Oh dear :(

I thought I liked Xilo.

This quote, if true, is a bit off in my opinion!

"For what it's worth I am the reviewer called Miles Hand. I joined the ISPReview forum for the sole purpose of reviewing Xilo's service, at Xilo's request."

From this post. Note the contents of the post it replies to.

Bob's broadband help site:
www.robertos.me.uk
ISP history: Demon dialup >> Freeserve dialup >> BT Broadband >> Prodigynet >> Newnet >> O2 Premium.
Purple Cloud for domain, email and web space.

Edited by RobertoS (Fri 20-Nov-09 23:42:05)

Its not that uncommon with smaller business to ask customers something along the lines of "if you liked our service please rate us at x" that said almost all the reviews have a similiar style, almost all are top marks on everything it does kinda take away some of the credibility of being user rated.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
<needs updating>

Bob,

We've not demanded or expected any one to review. As has already been covered on these forums in a post in the past by benbird.

We ask customers for feedback either way and at the same time ask the user if they are having any problems. Too many ISPs these days just get the user connected and forget about them, we don't.

The email we sent is a follow up to ensure they are connected and invites them to contact us if they are having issues, or if they'd like to, leave a review of our service.

This has already been discussed in length with Mark from ISPreview.

Matt

-
xilodsl.net
t: 0800 848 8468
Official Maidenhead & Milton Keynes Speedtest.net Host
CPW LLU Pre-registration | Our current offers

Wellllll.

It does rather look like soliciting positive reviews. That's what is upsetting me really.

I accept that from what I have seen here there wouldn't be any negative ones. All the more reason not to give any cause for suspicion. Anyone reading the reviews on that site is likely have the same thoughts as occurred to sydneyk.

(I have toned down my OP a bit).

Bob's broadband help site:
www.robertos.me.uk
ISP history: Demon dialup >> Freeserve dialup >> BT Broadband >> Prodigynet >> Newnet >> O2 Premium.
Purple Cloud for domain, email and web space.

Sorry if any one feels that way, you included Bob.

It works in both ways, we've had a number of customers to have some issues on connection/migration who didn't contact us in the weeks before they got the email. Once they got the email, they instantly replied which was input into the ticket system and prioritised as a user with a broadband fault is not good and we'll do whatever we can to get things resolved promptly.

Of course, you'll only see one side to that. It's not the only one we're sending either. We also send a follow up message after around 4-6 months of service just checking in with the user to ensure there are no long standing issues and to ensure they are happy with the service.

Matt

-
xilodsl.net
t: 0800 848 8468
Official Maidenhead & Milton Keynes Speedtest.net Host
CPW LLU Pre-registration | Our current offers

I was that soldier.

It's unfortunate that Xilo are getting a hammering for this. It's not beyond belief that after years of poor service at high prices their customers are so pleased to find an ISP that delivers what they really want with customer support from a person with a name that they hand out ten stars in their excitement. It's not uncommon to ask for feedback and I didn't see anything unethical in the request. I agree that the content of the reviews looks similar, but that's what you'd expect. I'm not so sure about claims that the styles are similar, though.

Matt clearly works long and hard to keep Xilo's customers happy, and his contributions to TBB's forums seem to show that he knows where to draw the line in flogging his service. I think insinuations of malpractice are a bit over the top. RobertoS, do you really see this as sufficient reason to change your view of Xilo?

RobertoS, do you really see this as sufficient reason to change your view of Xilo?

No I don't. I just think it should be done by perhaps a message on the website suggesting people might like to review the service for good or bad at ISPreview or wherever.

PM/email requests are open to charges of selectivity and therefore unwise.

As for a hammering, I think the subject had died until this post of yours . I have certainly continued posting positively about Xilo since this arose.

Bob's broadband help site:
www.robertos.me.uk
ISP history: Demon dialup >> Freeserve dialup >> BT Broadband >> Prodigynet >> Newnet >> O2 Premium.
Purple Cloud for domain, email and web space.

Admittedly the postings at ISPreview gave rise to some small suspicion
as to their validity, but if as Xilo states some of these people have
simply been asked to review and comment on their service/product,
I can see no evidence to indicate wrongdoing, or any action to attract valid criticism.

As we all know most people have a tendency to complain rather
than praise, so an invitation "TO REVIEW" cannot be genuinely
construed as questionable.

As to the postings here at TBB Xilo are one of the most helpful,
without any recourse to push their product, giving knowledgable
helpful advice at every turn, all respect to them.

AAISP

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

I think the subject had died until this post of yours

Oh, all right. I'll go quietly

In reply to a post by sidneyk:

Admittedly the postings at ISPreview gave rise to some small suspicion
as to their validity, but if as Xilo states some of these people have
simply been asked to review and comment on their service/product,
I can see no evidence to indicate wrongdoing, or any action to attract valid criticism.

As we all know most people have a tendency to complain rather
than praise, so an invitation "TO REVIEW" cannot be genuinely
construed as questionable.

As to the postings here at TBB Xilo are one of the most helpful,
without any recourse to push their product, giving knowledgable
helpful advice at every turn, all respect to them.

?
It was you raised it as an issue in the first place!

The point is that private invitations do not necessarily go to all customers and are therefore suspect.

All reputable review sites such as ISPr and here vet what is posted - in the case of tbb it is one of the reasons the ratings graphs tend to be late arriving, waiting for the vetting.

Not only must justice be done, it must be seen to be done.

You too are contributing to the continued and increasing visibility of this thread on this forum and on google, rather than letting it sink into unimportant obscurity. I shall continue to argue my point against those who think I am wrong.

I think Matt and I understand each other's point of view, and I am not suggesting he meant to do anything improper. He merely did something that could appear so to outsiders, and I consider that unwise of him.

I again suggest the thread be allowed to die.

Bob's broadband help site:
www.robertos.me.uk
ISP history: Demon dialup >> Freeserve dialup >> BT Broadband >> Prodigynet >> Newnet >> O2 Premium.
Purple Cloud for domain, email and web space.