If you’ve had problems ordering stuff from Fish recently, here’s why. In the latest email from Fish, he explains why things went pear-shaped.
Up until last week I have been unable to provide details regarding a situation that began to unfold in June this year and which has dominated my life since. Due to a legal action being in progress I was restricted from providing information that would explain the problems I have been encountering with the fan club merchandising service since the beginning of 2004. Problems which have enraged a lot of my fans and badly damaged my business and career in both financial and professional terms. I was very aware last year of the continuing complaints against our mail order service; complaints which grew in intensity in the summer of 2004 and resulted in a total loss of confidence from our business customers. At the time I was informed by my office manager – Kim Waring – that the problems lay with the postal and courier services and trusted her judgement. I backed her, despite a highly vocal outcry amongst the fans on various web sites and forums and publicly denounced those who were attacking our service. I now find my confidence was not only severely misplaced but in fact cynically betrayed by someone I considered not only a valued employee but also a friend and confidante. I am severely embarrassed by this revelation and would like to extend my sincere apologies to those whom I berated during the period concerned. Up until June this year when Kim Waring handed in her notice I had absolutely no idea of what had been going on behind my back while I was on tour and even while I was working in the studio.
I’ve worked for a small company that’s been the victim of fraud by a dishonest employee, and seen from first hand the consequences of such a betrayal of trust. In that case, he got found out early on before he’s had the chance to do too much damage to the company’s finances or reputation. (I’ve also worked for a company who’s CEO ended up in jail for fraud, but that was another story) Fish’s case sounds an order of magnitude worse.
