[CodeRed]

To Clixgalore or Not to Clixgalore……

Yes I am a newbie here and I hope not offend anybody.

I have just joined Clixgalore as a "CORPORATE PLATINUM" member and finding the experience frustrating with their Customer Service Department. More like, hardly a Customer Service Department.

As a newbie to their marketing skills I am trying to get simple answers to their services and control panel. After paying $2.5K plus I thought I would get some attention at the beginning of my campaign. Well that’s what I thought any way?

I have a "Account Manager" who use a answering machine all the time and I need to leave a message to get attention. Not what I was lead to believe when I signed up. Seems like I am working to their schedule and paying for it.

Tried emailing my questions. The replies take 48hrs plus, if answered at all. The replies really don't answer my questions.

When I call, every one is in a meeting, all the time? And I wish I was joking when I say that. Reception takes a message or patches you through to a answering machine. Before payment managed to get all the attention I wanted, wonder why?

"24hr Telephone / Email Enquiry Support Line" leads to an answer machine. That’s one I am going to use on my main website.

Before paying my $2.5 k + to my new fantastic friend, here to help you "Account Manager" was quick to get back to me and answer any questions on the "DAY". I thought "nice" service good. Well it’s like a Car Dealer type service at this point. The type of service you get when you drive the car of the lot..

So I decided to let it all out here on this forum. “The Good - The Bad”

The next post will be a summary of my dealings with Cilxgalore.com over the coming weeks or days.

THE BAD

1/ I’m made to feel like an annoying newbie idiot calling for their help.

2/ I’m not getting any closer to having my questions answered.

3/ Anger is building up over no response to some emails.

4/ My marketing campaign is at a standstill regarding full understanding of their control panel. Guess what guy’s the FAQ does not have all the answers.

5/ No guidance or attention on how to improve my listings with the affiliates.

6/ Lack of any real care shown by anyone at Cilxgalore.com since payment, Giving you that hooker feeling.

7/ Wave good bye to $2.5k with Cilxgalore.com. Closer to $3k including the affiliate account required. But I suppose will get that part back.

8/ Barely been a member for a week, not feeling very positive about next week or the year.

9/ I really don’t think employees have had proper training. Or there are too few employees for the number of clients they have. That’s a guess! Mind you I place a bet on it.

The Good

1/ Share my experience here at "A Best Web forum" and let you in on my expensive ride. Warranty has already ran out.

2/Anyone who has similar problems with Customer Service please feel free to lets us all know.

I am sure there are some pro-Clixgalore members here, but I would like to hear from Merchants. No disrespect to the affiliates, its hard work getting traffic to a website and from what I have read on forums today I feel for you guy’s.

Who knows maybe this post may make its way to the right people, I’m having no luck at all this end. Then again I may be the first male to get pregnant.

Stay tuned for the next post on my progress on how it all started and I should have known better. I make a newbie look like a pro.

[Donuts]

Curious... as a merchant, what criteria lead you to choose CG as your partner?

[CodeRed]

Hi Donuts
Well I used the "newbie" solution. After spending many days and nights working in the wee hours of the mornings day after day towards my dream money making machine. I was just to "tired to think of marketing" my gold nugget. Found that CG was a phone call away. Now here is where the "Newbie Solution" caught me. I believed their hype of affiliates all around the world Blah Blah Blah. You get this and you get that and I BELIEVED IT ALL with a few reminder calls from CG's to massage my ego.
What I should have done is contact a few merchants before signing up with anyone.
What I did was sign up with the first company I found because I was too tired to think after working on my project for so long.... Yes I am the PRIZE WINNING newbie.
And my story is not a fairy tale, I'm living the Clixgalore Dream right here and right now. Will be adding another post soon, wish me luck!!!

[DesignerWiz]

What I should have done is contact a few merchants before signing up with anyone.

Bingo!

[CodeRed]

Before & After: Marketing Sales Person Vera’s Customer Service (Part1)

Hi all. Going back in time, 48 hours ago, is where I am starting off.

Well it’s been - 4 days - and still waiting for a reply to my email and phone message.
I did make quite a few phone calls but only left one message, figured I may get lucky and get in touch with my “Account Manager”. Yes my phone is now a slot machine and I am LOSING my sanity. So far I have had 8 answering machines & 3 receptionists, but no win on the “Account Manager”

By this time I am WTF and decide if my “Account Manager” (from now on know as MIA) was not there I would complain to the manager. No MIA but yes the manager is in.
Hooray I say to myself. Thinking I am going to let them have it. WRONG!!!
The manager passes a message back to the receptionist that he will not speak to me and that I should contact X. for any problems and go through proper procedure??? “Groan” Ok, let me speak to X then. Sorry X is in a meeting? You’re kidding me? I am then asked if I would like to leave a message…A few seconds later I am sent to an answering machine again. All I wanted is the answers to a few questions and a company as big as Clixgalore with 150 000 members has no one that can help a “CORPORATE PLATINUM member…You have to wonder how the lower memberships are treated. I wonder if they get a message asking them to call back only? Have to ask.

