
AskHN: How do you deal with grumpy forum members? - solorollo
I have a forum with a couple hundred members. Mostly they are nice. There are two members that are very active that are generally grumpy. I have lost really good members of my community because one or both of the grumps have pissed them off.<p>One is a hard worker and adds so much value to a different part of the site that it is difficult to envision asking them to leave. The other is like that grumpy uncle that shows up to all of the family reunions. They are going to die in a couple of years but allowing them to stay comes at a cost.<p>I&#x27;m a little bit Asperger&#x27;s in real life and I am very much not in tune with the pain that the grumps cause. I am only aware when people complain which always surprises me.<p>I am open to any suggestions!
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thesmileyone
Depends what you care about more, revenue or a more humanitarian customer
experience.

There's plugins like "Miserable User" available to get rid of members without
offense / them knowing (unless they are intelligent).

Or you could just...ask them to be less grumpy?

"One is a hard worker and adds so much value to a different part of the site
that it is difficult to envision asking them to leave." Agreed. putting up
with that might be the duality involved.

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solorollo
I think if you have a better customer experience revenue will figure itself
out. Asking two people to leave will definitely cause issues. And the
production of the one may not be replaceable. I was told by one of the
complainers that "others will pick up the slack" except no one does. The
opportunity is there. No one comes close.

