Just reversed charges to Flo -- "Cancel" and "Customer Support" never provided direct response

[YeOldeCup]

Was only $20, but they were clearly on a fund raising mission with no concern for ability to deliver. Like many here, I was supremely PO'd as they they over-leveraged their monopoly on coverage and grossly over promoted it.

What have the rest of you heard from them?

 

[tuggerjug]

everyone needs to settle down on Flo - we have unprecedented coverage of our sport thanks to their efforts over many years. did they screw up? of course - they admitted, apologized and offered refund or free service for two months.

 

[YeOldeCup]

everyone needs to settle down on Flo - we have unprecedented coverage of our sport thanks to their efforts over many years. did they screw up? of course - they admitted, apologized and offered refund or free service for two months.

I've been in IT since I programmed on punch cards in Boucke back in the late 70s. This is not difficult. Cloud computing with adaptive compute, storage, and network bandwidth are mainstream now. Had they undertaken a modicum of precaution/preparation (given their similar failures in the past), this would not have happened. If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. They should have let NBC (or B1G, or ESPN) handle it.

 

[johnstownsteel]

Cloud computing with adaptive compute, storage, and network bandwidth are mainstream now. Had they undertaken a modicum of precaution/preparation (given their similar failures in the past), this would not have happened. If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. They should have let NBC (or B1G, or ESPN) handle it.

This board has officially become too smart for me.....

 

[PSUAllTheWay]

I've been in IT since I programmed on punch cards in Boucke back in the late 70s. This is not difficult. Cloud computing with adaptive compute, storage, and network bandwidth are mainstream now. Had they undertaken a modicum of precaution/preparation (given their similar failures in the past), this would not have happened.

So is load/performance testing. Flo should hire an IT company who actually knows what they're doing.

 

[dsites52]

I went in for the for the 2 free months. I've only received the automated response. I wasn't very upset about the stream. I was lucky enough to see most of it on flo. The rest I got to see on Ben Askren's Facebook. I defended Flo after the fact because even though they had a major meltdown, Track Wrestling wasn't any better this weekend. The thing that irked me was how much time they dedicated to it on FRL. I wanted to hear them discuss how scary good Penn State is to overcome the 13-0 hole they were in, but instead, they had to talk about their shortcomings.

 

[YoungGunsWC]

This board has officially become too smart for me.....

Was thinking the same thing haha

 

[Grass]

Only thing I received so far was a generic request received email. I'll give them credit when they do something good, but what happened on Sunday was unforgivable in my view when you take into account how much they promoted it. I joined back in December and the only reason I kept my account active for February was for the dual on Sunday. Not only did I miss it, but I also shuffled plans around Sunday so I could watch it. Do those guys even know what us married guys need to do to get some free time on the weekend to sit in front of a computer? Is it true they started charging $30 a month?

 

[Lion8286]

I ordered Flo through my Roku account yesterday hours before the match. During the intermission I contacted their Roku's customer service and told them I want to cancel and get my money back. By the end of the day my subscription was cancelled and the money was refunded.

 

[tikk10]

Flo has been notorious for not delivering on refund promises, I've seen so many people with the same story. Happened to me as well a few years back--cancelled, they charged me the following month, I complained, they gave me an endless runaround (email this guy, no that guy, etc.) and I was never refunded. They've earned their bad will.

 

[dunkej01]

FRL addressing the issue the first 16 minutes.
http://www.flowrestling.org/video/1...oreani-on-the-osu-vs-psu-failure#.WKztNjsrKM8

 

[BruceK-PSU83]

Is it true they started charging $30 a month?

I don't know first-hand, but I saw the $30 fee from several people on this board and on HR. Some people also complained that a month-by-month subscription (where one could pay for the first month and then presumably cancel) was not even available, that the only choice was to ante up $150 bucks for an annual subscription. Those two data points immediately suggested "money-grab".

 

[Gray52]

A group of us set an O/U for when the site would crash at the second period of 133. We all took the under. We knew it was likely to happen. They knew it was likely to happen. It happened. There is no excuse or apology needed, imo.

 

[YeOldeCup]

FRL addressing the issue the first 16 minutes.
http://www.flowrestling.org/video/1...oreani-on-the-osu-vs-psu-failure#.WKztNjsrKM8

"...a process error" ??
"...an error happened in one of our servers" ??

Ugh. I don't know if he doesn't understand IT, or if he was just giving a milquetoast response, but in my nearly forty years in this space, I can tell you that anyone giving this type of vague post mortem would be looking for a new job. They are not equipped to take on an event of last Sunday's magnitude and need to admit it, especially to themselves.

 

[dunkej01]

"...a process error" ??
"...an error happened in one of our servers" ??

Ugh. I don't know if he doesn't understand IT, or if he was just giving a milquetoast response, but in my nearly forty years in this space, I can tell you that anyone giving this type of vague post mortem would be looking for a new job. They are not equipped to take on an event of last Sunday's magnitude and need to admit it, especially to themselves.

I have no basis to dispute you. What I do know is "process error" will live on.

 

[21Guns]

If you are going to pursue exclusive contracts, then you need to have the foresight to understand that eventually you will need to handle heavy traffic for an event. They bit off more than they could chew. Now they need to correct the mistake.

 

[TangSoo]

So is load/performance testing. Flo should hire an IT company who actually knows what they're doing.

Yep. They're taking all of our money without throwing any money back into the product.

Nowadays, with Cloud computing, it's inexcusable to have scaling issues (not enough compute to meet the demand). I'll try not to get too technical here, but you can add servers immediately and automatically based on demand. You don't even have to know the expected hits to your site. And it's surprisingly cheap. I recently had 10 servers running for 3 days. You only get charged for what you use. I was charged a grand total of $79 for 10 servers for 3 days.