For those that don’t know a “CORPORATE PLATINUM Membership” is the top level
Membership, a VIP type of service that the Marketing people recommended that would pull rabbits out of a hat for me. Great give me that and I’ll take 6 regions to go with it.
There are 3 other services: Bronze – Business Silver – Enterprize Gold and “CORPORATE PLATINUM “ That the service with all the ticks clixgalore.com.au/promotions.aspx .
No mention of the SUPER answering machine that I am good friends with now. Well sort of, it doesn’t call me back either…

Now my membership also has the following services. I am told that my website is really cool and believed it would do real well here at Clixgalore. Theses guy’s are COOL, and look at what else we have for just YOU.

1.Pro-active Affiliate recruitment on a daily basis – no details really what that means?

2.Pro-actively attempt to contact, recruit & match your criteria to its members.Its
early days yet so it would be unfair to comment weather they do or don’t

3.Recruitment requests: 200 per year, they contact leads you give them and keep
them should you leave. – I think that’s fair personally. But I haven’t left yet…

4.Assign an account manager - for the moment MIA

5.Processing requests to join your program – I think the answering machines possible
does this for you.

6.Updating and maintaining your program – not sure what that means for me?

7.Uploading submitted product catalogues/datafeeds – no idea yet as to what this is
and how it will help me. Hoping to find out soon. Lower level memberships do it
yourself basically. But not 100% sure of that.

8.There are other features but this post is getting away on me.

Before & After: Marketing Sales Person Vera’s Customer Service (Part1)

To quickly end this post all I can say is that at this point in time you would need to
build a bridge a MILE long to connect the services outlined to me by the Clixgalore
Sales Team and its Customer Service Dept. I will be trying to get Clixgalore to help me
understand and implement the above next week.

And YES, I did get that phone call on day 5, more about that next time.

Remember its early days and there could be a number of reasons for the poor
support. I have contacted Clixgalore again; let’s see if it takes 5 days again
to help me out.. Until next time, Clixgalore adventure tour...

[MichaelColey]

If that's the type of service you get with Corporate Platinum, imagine what you get with Bronze.

That said, many of the Australian affiliates and merchants rage about how good ClixGalore is. Perhaps the service varies tremendously from country to country.

[UncleScooter]

It's just too bad that you will not be able to see who your affiliates really are and what they might be up to as far as promoting your program. These small, sub-affiliate CPA networks are rife with adware players and spammers who can severely tarnish the image of your business. There is no transparency so you really have no idea who and how your program is being promoted.

[shoelover]

My company, Shoe Stor, just signed up with Clixgalore and yes, on the bronze plan. We also run an in house affiliate program.

My thinking was that I would give it whirl and see how things go. As far as what led me to pick Clixgalore was that fact that they don't charge for integration and this isnt because I am cheap, it's that I just dont understand how placing a snippet of code on my website is worth 400 to 1000 dollars (after building the sites, I can figure out where to put the code). I am also hesitant to pay for all of these wonderful recruiting services without getting an idea of the level of service that these companies provide. My main reason for starting the outsourced affiliate program is to make sure my affiliates have a level of comfort that they are going to get paid (I know this can be a major issue for some) and cut down on the administrative overhead on my end.

[CodeRed]

Before & After: Marketing Sales Person Vera’s Customer Service (Part2)

Well it’s been another week here on the Clixgalore train. As mentioned I did finally get a call from Clixgalore on day 5. The call was rather brief as the person had a meeting he had to attend. 5 Day Wait, followed by a 5 Minute Call. Now that’s service for you. In a non-stop action chat I was given the answers to my questions. Did I understand it all, no not really? I found that the answers where what I needed but just didn’t get it. Mr. Clix was polite, however I found the conversation to be very rushed and I found it difficult afterwards to remember how it works. And my MIA (account manager) is still missing. Not to mention how I felt about only having 5 minutes to think about what I had wanting to know. I’m not really feeling like I am getting the service or the respect of a company I had just spent so much money with.

A few days latter I sent in an email with a few more questions regarding the PRO-ACTIVE services and all that mentioned in an earlier post here I talked about. This time I received a phone call on day 4, it may have had some thing to do with sending another email, but this time I sent it to a few departments and also made a phone call to my friend the Answering Machine.

Late in the afternoon Mr. Clix called to answer my quires regarding all those GREAT extra Pro-ACTIVE features and how they help my business grow. Gave me some great news that my earlier request had been taken care off . Miss Clix my account manager is still MIA.
And my request had not been taken care off . So 2-3 weeks later I can say with certainty that I am NOT HAPPY!!!!

