LendInk: (Previously stated that LendInk did not have a FAQs page, which was incorrect.) LendInk did have a FAQ page asserting the validity and legality of their site.
Authors: Aside from not doing their due diligence to understand the site, they
failed to resolve their conflict (real or perceived) in an ethical manner.
I’m sure LendInk did get numerous contacts from confused authors but those concerns should have been easy to arbitrate considering that LendInk was legally and ethically in the right. Instead, authors waged a very public campaign complete with virtual
pitchforks and fueled by ignorance. Regardless of whether the authors were in the right or the wrong, they made a sizeable mistake: Reaction instead of Ethical Action. Which has led to some ugly backlash and
retaliation against certain indie authors. Read: LendInk taken down by A**hole Indie Authors.
The point for me is not to lay blame, but to ask: Is there anything worth learning from The Tragic Tale of LendInk that will make me a better human being and a better business person?
No matter what you call your author-self, the basic principles of business ethics are important. Let’s look to the US Better Business Bureau, whose motto is Start With Trust, for guidance:
No matter what you call your author-self, the basic principles of business ethics are important. Let’s look to the US Better Business Bureau, whose motto is Start With Trust, for guidance:
What complaints do we handle?
Disagreements between businesses and their customers. However, we reserve the right to reject complaints that use abusive or foul language.
It’s useful to note that the
first thing the BBB does is to facilitate communication between the customer
and the business to rectify the perceived wrong. How can we as self-published authors/small business owners reapply this
best-in-class practice?
Do your research. Reach out
privately, business to business. Ask for a response within 14 days. If you do
not get satisfaction within the requested period, escalate privately using MUSO or legal representation.
Before you wage (or join) a public crusade, ask yourself:
·
Do I know what I’m talking about—have I done my research?
·
Have I tried to arbitrate privately?
·
Could this damage my reputation?
·
Is this something I want on the internet FOREVER?
·
And finally: What would I advise my child or a relative’s child to do?
Is this responsible advice?
Always keep top of mind: A
few books sales lost to piracy are not worth the loss of your professional
reputation.
Carey(Who may, or may not, work in the Marketing & Sales division of a global, publicly traded Fortune 500 company which happens to be the largest consumer packaged goods company in the world.) www.careycorp.com
