When Blogging Relationships Go Wrong.
For the past 3 years I have proudly displayed the Mob!lers ambassadors logo on my blog and written many ‘mission’ posts for them as part of this programme, that is until now. A few months ago I received an email after a long silence from our team leaders simply saying ‘Thank you for all your hard work but that’s it, we’re over’ no explanation, no apologies, nothing.
This isn’t really what’s bothering me though, it’s the fact that they owe me so much and think that I will just let them ignore me like they are doing right now. I have emailed them so many times but they’re not responding, this is no way to be treating someone who’s worked hard for them for the past 3 years. The people I’m talking about are Spreading JAM who were responsible for the Samsung Mobilers UK programme and I am really not happy with them.
I’ve attended so many events over the past 3 years where I have traveled to London and back to support them and take part in lots of different promotional events. I traveled with Samsung for 5 weeks with their Olympic Torch relay team in 2012, promoting their products on their stands and blogging for them. I’ve done Youtube videos featuring Unboxings and so much more. I even worked a 12 hour shift to launch the Samsung Galaxy S3 at their BIG Earls Court event in 2011 but that’s another story which I won’t get into right now. I will come back to it though!
So you can imagine why am I slightly miffed with them as I still have so many outstanding UNPAID travel expenses plus promised ‘rewards’ which just never appeared. I feel totally let down and fobbed off right now. No one is answering my emails, it’s like I’ve been completely removed from their existence. They made so many promises of the rewards I was going to be getting, I was promised a trip to Berlin for my Olympic work which never happened either. Devices as rewards for all the points I had earnt over the years for my hard work (All 33 of them). We were given points for each blog post we wrote and videos that we made. It was like a reward system that gave out new phones or tablets for 10/12 points so I do apologise but as I never got to cash in any of mine, I’m owed quite a lot.
My biggest disappointment though is with Samsung, as I’ve been such a loyal fan for years. I’ve promoted them and worked hard for them for 3 years for it all to have been ended so abruptly like this. They’re such a HUGE company so I really can’t understand why they would be treating us like this (yes there is more of us, it’s not just me). It’s not like they can’t afford to pay us.
We were the people who worked hard to spread their products and get their news out there. We were the ‘little people’ who did all the hard work behind the scenes. We were their BIGGEST fans who put our heart and soul into every piece we wrote for and about them.
I’m not sure what I can do BUT I do know that I’m not giving up. I feel mistreated and misused and I want what I am owed. Not only do they owe me hundreds of pounds in train fares and the rewards that I was promised. I feel that I deserve some kind of explanation!
This post has been a long time coming but I did prewarn them that I would be writing it if they continued to ignore me, which they have – so here it is! The truth about how I’ve been treated by the UK’s biggest Mobiler seller – Samsung and their PR agency JAM.
Oh I'm so disappointed in Samsung. In fact, it's more than disappointing, that's really terrible to treat you like this. It certainly changes my opinion of them as a company and I'm sure will change many others. Well done for outing them and good luck getting what you deserve.
I know you've done loads of work for them over the years. It's very disappointing that they didn't appreciate what you did for them and completely out of order that they have left you out of pocket and without the promised rewards.
Such shocking PR but important that you have spoken out as when all else fails communication wise it's the only thing left to do x
Hi Christine,
It's a shame the programme has ended suddenly, but marketing programmes do shift, often very quickly, and communication can break down at all levels during that transition. It may be that the agency hasn't responded simply because they don't have the information you need.
But that doesn't necessarily help you.
First and foremost, I think it's important to clarify exactly what you're owed, and what for.
So for example, dig out the emails where it is specified that travel expenses will be covered, then your travel receipts for each event's travel, and finally any invoices you submitted with regard to those expenses.
If there's a contract between you and the agency with regard to being paid for activity through products, then collect together all the activity URLs, and the relevant part of the contract, and any requests you've made to "cash in" the points – ensure there's no expiry date or exit clause that renders the points worthless in the event the programme ends.
You then need to submit a 'statement of account' to the agency. Ensure this goes to accounts payable rather than the person you've dealt with on marketing activity. The statement of account should tot up all your outstanding invoices for cash payments and products. You can request that payment is made within (say) seven days, after which you reserve the right to charge interest (there are online calculators that will allow you to work out what this should be).
There's every chance that contacting accounts directly, and following up with a phone call, will jog someone's memory and you'll be paid.
After a statement of account, if payment still isn't received within the requested period you can send a letter before action. There are plenty of templates online, and it's easily done. This basically tells the company that you will take recovery action against them if they do not respond within a set period of time (such as seven days).
If, after this, you still have no joy then you can use mcol.gov.uk to issue proceedings against the company at its registered office. The process is very simple and costs a few pounds – but this will be refunded if you win, as the loser in a case will be liable for costs (it's important to follow the steps above as not doing so could be taken by the court to mean you're not serious about wanting to resolve the issue amicably, and you may find yourself liable for court costs)
Hope that helps.
Sally