Before & After
The title above is a really good way to start off my little opinion here. Before I signed up and paid, the SUPER sales team at Clixgalore
did every thing possible to get me to join the Clix Family as one person had put it. Lots and I mean lots (and this really makes me laugh) of encouraging phone calls every week prior to signing. Massaging my ego as well as confirming with me that my website is a sure winner.
Also Clix just doesn’t sign up every one, because there’s no point investing their time with a dud business. This is because the sign up fee really doesn’t cover their cost and it’s the 25% commission they are looking forward too. And YES my website is what they considered to be a real winner.

Before
Now I am sold. The Clixgalore sales team left me with the understanding that they would supply an Account Manager that would personally look after my gold nugget and actively promote my website. In short a professional that would personally manage, promote and be on call any time during the week to really give my business a push in the right direction. That’s why Clixgalore have over 150 000 merchants. Let’s not forget the long list of PRO-ACTIVE services that I will be getting as well.

After
What I have gotten so far. No Account Manager, I do have a name. But I am unable to contact that person so far in over 2 weeks.
All the extra services are computer generated and there is no real person looking after my account. All the promotion is conducted by their internet software. There are no statistics supplied to me on HOW or WHERE I am being promoted. It’s a TRUST ME we are looking after you set up. So I have no idea that my product is even promoted in the right area. YES I have an impression meter, but so what? That just tells me that my banners are being rotated some where on a website. Once again it’s a TRUST ME as I have no idea as to where its being shown or if its really been shown?

But the worst part is the Customer or really no Customer Service. An Answering Machine working over time, a Manager who tells you through another Clixgalore employee he has no time for you and to leave a message. That really hit the BONE. Not having any way of knowing if you are being promoted. Finding out that all these great features are not handled by real people who know or care about your product. Knowing you where never given a true understanding on how the system works and lead to believe that Clixgalore actually had people you could turn too for help. And when you finally do get a response they are too busy to spend any time with you.
The TRUST ME set up, no statistics on WHERE and HOW they do what they do?

Conclusion
At this point all I know is what I spent as a fact. Going into week 3-4 I have had a very upsetting experience with Clixgalore.
Customer Care is more like Customer Careless. I do know if I was to start again I would have set up my website so that Clix was just an affiliate and promote my site separately. So angry and disappointed is where I am at…

To Be Fair
As far as their service is concerned, well I do not have enough info on weather it works or not. It’s too early to tell yet. I hate to admit it.
I do have a number of affiliates that have signed me up. No sales yet, but then my website requires sign ups. Which on any day can be quite hard to start up? I should have asked a great number of questions before signing up. And only myself to blame for getting upset.
Well at least I get to tell my story here and others may be a little wiser for it. Besides the bad service I really don’t know if Clixgalore works.. Time will tell..Until next time..

[DesignerWiz]

Thanks for the update.

[CodeRed]

Hi and thanks DesignerWiz,
A bit of support goes a long way. Tell me am I being over dramatic, I am just trying to tell it like it is. I want to keep it balanced as in a fair account of my dealings with CG's.
And I hope I am doing that?

Cheers

[DesignerWiz]

Your being absolutely fair .... I just wish I could say the same for ClixGalore who seems to have a history pattern that emulates your posting.

[CodeRed]

24hr Telephone / Email Enquiry Support Line - Clixgalore

Nicely pointed out to me by the SALES TEAM in case I need any problem sorted ASAP.
Yes its the 24hr Answering Machine and the Email Enquiry Support Line will get back to you in 24 / 48 Hrs. And I am guessing here, during business hours ONLY..Very misleading I think!!

I have X affiliates asking me for X. Some thing that was supposed to have been taken care of 5 Days ago. The magic 5 again, but still waiting this time. "GROAN"

I had wanted X up and ready also for the next or my FIRST appearance on the clixgalore MONTHLY Newsletter. The very important marketing tool that generates affiliates for you as it lets all affiliates know of you. Now its seems that I am going to have missed my chance to make a better impression. A very important moment for me to make the best possible impression and attract greater attention hopefully leading to a great number of affiliates signing up.

I wonder if the Sales Team and Customer Service are even in the same building.

Am I just having a *****, YOU BET!!! The pot is boiling on this one!!!

[AUS]

Hi CodeRed,

I'm guessing from the amount that you posted that you are an Australian merchant. I am an affiliate in Australia and if you tell me who you are - the merchant id would be enough - I can probably tell you if and how Clixgalore have been promoting you to their affiliates. (Sorry, I can't PM on this forum)

As well as getting the newsletter, I get contacted about the higher level merchants - although that doesn't mean that I will necessarily take them all on. Each merchant is assessed on its own merits.

