Common Decency......Let's Keep it Alive!

Common Decency....Let's Keep it Alive!
© Terri Seymour

I recently had an experience with one of the affiliate
programs I *was* involved with. This experience did
not surprise me, but did however, disappoint me. It is
a sad fact that it did not surprise me and I thought
maybe an article on this subject might bring it to our
attention.

I did willingly join this program and accept the terms of
which I do understand. However, when customers of
this online business owner would email me with
complaints about the product and the fact that the
owner would not answer any emails, I definitely had to
think twice about promoting this product and affiliate
program.

So having decided this, I wrote the owner and asked
if he could send me the small amount owed to me. I
informed him I would not be promoting his product or
program any longer and would like what was owed to
me. His reasoning was, he would not pay me because
I joined the program willingly and he had a minimum
amount.

This I had to accept while thinking, "Wouldn't common
decency dictate paying the small amount he owed to
a former affiliate?" The money itself does not change
my life in anyway of course, but the human side of this
really bothers me.

I will credit him with being polite and professional in
his emails, and I also did not get upset, but thanked
him for the learning experience. I also stated that
I would in no way run my affiliate program in that way.

Common decency would prohibit me from doing so.

I realize we are running businesses and need to make
money, but do we throw away courtesy, decency, respect
and consideration to do so? I think not!

I know I am not the only person this has happened to,
as a matter of fact, it has happened to me twice. The
first time being a much bigger amount. The program
owner just dropped out of business and left his
affiliates hanging.

As a whole, the people I have been lucky enough to
"meet" online have all been wonderful, caring, helpful,
respectful and decent. When I first started online,
that fact was a wonderfully pleasant discovery! Over
time however, I did run into a few people who needed
to learn common decency.

So if you run a business/affiliate program, do not
let money be your first priority, make people number
one and the money will follow. If you owe somebody
money/service. etc., pay them. If your affiliate decides
to "resign" from your program show them your good faith
and common decency. Pay them what you owe, even if
the amount does not reach your "minimum"!

Their reasons for "resigning" might be totally false
in your eyes, but you still owe them what they did sell
for you. Common decency prohibits me from "blabbing"
the product/program I had this problem with, but it
is no longer on my site and if people ask me about
this specific product/program, I will tell them the truth.

I am not out to get this guy, but cannot recommend
a product/program that I know does business in this
manner.

I usually don't write this type of "venting" article,
but this topic is so very important, I thought I would
make an exception.

So let's think about when we are dealing with customers,
subscribers, Newbies, associates, affiliates, etc., we
need to keep common decency and respect alive. Do
not lose sight of our fellow human beings so we can
have a few extra bucks in our pocket!