Vendor responses to issues

Copper Contributor

Hey guys,

I don't want to set off a firestorm here, but I did want to ask a question regarding vendor participation in the forums.

 

As an IT solutions vendor, we monitor the forums for issues that people are struggling with. I get that the forums are not a bulletin board for vendors to advertise but in cases where we have posted a solution in response to an issue that someone is struggling with, we have been chastised.

 

My question is... if a forum user has a problem that isn't being solved, wouldn't that person want to know that there is a solution out there (even if it involves a vendor product)? Isn't the objective of the forum to help people find solutions to problems? 

 

What are your thoughts on this?

 

Thanks,

Kevin

cloudbridgeplatform.com

5 Replies
I agree on some points! It’s also a thin line that’s easily crossed! Many other forums are proof of that once that line is crossed, it’s swarmed with product commercials!

I’ll suggest that if you have an solution, private msg the person in question and let him know!

Adam

@adam deltinger I agree with the need to keep forums information driven. However, if a vendor has a unique solution, why not create a post? There are endless threads of folks frustrated with challenges that many would like answers for.

 

The nature of the forum allows people to select what thread they're looking at. As long as the vendor is open that they're a vendor and that they're suggesting a solution, I would rather have the choice to look or not look than to have a policy dictate that I can't learn about useful solutions. That's my two cents at least.

It depends on how it’s done.  If it adds some value to the discussion or provides some additional insights, giving more options for a particular problem, then I think it could be ok. 3rd party products do get mentioned from time to time but its often by the people that have had success with that solution and are recommending it, for example like I have done a number of times with ShareGate.

 

However, if it comes across as spammy or overtly commercial, that could break the Microsoft Tech Community Code of Conduct and is generally frowned upon.  Another telltale sign is if someone has several posts, all of them promoting paid solutions and not much else, that’s not really contributing to the community.

 

Also let’s face it, if lots of vendors did this, informing users of their solutions for each issue they may have, we’d be awash with these posts and it would just clutter up the place!

I'm against advertising commercial products. This will undoubtly attract vendors to trying to sell their products in every other thread.

Sysadmins can and will look for alternative solutions on their own, if they are willing to spend money to get a needed functionality.
>The nature of the forum allows people to select what thread they're looking at.

Same with television and yet people go to Netflix and co. because that argument isn't really true.