AUS

[AUS]

Originally Posted by UncleScooter

It's just too bad that you will not be able to see who your affiliates really are and what they might be up to as far as promoting your program. These small, sub-affiliate CPA networks are rife with adware players and spammers who can severely tarnish the image of your business. There is no transparency so you really have no idea who and how your program is being promoted.

What?? The Clixgalore system provides merchants a lot of information about who their affiliates are and where the clicks are coming from. The system also allows merchants to check and manually approve affiliates, set their own individual terms and conditions re ppc etc, limit countries from which affiliates and traffic are accepted, send emails to affiliates, and knock off any suspect affiliate.

I encourage the merchants that I work with through Clixgalore to learn how to use the tools provided to manage their programs. Those that put in the effort are very happy with the results.

AUS

[CodeRed]

I just flushed my money with Clixgalore Affiliate Program

Hi AUS

Thanks for the offer, but I have given up on Clixgalore and waving my money good by..As you can see I have not posted for awhile, mainly for these reasons again,

My Accounts Manager left: first she was sick, then not at her desk, in a meeting, didn't answer emails etc. Cilxgalore just gave me the run around and are still doing it
now. I do not have a Accounts Manager anymore as my one left. Their training some one supposedly and I have been pushed on to someone else. Who I think is also in training?

As a newbie I had lots of questions regarding their program. Still have a few unanswered questioned. Which are 2-3 weeks old. No reply to my quires. I have over 9 years experience in web designing and have never seen any companies Customer Service as bad as Clixgalore.

I have had a great many affiliates join my program, but they are mostly in search engine type websites. Which I could have done myself. The idea that they match you up with websites that target your business is 85% not true. I think I only have 1-3 affiliate that is in line with my business. I know the percentage does not match the number of affiliates, there is a reason for this...

The email affiliate section has very little information on how it works and getting information to clear up a few questions has been a joke. I have worked it out now.
A 30 second phone call with someone that knows the feature would have cleared up my quires. So simple!!! You think?

You get emails every time someone signs up, but you get no information on when a affiliate leaves. Information I would like to know, so I can investigate WHY an affiliate leaves. This information would help me greatly in improving my website.

Statistics, besides the general "log" on how many impressions and click through's each week, Clixgalore DO NOT supply any information on individual affiliates. Once again information that I believe is very important. But thats the way they run their business.

Are my poor results due to my website, well with Clixgalore there is no way of finding out. As clixgalore managers to supply information in total, I guess they have a good reason NOT to give you a break down on who is doing what. For example if a few of my affiliates where doing the majority of click through's then I would have valuable information to work with. Information that would allow me to target the right websites. I am told they do not currently have or look like having this feature. From a business point of view I suppose its best to delivery only good news and leave out the bad..

I have set up my own statistics section and found that by using Google's site map and other SEO methods and designing my website so that all pages can be listed. This was a great deal of work, however its paying off. I can not tell you why as I prefer to stay anonymous. I can say I have learnt not to keep all your eggs in the same basket. As I mentioned earlier, I was looking for a easy way out of marketing due to the long hours I had spent developing my design. Just too tired. Feeling really DUMB now, as I would have given my clients the same advice. YES I am a real TURKEY now.

Honestly I wanted to give clixgalore the thumbs up in any way. But all I have to report is besides being mislead by the SALES TEAM and being LIED too when I managed to contact them, its been a disaster. Tips below on their general responses,

Holidays: means the person has left the company.
In a Meeting: means no one wants to talk to you.
Questions: Answered leave questions, or they will get back to you. LOL
Emails: Buy a lottery ticket, better chance of getting a wining ticket. Answers typically take 1-2 weeks. Or in my case mostly[U] not answered at all.
Request: in my case I was told " you'll be happy to know its been taken care of" in truth it wasn't and had taken close to 2-3 weeks to sort it out. GROAN!!
Phone Contact: I have found that the conversations are rushed and possibly get that I am annoying you feeling. Or the rep doesn't know and will get back to you?
Answer Machine: Clixgalore greatest tool. Every employee there has their own message bank. And 99 times out of a hundred thats where you end up.
Call backs: very poor on returning calls, if at all. I have found I generally I need to leave at least 2-3 messages before I get one. Even sent an email asking to call me on a number of occasions. I did get a reply to the email in time but never a phone call??

There have been many more examples of the above. But I would only be sounding like a broken record and look like I am purposely trying to blacken the name of Clixgalore for what ever reason. So I decided not to post for a while in case I have to eat humble pie.

Conclusion:

Its my opinion that Clixgalore is a rather large company, lack experienced and knowledgeable employees. Concentrate mainly on signing up new clients. Provide a service that is difficult to monitor regarding your own business needs and results. The majority of services are software based, so the idea as to any manual expert input is
remote.

Is the sale team lying when they promote their product. I would say barely NO, but once your IN the Clixgalore system you find out that they do not supply or preform all the services mentioned. And there is no way of finding out if they do. Its more of a trust me system. Customer service, talk to the HAND!!

