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Nicola
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May 29 2008, 06:40 PM
Post #1
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Darth Vader's Sewing Instructor
- Posts:
- 6,553
- Group:
- Support Team
- Member
- #11
- Joined:
- Nov 27, 2007
- What Browser are you using?
- Firefox 3
- ZB Board URL
- http://s1.zetaboards.com/Testing/index/
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Helping Other Users in Theme Support
Due to the staff having to deal with support tickets of all varieties, we sometimes cannot always be on hand to answer new topics in the forums. We truly do appreciate that people want to share their knowledge and help eachother out when staff are not available.
However, Support for this service is something we do take very seriously. Users come in all shapes and sizes  They might be new, or they might be someone with a moderate amount of knowledge with a trickier question. In all cases, support must be correct, and thoroughly explained. Incorrect information given reflects badly on us as a service, even if the incorrect support wasn't given by a member of the staff team. Confusing support is just as bad, as that means that more time needs to be spent in order to get the solution to their problem across in a clearer manner.
Before you start to help out (Or if you are doing so already and are reading this topic for the first time), please be aware of the following. It may seem like a long list, but reading it could stop you from being support restricted 
Things you should NOT do
- Always check to see if someone is posting. This goes first because it is an important one. Zetaboards has this handy feature where it tells you who is posting via the full posting page. If someone else is posting, just leave the topic. Two answers that might be completely different may confuse the user. If a staff member is viewing, please leave the topic. Staff members take precedence in support topics because they are part of the support team and it is their job. If they are posting, definitely leave it. They are either asking for more detail to provide a 100% correct solution, or they're posting the solution already. It is frustrating for anyone to spend time typing a post only to have someone paste an answer before them, or post a rushed answer. Be considerate, always think of the person that needs the support.
- Do not post things that you have not tested. Unless you're 100% correct that something does work, please test it before posting. If you can, test whether it also works in other commonly used browsers. If you're still unsure, don't answer.
- Do not use "Change your browser" as a solution. You must always respect the choices of others. If they prefer to use a particular browser, that is their prerogative. Telling them to change what they are comfortable with is not the ideal solution. If you cannot help them with their browser problem, don't post.
- Do not speed post. Support is not a race, and it's definitely not a game. Speed posting is a sure fire way to not be on our 'radar' when it comes to selecting new staff. Whether you speed post because you want to become staff or because your intentions are good and you're honestly trying to help.. you're not. Speed posting generally means incorrect or rushed support, which is unlikely to contain the information the user needs.
- Do not repeat what others have said. If we wanted a Parrot in support, Brandon would've coded one Repeat answers can frustrate the user, because no one really wants to read through several posts of the same thing to get their answer. It's also pointless, unless several of you happen to be posting at the same time. Repeating what someone has said several hours after they have said it is inexcusable.
- Do not 'save a space'. Comes under speed posting a little, where someone is intent on being the first to answer. They will post and then edit their post to include the necessary information, perhaps from a user who took the time to post their answer and got it correct the first time. This is pretty dirty, and warnable. Always think of helping the user.
- Do not advertise. Regardless of whether your board has the documentation to save a life, you cannot link a user to your board. There is a fine line between helping and advertising sometimes, so to dispell that, links are just not allowed. Try linking to a board directory rather than a board. Do not PM users links either.
- Got Autotool? Autotools are a handy feature for most message board softwares. They insert a pre-written response into a post if you find yourself having to repeat it a lot. There are zero autotools in use on this forum, but if users do want to write a helpful pre-written response to a commonly asked question, that is acceptable. It's a time saver, and because it's well written and described, it's not completely considered as speed posting... since it contains what you'd have posted had you typed it up anyway.
Please make sure any links or codes in the response are up to date, though.
- Don't guess. Sometimes you have to guess. Users may be completely new to message boards, so they won't know the 'lingo'. If what they describe can have several possibilities, either ask that they clarify, or give answers for all possible solutions. Don't guess, because that just requires more posts, and support is best done with the least amount of posts possible.
- Respect the user's choices. A common argument with themes on Zetaboards (or anything that uses xHTML or a sense of design) is that Internet Explorer sucks. Yes, it's got poor web standards and can make you want to bang your head against the wall, but if they want to use a browser you don't agree with, please respect it. People do sometimes post "Use a different browser" as a solution. It is not a solution. If a user is comfortable with Internet Explorer, than help make it work for them.
- Don't post random junk. "Lol I love that avatar you're using!" is not support. Something that doesn't contribute to the topic in any way or doesn't help the user does not belong in the topic.
What you should definitely do:
Use the Report Button. If you see someone giving incorrect support, use the report button. Don't make them feel an inch tall by being a complete jerk to them. No one is 100% right all the time. Feel free to post the correct answer, but don't belittle others for being wrong. Use the Report button and we'll deal with it.
Please do not use the report button to 'report' a topic being in the wrong forum, though. At the end of it, a user needing help is a user needing help.
Then Finally...
Warnings are given out on a case by case basis depending on the severity of the incorrect support given. Please respect our decision to warn you or put in place any further restrictions. Any punishments given are to help improve the quality of support given to users of this service. Ideally, we do not want to restrict users from support, or even warn them for that matter. However if the situation calls for it, we will.
Edited by Nicola, Jun 2 2008, 04:37 AM. |
12:17 PM Dec 8
