


Deborah

[cgardener]

I can see a waiting period for authors to be able to contact customers, to show that they are trustworthy. A contract would be nice, but how would you enforce it, other than the ban the person from the site, and once they have snagged a bunch of authors for themselves, what would they care? How would you know that that particular author was doing outside work for the customer? I think it's got to be the way it is simply because some people are not trustworthy, and that's sad.

I noticed that there is a situation where an author posted on the forums about contacting the customer and making a deal with them, then suddenly the public request disappeared, when it had been written saying that this would be an ongoing request. I had written some articles for the request, and then it was gone. These weren't articles that would appeal to just anyone, so I was a little miffed. I'm going to have to go back and revise them now. I had to wonder if this had anything to do with it.

It is frustrating for customers, I know, to have to wait for articles to be approved by CC standards, when maybe their standards aren't as high, but that's what they agree to, and that's the way it is, so be it. It's frustrating for us seeing people who have more time to write snatch away our chance at selling an article for a request simply because they got there first, but again, that's the structure here. There have to be rules. No site has rules that please everyone, unfortunately.

[DSWaltenburg]

That's why I included the option of the central phone number idea....that way, there's no personal info exchanged, calls are recorded, and the ability to meet the customer's needs reaches a higher level.

O well.

I was just blowing off steam that day....because of something my customer said about the private project, and his lack of ability to clarify his needs in writing :) Or hey, even if they could record something on voice....blah blah, and then have it forwarded in mp3 format......just from their side, not from ours.....another option? Hmmmmmmmmmm :)

:D

[cgardener]

There must be other options. I know some people don't write or type well, so they are buying articles from us. It would be nice to be able to communicate with them someway about revisions, etc.