I am sure there maybe clients who are doing well, but remember I am speaking of my experience here and thats the only one that matters to me. Poor service, poor results and KISSING my money down the toilet. If you decide on using Clixgalore I would recommend that you set them up as an affiliate ONLY. Who knows maybe they just don't like me.

On the bright side, I have began PLAN B and all is going well. I am doing what I would normally recommend to clients. And because of the service I have never really had from Clixgalore found my energy again.

So AUS thank you sincerely for your offer of help, I really do appreciate it. But I have totally lost my faith with Clixgalore and its imaginary features and service.

To those that have read my diary, I hope I haven't bored you with my posts. I will come back and report if any think changes on their end (LMAO), but you will need to be patient, I guess if the past has any thing to do with the future don't hold your breath for good news.

Till next time, I'm a prize winning TURKEY.

[CodeRed]

Hi Guys

I just noticed a few typo errors in my last post, sorry about that.

Hi AUS

I happy you are doing well and hope it continues.

[MichaelColey]

Originally Posted by AUS

What?? The Clixgalore system provides merchants a lot of information about who their affiliates are and where the clicks are coming from. The system also allows merchants to check and manually approve affiliates, set their own individual terms and conditions re ppc etc, limit countries from which affiliates and traffic are accepted, send emails to affiliates, and knock off any suspect affiliate.

Those are all features that any network should have, but unless they've changed things in recent years, those features are not all available to all merchants. Which features you get (even ones most merchants would consider essential) vary depending on which level of service you pay for. For instance, at the Bronze level, all affiliates are automatically approved and you cannot terminate any. My experience is that they don't consistently provide the promised services, they claim not to allow incentive sites but they refuse to kick them out, and they are lax on fraud.

[AUS]

Originally Posted by MichaelColey

Those are all features that any network should have, but unless they've changed things in recent years, those features are not all available to all merchants. Which features you get (even ones most merchants would consider essential) vary depending on which level of service you pay for. For instance, at the Bronze level, all affiliates are automatically approved and you cannot terminate any. My experience is that they don't consistently provide the promised services, they claim not to allow incentive sites but they refuse to kick them out, and they are lax on fraud.

I agree that they are features that all networks should have - I posted them because Unclescooter incorrectly implied that Clixgalore didn't have these features. And these features are available on ALL levels on Clixgalore.

Originally Posted by MichaelColey

For instance, at the Bronze level, all affiliates are automatically approved and you cannot terminate any..

I know merchants have been able to choose whether to automatically approve or not, and terminate affiliates, at bronze level for at least 2 years when I set up a bronze merchant program and it didn't look like a new feature then. For all you or I know, it was always a feature. You get extra reports and extra promotion on the higher levels.

Originally Posted by MichaelColey

unless they've changed things in recent years.

So you guys continue to bag a network based on a combination of hearsay and your memories of how their system might have worked several years ago (ie not "in recent years") against what we expect of an affiliate network now in an industry that moves as quickly as the internet?

Don't you think it's time to break the habit?

[MichaelColey]

No, I double-checked on their site before posting that. They do not allow Bronze merchants to approve or reject affiliates.

And yes, I'll continue to "bag" them until I have reason to believe that they've changed.

[AUS]

Originally Posted by CodeRed

I just flushed my money with Clixgalore Affiliate Program

I have had a great many affiliates join my program, but they are mostly in search engine type websites. Which I could have done myself. The idea that they match you up with websites that target your business is 85% not true. I think I only have 1-3 affiliate that is in line with my business. I know the percentage does not match the number of affiliates, there is a reason for this....

If you're looking for publisher-type affiliates with established audiences, you'll find they often take longer to evaluate your program and decide if and how to promote your site. Looking at your dates, I'm guessing that you were one of the merchants in the last newsletter. There are a couple there that we rejected, a couple that are in the maybe pile. One of them might be you.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

You get emails every time someone signs up, but you get no information on when a affiliate leaves. Information I would like to know, so I can investigate WHY an affiliate leaves. This information would help me greatly in improving my website.
....

Affiliates rarely leave a program, they just downgrade or drop the links so that would be a pointless feature. If I knew your program, I could tell you if I'd promote your site or not.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Statistics, besides the general "log" on how many impressions and click through's each week, Clixgalore DO NOT supply any information on individual affiliates. Once again information that I believe is very important. But thats the way they run their business.
....

For every affiliate that applies to join your program, you can see the URL and description the affiliate has supplied and Clixgalore stats that indicate how successful that affiliate is. You can follow the link and check out the affiliate's website. You can also follow links on your click report to see where affiliates are promoting you. That's for merchants on bronze level - you would see more on your reports.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Are my poor results due to my website, well with Clixgalore there is no way of finding out. As clixgalore managers to supply information in total, I guess they have a good reason NOT to give you a break down on who is doing what. For example if a few of my affiliates where doing the majority of click through's then I would have valuable information to work with. Information that would allow me to target the right websites. I am told they do not currently have or look like having this feature. From a business point of view I suppose its best to delivery only good news and leave out the bad..
....

