Subject:
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Re: Perhaps Lugnet can grow into something better? was: I miss the old Lugnet
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Sun, 4 Nov 2001 22:43:17 GMT
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Viewed:
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1359 times
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In lugnet.general, Joel Kuester writes:
<Heavily snipped>
> I understand where you are coming from, but I think that we should focus on
> what we can do to make Lugnet better in the future, rather than just pine
> for the days of yore.
True enough. Since this is essentially a site whose content is driven by
its users, then change should be anything that any of us can imagine.
> One thing that I have seen that wasn't very prevalent in the early days is a
> lot more complaining and fussing over the actions of The Lego Company. We
> all care a lot about our hobby, but perhaps we could try to encourage TLC
> the way we encourage each other.
Well, since I'm a person who's overly guilty of this sort of behaviour, I
thought that I might take a minute to try and explain why I do this sort of
thing.
The main reason I post so many critical posts about the LEGO company is that
I dearly love their products and am nearly brought to tears by some of the
fluff that they are trying to pass off in the last few years.
Read more about this in a recent post:
http://news.lugnet.com/lego/direct/?n=3555
The main reason that I post so many critical comments here on LUGNET is that
this seems to be the place that the LEGO company has chosen to listen to
their customers. At least this is the only place they seem to make direct
contact. Is there a similar user-based chat forum on their own website?
No. So if I have any chance at all to make my voice heard, then it really
has to be here. I was here before they arrived; I didn't just start posting
once they made their presence known.
Frankly, I feel an obligation to stand up and try to get an alternative
opinion heard by them. At worst, it can't hurt. At best, I may just offer
some sliver of an idea that might make things better.
I've been a LEGO fan for more than a quarter of a century. That fact
doesn't mean a lot, until you try to think of other companies that consumers
continue to support for that length of time. When I was younger I always
wore Levi's jeans and Nike shoes. I don't wear either anymore, but I still
buy LEGO bricks.
What the LEGO company must realize is that having a world-wide recognized
brand name is simply not enough. They must be constantly reminded of what
drove that brand recognition in the first place and why it's so important
not to rest on that existing image. But at the same time, it's vital to
point out to them when they are going wrong. Take, for example, telling
them how truly awful the Jack Stone series is. This isn't being negative,
this is being positive. Because if they listen, then hopefully they won't
make the same mistake again.
> They are people, too.
They are indeed people. But if they don't work harder at being a solid,
money-making company then they may someday cease to exist. Then it won't
matter whether or not we were nice to them.
> I have to say that the complaining *has* gotten better since they started
> the classics and such, but it doesn't feel like a real change in attitude,
> but more of a placation of a tantrumming spoiled child.
We are the customers and the parents of the customers who keep the company
in business and keep its employees working. We should be treated like gold;
much more spoiled than a spoiled child.
Ultimately, LEGO isn't here to be our friend; they are here to make money.
And that's fine, because we want what they're selling.... sort of. It's
their responsibility to themselves to make sure that they offer products
that we want to buy. When they fail to achieve that, then they eventually
fail to make money, and eventually fail to exist as a company. If I was
running a company like that, and my customers weren't happy (even a few of
them) then I'd want to know.
> Is that the public image we want Lugnet to have?
We do want LUGNET to be realistic don't we? We don't just all want to
dislocate our elbows congratulating each other about how much we love the
new sets from LEGO each year?
> This post is meant to be taken in the best way possible. If we work
> together, we can make Lugnet far more than it ever was in the early years!
It can be better. I agree. It can.
Allan B.
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