BT Tradespace is a waste of space

Warning: Excessive sarcasm and cynicism is contained throughout this blog. We advise that you take whatever precautions you feel appropriate. E.G. Close your eyes and read

Well after last weeks full on excitement with stinking resin and potato's this week has been a bit of an anti climax. In fact it has been quite frustrating and consisted, as well as the normal everyday stuff, to doing battle with one of our countries biggest telecommunications companies. BT. (British Telecom for those who may be reading this outside of Blighty)

I don't know how many of you are aware that they offer a free service where businesses can upload their profile, products and blogs etc. to promote your business. Just like facebook but for business. Brilliant idea. If only it actually worked! I have been having problems with it from the start and am beginning to wonder why I even started the process. Oh yes, I run a business and any opportunity to increase sales and with the trusted and established name of BT behind it, I should be on to a winner.

Question: How many times do I use the word business or businesses in that last paragraph? Prize is a Free BT Tradespace Account (Please apply cynicism and sarcasm and close your eyes when reading that last statement. Thank you.)

I first uploaded my information about a month and a half ago. To start with once I had put all my relevant data in, uploaded products and written several blog posts although small, I was still not getting listed in the most basic searches even though I had selected relevant keywords. Then to top it all off the site was 'up-graded and re-designed' and now all the information is gone, vanished, it is no longer there. To quote the immortal Monty Python 'This Parrot is dead, it is no more.' I am really annoyed and angry that this happened and wrote some pretty disgruntled posts on the BT Tradespace support pages. It seemed that many others were also experiencing the same problems.

I have actually made a really interesting and helpful contact through all of this and we are now following one another on twitter. So despite the gnashing of teeth and swearing I have actually made a new friend. Hi Paul at 22i Design if your reading this! There's nothing like a bit of conflict against a common enemy to bring people closer together. It's good to talk. I think BT used that one once in an advert. (Once again we ask that you please apply cynicism and sarcasm and close your eyes when reading that last statement. Thank you.)

I have been phoned by the BT web team but missed their call so returned it only to be told there was no one available to help me. So I arranged for someone to call back. They have not, as yet. Perhaps the phones they use are linked to the tradespace website in some way and are not working either. Or they are being trained to make the call as we speak. (Apply as above) I'll keep you posted as to how this all turns out.

On a lighter un-related topic of interest my new fire grate should be arriving soon and so I will be able to relax in front of an open fire and forget about all this. I think I'll use some old BT bills for kindling.....they should burn up a treat!

The Business Of Heart Shaped Potatos, Marigolds and Toilets

I have recently set up my own business selling greetings cards which I design and print myself. In an effort to get better site traffic and hopefully some sales I have been signing up to any and all directories, business networking and social networking sites.
After a week of this, I finally get round to sorting out my blog. It's been a marathon of data entry in various data fields and if I didn't know where I lived before I certainly do now!

So as I understand it this is where I can tell you all about me and what I've been up to, things that have annoyed and frustrated me and things that make me laugh and cry. If any ones interested that is. I thought I would start by telling you about myself but that just seems boring and like the first assignment you get in primary school after the summer holidays, so I'll tell you about something completely different and we'll go from there.

Today I set a heart shaped potato in resin flecked with gold glitter. What an unusual thing to be doing on a Friday, although it sounds like a gentile pass time for a lady of Herefordshire I can tell you I wouldn't recommend it. The stuff I had to use had so many HAZCHEM signs on it if I had one I would have dusted off my old radiation suit, instead I opted for every housewife's trusted chemical hazard protective clothing and donned a pair of marigolds (rubber gloves, not the garden flower, that would be stupid). Needless to say, though my hands were protected the stuff absolutely stank and had to be relocated to the garden shed from its original outside toilet position. Yes we still have an outside toilet! Our house is an old Victorian terrace which boasts an outside toilet, though if you are ever lucky enough to visit I wouldn't recommend as it has become Des res for the local wildlife of the eight legged variety, if you do happen to pop by and are desperate, bring your own marigolds, radiation suit optional.