Even the bronze merchants I deal with don't have problems finding which affiliates are sending them the traffic and the sales from their Clixgalore reports . There are, of course, some merchants who don't seem to be able to read reports.

Why do you say your results are poor? Not getting affiliates? Not getting clicks? Not converting clicks to sales? They point to different problems.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Conclusion:

Its my opinion that Clixgalore is a rather large company, lack experienced and knowledgeable employees. Concentrate mainly on signing up new clients. Provide a service that is difficult to monitor regarding your own business needs and results. The majority of services are software based, so the idea as to any manual expert input is remote.
....

I think they are like every other successful internet company - very busy, lots of things to deal with, real meetings, and staff who dare to occasionally get sick, leave or take holidays. I wouldn't have thought that someone who claims years of experience in web design would need much hand-holding.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Is the sale team lying when they promote their product. I would say barely NO, but once your IN the Clixgalore system you find out that they do not supply or preform all the services mentioned. And there is no way of finding out if they do.
....

Well, I've offered you a way to find out and it appears that you don't really want to. Communicate through Clixgalore if you want to remain anonymous on the forum.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Its more of a trust me system. Customer service, talk to the HAND!!

I am sure there maybe clients who are doing well, but remember I am speaking of my experience here and thats the only one that matters to me. Poor service, poor results and KISSING my money down the toilet. If you decide on using Clixgalore I would recommend that you set them up as an affiliate ONLY. Who knows maybe they just don't like me.

On the bright side, I have began PLAN B and all is going well. I am doing what I would normally recommend to clients. And because of the service I have never really had from Clixgalore found my energy again.
....

If that's setting up an in-house affiliate program, you'll probably find it a lot more complicated than you think and the results even worse - especially if unrealistic expectations could be part of your problem with Clixgalore.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

So AUS thank you sincerely for your offer of help, I really do appreciate it. But I have totally lost my faith with Clixgalore and its imaginary features and service.
....

Well, take it up then. email Clixgalore and ask them to get me to look at your site from an affiliate point of view. They'll know who I am. Who knows, I might like the site and start promoting it.

[AUS]

Originally Posted by MichaelColey

No, I double-checked on their site before posting that. They do not allow Bronze merchants to approve or reject affiliates.

And yes, I'll continue to "bag" them until I have reason to believe that they've changed.

ROFL - which is why there is a check-box even on the bronze affiliate interface. So Clixgalore are actually over-delivering, providing more features than they promise on the sales checklist.

[CodeRed]

Hi AUS

I can see that you are having better luck than me with Clixgalore. And I noticed that you have been a member of there’s for a while and are doing well with them.

However I am not getting anywhere near the same service you may be getting. And I truly have been misled.

When I started my Diary here, I decided that if I did get offers from Clixgalore members that I would not with respect take that help up. Basically I wanted to post a real experience of the service I am getting. Maybe Clixgalore is a very good service. I am not finding that. At this point they are making it impossible for me to be a happy client with their lack of Customer Support. Simply put, answering emails and returning phone calls. Help me understand their system. That’s all. After searching the internet and after joining Clixgalore I did not find any real information on their service. So I decided that I would post my dealings with them on ABW as it happens. I did find lots of short posts good and bad, but not detailed. And that’s what I am doing.

There is one criticism that no one can argue with me about and that's lack of Customer Service I have received. The majority of my post here is not complaining about my website doing well or badly. The main issue I am drawing attention to, is how hard it is to contact them and get answers to questions in a timely fashion. And how I have been treated.

I did state that I was new to this type of marketing to them and would possibly need help in understanding the system. I was told that help was a phone call away. And at the “very most”, 24-36 hours to reply on rare occasions. Now after paying “TOP DOLLAR” for the “CORPORATE PLATINUM” service, I expected better and was promised better. I can honestly assure you I am not getting that.

I ask you AUS, do you agree or disagree with the questions below? Simply Y/N ?

1/ Would you agree that replies to emails should take no longer than 48Hrs?

2/ Would you agree partly answered emails that are not followed up by complete answers is not good enough?

3/ Would you agree that after leaving a message on their answering system you would expect a phone call?

4/ Would you agree that I am entitled to easier access to my Account Manager?

5/ Does it really matter how experienced I am regarding the internet, that I should not ask questions?

