FLO REFUND

[Jeff Ream]

5 minutes ago, Stu said:

I took time to do some research prior to making any comments in this thread.  That is how I discovered the history of the company starting with scholastic wrestling and track, their solid reputation in the realm of sports, as well as the disclaimer #6 in the Flomarching consumer contract.

i did some digging too. you must be reading CNN and I must be reading Fox News.

[Jeff Ream]

Just now, Terri Schehr said:

Exactly.  But as George Carlin says "They don't care about YOU!" 

well..in a way they kinda do. if enough YOU stop buying, it doesnt make money.

 

DCI may be non profit but they want to make money

[Terri Schehr]

Just now, Jeff Ream said:

well..in a way they kinda do. if enough YOU stop buying, it doesnt make money.

 

DCI may be non profit but they want to make money

Well, sure.  But they own us if we want to watch drum corps online.  Another Carlin reference.  "They own you!" 

[Stu]

18 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

after doing some digging on the link above, and reading their social media pages, i'd beg to differ.go look up 2/19/19 PSU vs Oklahoma State

In my initial research (not from CCN nor Fox but on my own accord) I did come across the PSU OSU matter from February.  There was an initial issue with some subscribers concerning Flo adding an additional $20 fee due to it being the #1 v #2 wrestling teams. But the real issue occurred during the live-stream. Flo had a problem with limited bandwidth and the number of subscribers which crashed the site; they ended up bouncing the stream back and forth between the website and Facebook; and yes it did create negative blow-back from subscribers.  But… it was an anomaly compared to most all of their other streaming events and they did in fact allow subscribers to get refunded, and moreover OSU claimed that Flo did 'man-up' on the issue.  (see links below).

http://www.flowrestling.org/article/52221-apology-from-flosports-ceo-co-founder-martin-floreani#.WW_YdFFOlpi

https://www.cowboysrideforfree.com/2017/2/20/14671314/flowrestling-offers-apology-refund-for-fans-after-site-crashes-during-meet

 

[Stu]

26 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

a customer can ask.

 

a smart company may even go out of their way to work out a deal. 

 

Flo isn't showing any of those smarts

Flo has shown the smarts; they did indeed release refunds for the PSU OSU event.

[Jeff Ream]

28 minutes ago, Terri Schehr said:

Well, sure.  But they own us if we want to watch drum corps online.  Another Carlin reference.  "They own you!" 

and one year i said tough #### and didnt buy.

 

then it got better so i came back. Now imagine 800 of me did that ( likely the way Flo is going). That'll hurt em

[Jeff Ream]

10 minutes ago, Stu said:

Flo has shown the smarts; they did indeed release refunds for the PSU OSU event.

but not after Broken Arrow. 

[oldbandguy]

A full year subscriber here....

So far on the season Flo has had some hits...some misses.  Last night had several misses.  Frustrating to the average DCI fan for sure. 

I do know that Flo is not wanting to be in this for just one year.  It is their goal to make DCI (and other marching arts) a successful venture for all involved.  They WANT to do a good job and make it an easy choice for the fans to sign up...this is how they will eventually turn a profit on their investment.  (An investment, by the way, in DCI...not just in equipment, personnel and bandwidth.)

There have been growing pains for sure, but when they get it right, as they have on occasion, it is a great medium for the drum corps fan.

I personally am willing to give them a mulligan on last night.  If things don't improve they will pay the price next year with fewer subscribers which would likely mean they will no longer have an interest in being a partner with DCI.  In the long run it is THE CORPS who will benefit (or not) the most from this venture.  I think we can all agree that we hope it works out great for all involved.

Here's hoping we are all raving about the quality of Flo in San Antonio.

 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Jeff Ream said:

but not after Broken Arrow. 

 In case you missed it

http://www.flomarching.com/article/59197-message-regarding-audio-at-dci-event#.WW_zR1FOlph

What appears to be going on to me with Flomarching is this:

a) Flo was started by a couple of guys who are sports oriented; and their company has grown to service thousands and thousands of sporting fans with live streaming events.

b) that early on with sporting events Flo had to go through some semblance of a learning curve.  And in a few instances since, even after they had established themselves, they have encountered a few issues like what happened with the PSU OSU match.  But for the most part they have been rather successful with their sporting event live streams.

c) now they have decided to expand their service into the realm of the arts as a business expansion venture; but.....

d) it seems that they either did not research carefully enough the differences between covering sporting and arts events, or more likely they were jock-cocky in thinking this is only 'marching band' and have found out they bit off more than they could chew. (in which the unintended consequence may, again may enlighten a few more jocks that DCI is not a nerd tiddlie-winks activity).  Either way, their recent statement shows that they are attempting to provide much better service as we move forward.

e) Nevertheless, in the issue directly related to the OP refund, my position still stands.  A contract was signed and agreed upon by consumers who failed to read that contract.  And while complaints about the service may be valid, and a refund would be altruistic, a cry that Flo 'must and should' issue a refund because of bad streaming issues is still a cry of crocodile-tears.

Edited July 20, 2017 by Stu

[BlueStainGlass]

It's like you can watch the same groups 4 days later... You bought a months worth not one day. First bad experience stop complaining like you just found out your healthcare is taken away.