Some serious advice needed please chaps.

[felixthelogchopper]

To think gas was burnt off as a waste product once. Now a rising fuel/energy in cost.

Somehow the concept of a yard full of timber " You've got loads of it , I only want a bit of it"remains, and the you get free wood mentality. We burn the rubbish that no one burns ourselves.

Yet this chap practically counters his own argument. Time and fuel now equals ££££££££s. Machinery/equipment running costs. etc. I'd go with Andy collins Idea. Take a few days to settle gather thoughts. I assume alot of people won't assume its you.

You right an informative article on firewood processing. Or get someone to do it. (An arbtalk comp!) Acknowledge there are rogue merchants. It will counteract the negative publicity. With your name on the end. But the fact he wants to gossip/slander where he got it from aint good.

 

But solicitors are the only real winners in such cases. But if someone went to see the pile and ask who supplied. I doubt it would be counted as evidence.

Hope this gets corrected publicly.

 

Wrong. It means he publishes his defamatory statement to a 3rd party which is vital for a successful defamation case.

[easy-lift guy]

Ben I am not an attorney, however I believe you may have a case of Libel against this person. I would be in contact with my attorney and have no more contact with the person that wrote the article or the publication without further advise of council, I suspect since this is a public forum I would put a lid on it here as well!

I wish you the best, I hope this matter go's away for you.

easy-lift guy

[Nick Watkins]

I once remember a very funny series of events when a magazine published a libellous article. Unfortunately for the magazine the person the article was about contacted his solicitor who in turn offered the magazine the opportunity to pay a hefty bill or allow their client to write his own article in response and for it to be published.

 

His article provided a very valuable forum for him to clear his name and made the magazine appear very petty in nature for publishing the original article with no consideration of the facts.

 

If you clearly think this will damage your business why not approach the editor, offer to write an article in response, provide a valuable insight into firewood production and paint yourself in a positive light. The upside for you if you write a good article is free PR and you can make this guy look like the chump he clearly is.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Nick Watkins

[ThrustSSC]

Hmmmm.... I can understand why you're upset, but he's not actually named you, which makes it all really difficult. The lawyers can advise further on that front if you choose to go that route.

 

But to me, as a bystander with no axe to grind, it reads as an ego having a sounding off about how clever he is, and you're the innocent 'collateral damage' in his wild shooting spree. He wasn't aiming at you, but you still got hit.

 

Not unusual for hacks wanting to make a story for their column. If they didn't have egos, they wouldn't be writing columns.

 

I think you can make a good opportunity out of this. Having protested to the editor, and I think you should also protest to the columnist, you have the chance to educate the writer about the wood business. Make sure he understands all the costs and effort you go to. Make sure he knows how long you stack your wood to season after sawing and chopping before delivering it. Make sure he realises you don't just cut it up from large logs (which can stand for 5 years and still not be seasoned!) the morning before you deliver it. Make sure he understands all the things you do to meet his needs as your customer, and those of all your other customers. Offer him some references to happy customers that he can use.

 

Then suggest he writes another article about why a diligent local woodcutter is a blessing for the community, about how hard you work for your customers, and about how you are great value for money compared to a big national who will just deliver a big bag of very expensive logs via Palletline.

 

If he's half the hack he thinks he is, he'd be happy to work with you to set the story straight. And the editor will be very happy to give you a LOT of free advertising space for some time to come ;-)

 

After all, if one of you loses a battle over this, even the victor hasn't really gained anything. Whereas a win-win could be great for everyone - including the most important people in this, your customers.

[Maxnaggle]

the guy measured weighed and counted 1.2 cube of logs???? hes indirectly told anyone who read that article that hes a boring fart

Edited April 11, 2012 by Andy Collins
Language

[Rupe]

I think his article is about how logs delivered and split for you are not as cheap as they were, and so people should consider this before installing wood burners unless they have their own supply.

 

I don't think the article is about an unscrupulous log dealer ripping people off. He has not said he has paid too much to you for crap wood, all he has said is that it's expensive when you get someone else to do the work for you.

 

We all know that and most intelligent folk now that too!! Don't worry about it, the weather will have more effect on your sales than this Sad git!!

[shanks]

Morning,

 

It doesn't read that bad to be honest.

 

What that guy has done is compare your price delivered against a price he paid for cordwood.

 

I would write a nice article for the next news letter, keep it pleasent though! outlining how much his 'cheap' wood from the MOD actually cost. He even says it was 10 trailer loads over 25 miles, i'm guessing thats a one way trip so that must be be 500miles of driving just to get it back to his home. plus he had to cut and split himself.

 

Write back saying how you are trying to make an honest living, how costs have increased, how you've never had any other complaints and most of all,,,,, how you've learnt to never promise an exact size of log to customers

[likeitorlumpit]

let it ride

You're your own best advert

You could invite the editor over to your yard to show how much work goes into split logs- then suggest he gives you a months advertising- no threats

Let the grapevine make this guy look like the self publicist he is.

Continue bashing out good loads of quality wood.

Lets face it- almost no one knows how hard it is to cut a cube of logs.

The guy is probably retired and is wondering how he is going to keep warm once he is unable to chop wood.

[Taupotreeman]

Hmmmm.... I can understand why you're upset, but he's not actually named you, which makes it all really difficult. The lawyers can advise further on that front if you choose to go that route.

 

But to me, as a bystander with no axe to grind, it reads as an ego having a sounding off about how clever he is, and you're the innocent 'collateral damage' in his wild shooting spree. He wasn't aiming at you, but you still got hit.

 

Not unusual for hacks wanting to make a story for their column. If they didn't have egos, they wouldn't be writing columns.

 

I think you can make a good opportunity out of this. Having protested to the editor, and I think you should also protest to the columnist, you have the chance to educate the writer about the wood business. Make sure he understands all the costs and effort you go to. Make sure he knows how long you stack your wood to season after sawing and chopping before delivering it. Make sure he realises you don't just cut it up from large logs (which can stand for 5 years and still not be seasoned!) the morning before you deliver it. Make sure he understands all the things you do to meet his needs as your customer, and those of all your other customers. Offer him some references to happy customers that he can use.

 

Then suggest he writes another article about why a diligent local woodcutter is a blessing for the community, about how hard you work for your customers, and about how you are great value for money compared to a big national who will just deliver a big bag of very expensive logs via Palletline.

 

If he's half the hack he thinks he is, he'd be happy to work with you to set the story straight. And the editor will be very happy to give you a LOT of free advertising space for some time to come ;-)

 

After all, if one of you loses a battle over this, even the victor hasn't really gained anything. Whereas a win-win could be great for everyone - including the most important people in this, your customers.

 

I reckon this is sound advice. Dragging it out with a little bit of vitriol thrown in won't really help but explaining your costs, production, values etc might help win a few more customers along with making a point to the original griping customer. He probably still expects to pay 20p a litre at the pump too.

[Marko]

I agree with the comments about being indirectly caught up in what would have otherwise been a fair (if slightly misguided) article but.....

 

My big worry would be his offer to name and shame.

 

As this may be a bit of a grenade with the pin out, I would most definitely have someone take him up on the offer and record what is said.

 

At that point you will be able to clearly know if it is personal. If it is then take the recording to the editor and see where that takes you.

 

Solicitors are a last resort unless you have money to throw away and the patience of a saint.