On a happy note, I was on Flo on Sunday before the match about to pull the trigger on the subscription. I wondered if I wanted the hassle based on past experience. I didn't subscribe and decided to listen to Ironhead.

 

[dsites52]

The problem is, Track wrestling was also unwatchable on Sunday and they had exclusive rights to the national duals and they're supposed to have NBC resources. Nobody is getting right other than ESPN and BTN2Go

 

[Cyclingmik]

I just received an email from FLO stating my account was cancelled and charges refunded.

 

[Hedonist1]

While a "healthy" FLO is great for the sport, their live coverage has sucked for a great deal of the past 3 years. I've been sticking with them with hope that they will overcome their technical "shit" performance so, some day, we have a dependable vehicle to watch wrestling. What happened on Sunday is downright inexcusable! A couple/few years back, the Scuffle coverage was hosed up so first 3 weights (PSU matches) were not shown. There have been many, many other instances of either poor or no signal. If they are going to be in the business, then be in the GD business! No excuse outside an act of God is acceptable. I don't think 2 "free months" of retribution is enough for us annual subscribers who have sucked up their incompetence for past few years.

 

[Locolion]

Was only $20, but they were clearly on a fund raising mission with no concern for ability to deliver. Like many here, I was supremely PO'd as they they over-leveraged their monopoly on coverage and grossly over promoted it.

What have the rest of you heard from them?

I wrote asking for 2 free months, got a boilerplate reply about "we'll get back to ya" and nothing for 2 days

 

[Gray52]

I wrote asking for 2 free months, got a boilerplate reply about "we'll get back to ya" and nothing for 2 days

I wrote asking for a refund 2 days ago. Nothin! Same old Flo.

 

[YeOldeCup]

I wrote asking for a refund 2 days ago. Nothin! Same old Flo.

Citi took care of me quickly after I filed the dispute -- same day they contacted me to confirm it had been resolved in my favor and that my account had been reimbursed.

 

[manmythlegend1]

It took some days but I got my personal response today and they are going to only charge me 10 months in my annual charge when it re-ups. Be Patient, I was as frustrated as anybody but they are doing the right thing. Flo is the only game in town for that kind of wrestling coverage and I appreciate them very much. They acknowledged and apologized and are trying to make some type of restitution....sounds like a great Business to me.

 

[lockhavenlion3]

I wrote asking for a refund 2 days ago. Nothin! Same old Flo.

fool me once.......

 

[Wrestler2u]

I have low expectations of FLO, that way I'm never disappointed. I wrote to them on Sunday to cancel my month by month and request a refund. I got the same standard answer that they will get back to me.

Crickets.

 

[Pennstate1985]

An interesting historical take from Jason Bryant on the Guillotine board. Many may not visit there, so here is his post from yesterday:

I was on the ground floor with all of this when the live streaming systems were being built. It was first with Adam Fenn's Wrestling Video Solutions, which started using USA Wrestling events to stream. Adam was obviously the technical brains behind it and I provided the access and manpower for the USAW events.

Then WVS started to work in tandem with Trackwrestling to sync up their live scoring to the on-screen scoreboards. This was during the last three years I was at USAW.

Adam sold WVS to Flo and that's become their engine, but when Flo bought EscapeSports (commonly known to wrestling people as GimpSoftware), the relationship with Track and Flo started to go off the rails. I think that seems to be the tipping point, although I'm leaving a lot of in between out here for brevity.

One theory: Track saw Flo buy its #1 competitor, so they countered by starting video after the breakup.

Now Track won't let Flo use it's data. Now the two are in bidding wars over events.

Flo started software, Track started streaming -- or it's chicken/egg, or he did it first, no he did it first.

To be fair to Flo, they also claim some funny business on the other side, I don't know what that is.

Flo and Track were working together. Then event contracts got in the way. Then rights got in the way. Then who's running software got in the way.

Don't ever expect these two to be nice to one another. Each feels they wronged one another. That bridge isn't just burned down, it went Tacoma Narrows.

 

[PSU James]

Obviously they failed Sunday but I have noticed that they continue to post interesting articles, a hodge update, Dresser press conference, article about Pat Downey, and so on since the Big Botch. 10 years ago I felt fortunate to just catch the national finals on TV. No other coverage anywhere throughout the season. Even with that failure (The Big Botch), I look forward to every article, every video and posting from them...I feel fortunate...worth $150.

 

[jammenz]

Obviously they failed Sunday but I have noticed that they continue to post interesting articles, a hodge update, Dresser press conference, article about Pat Downey, and so on since the Big Botch. 10 years ago I felt fortunate to just catch the national finals on TV. No other coverage anywhere throughout the season. Even with that failure (The Big Botch), I look forward to every article, every video and posting from them...I feel fortunate...worth $150.

You can find the same and more at:http://news.theopenmat.com/

 

[dunkej01]

You can find the same and more at:http://news.theopenmat.com/

I love the open mat, but as much as some people have problems with a few posters here, my opinion is that the forum has a few bad hombres that keep it from being the next great place to chat.

Yes the mat is a dumpster fire and will continue to be, but I had high hopes for TOM. Crossing fingers for it.

 

[TangSoo]

Obviously they failed Sunday but I have noticed that they continue to post interesting articles, a hodge update, Dresser press conference, article about Pat Downey, and so on since the Big Botch. 10 years ago I felt fortunate to just catch the national finals on TV. No other coverage anywhere throughout the season. Even with that failure (The Big Botch), I look forward to every article, every video and posting from them...I feel fortunate...worth $150.

I don't want Flo to go away. But they're going to have to do better, consistently, to get any more of my money.