Regarding my project, regardless of what my thoughts are, the market place will determine my success. And I do feel the amount of feed back information does fall short of what I was told. At the end of the day it’s my job to make it work. Clixgalore was an attempt to achieve that goal. I didn’t have a clue to what Clixgalore could or would do for me. I just jumped in without thinking. I am just stating my opinion and experience so far. I think my dealings with Clixgalore being posted here will be welcomed by “Newbie’s” like me. I also know I have been honest regarding my posts.

Thanks again for your offer of help, but I think it’s really Clixgalore duty to take care of its clients. I personally would be stoked if their Customer Service improved and would gladly post so. I am fortunate that I do not have to rely on Clixgalore to successfully promote my website.

Thanks AUS for your input on my last post. I am sure your opinions will be welcomed by other Newbie’s. I have read some of your other Clixgalore post. I hope one day I can suggest an upgrade and have them act on it, like you mentioned they did for you. You seem to have a lot of good things to say about them. I am hoping I can start soon.

If I could make a suggestion, I would ask them to list all my affiliates on one web page. Display the number of impressions and click throughs each affiliate contributes to my project each day of the month. And be able to visit past months totals. I think that would be a great tool. I could then reward the better affiliates in some way. What do you think AUS?

Until next time, Experienced Turkey

[AUS]

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Hi AUS

I can see that you are having better luck than me with Clixgalore. And I noticed that you have been a member of there’s for a while and are doing well with them.

However I am not getting anywhere near the same service you may be getting. And I truly have been misled.

Nothing to do with luck. You keep complaining yet refuse to accept assistance. Could that be because your complaints won't really stand up under scrutiny? Is there another side to this story that you don't want heard? Could you have created some of your own "bad luck"?

Originally Posted by CodeRed

When I started my Diary here, I decided that if I did get offers from Clixgalore members that I would not with respect take that help up.

Respect? Where is the respect in posting anonymous diatribes about a company on the internet (yes, I've seen the review too) while refusing to identify yourself so your complaint can be investigated and refusing any assistance in sorting things out?

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Basically I wanted to post a real experience of the service I am getting.

Your version anyway.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

Maybe Clixgalore is a very good service. I am not finding that. At this point they are making it impossible for me to be a happy client with their lack of Customer Support.

I get the impression that you've made your mind up to be an unhappy client regardless of what they do.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

I did state that I was new to this type of marketing to them and would possibly need help in understanding the system. I was told that help was a phone call away. And at the “very most”, 24-36 hours to reply on rare occasions. Now after paying “TOP DOLLAR” for the “CORPORATE PLATINUM” service, I expected better and was promised better. I can honestly assure you I am not getting that.

This is where it makes no sense. Their system is not that hard to understand, particularly for a seasoned web developer. Merchants who find it hard are usually those who need help understanding the fundamentals of computing, marketing or accounting - and that training is not the job of an affiliate network.

Originally Posted by CodeRed

If I could make a suggestion, I would ask them to list all my affiliates on one web page. Display the number of impressions and click throughs each affiliate contributes to my project each day of the month. And be able to visit past months totals. I think that would be a great tool. I could then reward the better affiliates in some way. What do you think AUS?

I think you'll find all that information on your various reports. You can certainly see impressions and click-throughs for each affiliate - even on the bronze level. Listing all affiliates on one webpage sounds a bit impractical if you have hundreds or thousands of them, but the higher level merchants have special top performer reports etc. I know that because one of my merchants uses these reports a lot.

So, how much thought or effort have you actually put into exploring all the reports offered and how you can use them in your business... or do you just keep complaining things aren't there when you haven't bothered to look?

You mentioned the after-sales service offered by car dealers in your earlier post. Well, car dealers will offer support with valid questions about your vehicle but they won't teach you to drive and they are not to blame when you run out of petrol or don't know the road rules.

[CodeRed]

Clixgalore and still waiting on a reply or phone call?.

Hi AUS

Nothing to do with luck. You keep complaining yet refuse to accept assistance. Could that be because your complaints won't really stand up under scrutiny? Is there another side to this story that you don't want heard? Could you have created some of your own "bad luck"?

Sorry AUS, no hidden agenda. Your making me feel as if I am involved in some kind of conspiracy. LOL My post to date are genuine. I wish Clixgalore responded to me as fast as you do. I do want Clixgalore help, still waiting for them to reply to my emails. Regarding your comment on "Creating bad luck". I don't really know how to respond to that, as my problem is with the lack Customer Support. But if joining Clixgalore and been ignored is bad luck, then I have it in buckets. All they need to do is call me and answer my emails? Maybe I’m wrong about that? And yes there are always two sides to a story. I am only refusing to accept assistance from Clixgalore Members, as I feel very strongly that it’s them that should be assisting me. My posts are a journal about how I am being treated. I do appreciate your offer of help, but I am starting to feel like your taking this personally and getting upset that I have not taken that up?

Respect? Where is the respect in posting anonymous diatribes about a company on the internet (yes, I've seen the review too) while refusing to identify yourself so your complaint can be investigated and refusing any assistance in sorting things out?

