It´s been hard not to notice that the tone of these forums have changed for the worse in the last few months. I first came to these forums in order to defend myself from statements made by someone in November. Since then, it seems to have become a free-for-all for anyone that does business here.
As I have often said to people, moving to a foreign country requires a lot of patience and tolerance. It also requires a lot of research and due diligence.
Many people move here to get away from their lives in whatever country they come from. The problem is that although the country has changed, the person is still the same. If you're not happy in your home country, you're not likely to be happy here either.
I have had the unique opportunity over the last 3 years+ in Ecuador to meet a lot of expats from many countries and cultures. While I would characterize many as well prepared, many are not. It's obvious when someone has not done their homework. Running into problems with any type of transaction be it legal, real estate, etc. is much more likely if one is ill prepared.
Even the best prepared people can run into issues in this country for any number of reasons. What can only be described as a very difficult business environment, this country requires a lot of flexibility. We are still dealing with big issues with public corruption and in my business I see this more often than I like. Meeting government requirements for reporting of taxes and meeting employer requirements and the hassles that go along with it can make anyone think twice. You have to love what you do to do it here.
As I have personally experienced many times over the last year+, competition can be fierce. Dollars from foreigners are in great demand here. Expats providing services are often singled-out and subjected to a storm of gossip and bad publicity. It happens to all of us. At best, we are at a disadvantage many times as our competitors have often times been in business many more years and formed many more relationships, alliances and have a much stronger client base. Instead of people using these forums in a constructive way, often times the benefit is overlooked: tell why you like or don't like how someone does their work. Explain YOUR true experience. Not gossip and garbage spread between the communities of expats.
As I have said before, those that are unhappy with some business service from any industry are often the loudest. They will stand at the top of the hillside and scream until people hear them. Those that have had positive experiences often don't take the time to speak up. And that's unfortunate. Thank you to those that do take the time to speak about positive experiences. It's that balance of positive and negative that makes forums such as these useful. Tell why it's been positive or negative for YOU PERSONALLY.
We are all human, we all make mistakes, and unfortunately we have the disadvantage of conducting business in a very complicated business environment. I can tell you from personal experience that very often things don't go right the first time here. It takes a lot of time to work through issues and government red tape. Unfortunately, things are not as cut and dry as people would like them to be. Success in business here requires a lot of money and a lot of commitment. Even those tasks that should be fairly straight-forward can be flipped on their head for any number of reasons outside of our control. The power outages, for example, put a huge strain on business - mine included. It's been a very challenging couple of months.
I have personally felt the sting of messages posted in these and other forums, as well as gossip and garbage spread within the expat community. Some of it has been true and most of it hasn't. The unfortunate part is that often times by the time the truth comes out about some person or business, the damage has already been done. The people in these forums have the responsibility to get their facts straight and report on their experiences. Not gossip. Many, such as myself, have families that depend on our hard work and long work hours paying off and paying the bills. My Ecuadorian wife and son are just one example.
I, along with many others here, have grown tired of reading the same garbage every day. Some have already threatened to leave or left.
If you're reading these forums for information, sources of service providers, etc., take the time to do your own homework. Don't take these forums as gospel. There is a LOT of bad, inaccurate and incorrect information posted. I can tell you this personally as I read messages related to law and see a lot of bad advice. I don't even have time or the desire to set many issues straight. It's the job of the people posting to get the facts straight and only post info they know to be true or at least let people know if they aren't completely sure. People are doing the community a disservice by not taking more care. A lot of people make very personal and expensive decisions based on what they read here, other forums and what others tell them on the street, and unfortunately sometimes it costs them a lot of time, money and frustration.
In closing, these forums and others like them serve a purpose only if used responsibly. Do your homework and make a better Ecuador for everyone living here or wanting to live here. And please think about the lives you affect before you post.
David Beyer
www.ecuadorservices.com
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