How do you deal with the situation where a former staff member wants to establish a competing site of their own, such as a similar niche forum? Maybe this person used your forum to learn the niche, make contacts/friends and is now using your forum (and their posts) as a spring board to open a similar site. How do you protect your site from being leeched of content or members?
You don't own the forum niche, so there will always be competitors. You just have to be confident in your own forum's ability to stand on it's own. If the forum staffer (or former staff member) is stealing your members, you should just ban them so they don't have access to PM other members.You don't own the forum niche, so there will always be competitors. You just have to be confident in your own forum's ability to stand on it's own. If the forum staffer (or former staff member) is stealing your members, you should just ban them so they don't have access to PM other members.
In situations like this, you have to wonder if the forum staff member actually planned to start a competing site from the start and maybe was just getting some insight into the niche. That could explain how someone could so easily have a competing forum up and running right out of the gate, since you trained them so well.In situations like this, you have to wonder if the forum staff member actually planned to start a competing site from the start and maybe was just getting some insight into the niche. That could explain how someone could so easily have a competing forum up and running right out of the gate, since you trained them so well.
That happened to us although not in a forum but in a retail business. The sales supervisor created her own business as competition to our business and at the same time stole our major clients. In times like that, all you can do is to ignore because it's no use to get back at them. I know if is painful to be struck on your back but traitors will always be among us. And if ever you learn of the competition accidentally since that staff is keeping it secret, then I guess all you can do is to ban that staff. Again, forget revenge, it will just add insult to the injury that you sustained.That happened to us although not in a forum but in a retail business. The sales supervisor created her own business as competition to our business and at the same time stole our major clients. In times like that, all you can do is to ignore because it's no use to get back at them. I know if is painful to be struck on your back but traitors will always be among us. And if ever you learn of the competition accidentally since that staff is keeping it secret, then I guess all you can do is to ban that staff. Again, forget revenge, it will just add insult to the injury that you sustained.
LizAnne
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