If you are an employee of Clixgalore, I could understand your point of view above. But I believe you said you are not. But you are starting to act as if you are one? You may not agree with me and that’s great. I have mentioned my reason on why I wish to stay anonymous. It seems I am upsetting you, trying real hard not to.

Your version anyway.

I can not disagree with you. I suppose when you think about it, all posts are version of someone’s here. And everyone can draw there own conclusions. Am I bashing Clixgalore unfairly? Maybe, but the posts reflect the treatment I have received. I have no problem admitting that at the time of the posts I was not happy with Clixgalore. That’s why I started the "My dairy as a CORPORATE PLATINUM member. Good / Bad??" here at ABW. Here to release my frustration. The contents maybe harshly written, but the underling core is true.

I get the impression that you've made your mind up to be an unhappy client regardless of what they do.

That is so not true. I am waiting to be a happy client. I just don't think its right I need to email or call more than 2-3 times. They have my emails and my message, waiting for answer? How many times should I keep calling and emailing? Sorry AUS you’re very wrong on this point.

This is where it makes no sense. Their system is not that hard to understand, particularly for a seasoned web developer. Merchants who find it hard are usually those who need help understanding the fundamentals of computing, marketing or accounting - and that training is not the job of an affiliate network.

I have to totally agree with you to a point. However you’re missing the point here. Yes I am a seasoned web developer, but I don't know everything. Who does? I bet if I introduced you to new software you still would have questions? My problem is that Clixgalore has let me down on this point. As mentioned many times I am not getting the Customer Service which I paid over $3 K for. I don't have your relationship with Clixgalore, if I did then I would possible do what you do and defend Clixgalore. I am a Newbie to them and maybe you may not know how good or bad their service really is with new clients.

I think you'll find all that information on your various reports. You can certainly see impressions and click-throughs for each affiliate - even on the bronze level. Listing all affiliates on one webpage sounds a bit impractical if you have hundreds or thousands of them, but the higher level merchants have special top performer reports etc. I know that because one of my merchants uses these reports a lot.

LOL, I wouldn't know, I am having trouble getting anyone to answer the phone. No I'm lying. The answering machine is always there. Maybe its not passing on the messages and working with Clixgalore server to keep me out?

webpage sounds a bit impractical

I am sure that they have people who could design a very user friendly page listing results in a number of different ways. For example affiliates that do the most would be at the top of the page. Select by Region. Look at Affiliates that are not doing well for you. Then you could investigate why some affiliates are doing better then others. You would agree that feed back is worth while.

So, how much thought or effort have you actually put into exploring all the reports offered and how you can use them in your business... or do you just keep complaining things aren't there when you haven't bothered to look?

Good question AUS, you do have a interesting style of writing when helping out.
I am fairly sure I did a good job checking things out. Closely looked at all areas , read tutorials and FAQ's. (LOL) I wouldn't complain here if I could get them to pick up the phone. As my mother would say, "it’s easy when you know how". You know how, so I suppose I look pretty dumb to you. You have years of experience with AM, I have about 4 seconds in comparison. But again let’s stick to the point; I am not able to get customer care to help me out. And thanks for the offer to help but it’s not right that I need to turn to a forum to help me out when I have paid and been promised that help. They are the experts that I should be getting help from. So don't take this personally, you PRO Clixgalore, I am cool with that. I did think the cost of designing banners was over the top, would love to get that work

You mentioned the after-sales service offered by car dealers in your earlier post. Well, car dealers will offer support with valid questions about your vehicle but they won't teach you to drive and they are not to blame when you run out of petrol or don't know the road rules.

That’s true. But that was not the point I was making. I was referring to the chances of getting a refund once you hand the money over. I hope LOL that most people got that message. Remember for the first 2 weeks after I joined I could not contact or have anyone contact me back!

I ask you AUS, do you agree or disagree with the questions below? Simply Y/N ?
1/ Would you agree that replies to emails should take no longer than 48Hrs?
2/ Would you agree partly answered emails that are not followed up by complete answers is not good enough?
3/ Would you agree that after leaving a message on their answering system you would expect a phone call?
4/ Would you agree that I am entitled to easier access to my Account Manager?
5/ Does it really matter how experienced I am regarding the internet, that I should not ask questions?

I was hoping you would reply to the questions above? I hope we can keep things polite between us as I am not attacking you. I really don't want to get into a war with anyone here at ABW. Each to their own right?

AUS you seem to be a Guru when comes to Clixgalore. Have you thought of starting your own post, maybe even asking ABW for a thread of your own? Help out Newbie’s with answers and even thoughts on how to improve our Affiliate / Merchant Accounts. Share your knowledge. Look at our websites and gives us your thoughts. Remember I am just a Newbie to AM.

See ya soon. Roasted Turkey