Your Guide to Getting and Giving Support

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Your Guide to Getting and Giving Support; Read Before Posting; reposted
Topic Started: Nov 28 2007, 03:23 PM (1,804 Views)
Dennis	Nov 28 2007, 03:23 PM Post #1
Member Extraordinaire Posts: 893 Group: Support Team Member #94 Joined: Nov 27, 2007 What Browser are you using? Firefox 3	First of all, welcome to the ZetaBoards support forums if you are new. We hope we can provide good, fast, accurate support here for you. However, in order for us and our members to do that, we ask that you follow these few points when asking a question, which will help us a lot. The main points you should follow are in bold, with an extended explanation below it in grey. Many of the points should be self-explanitory, but if you unsure what any mean, take a look at the description underneath for more information. This should keep all the things you should remember when asking for support short and easy to follow, hopefully. If you're someone that likes to give support, that's great! We appreciate the help, as we couldn't do it on our own. However, there seems to be a lot of problems with some people who are sometimes known as 'Support volunteers' which cause us problems. Take a look at the section on Giving support to see what you should avoid doing. Getting Support Giving Support Punishments Posting a Proper Topic Support and Backseat Moderation Now that, all the major stuff is out of the way. I'd like to assure many of you, that this doesn't apply to you. Many of you are in the clear, giving great support, and helping the hundreds who need help. But there are some who may need a little pointing in the right direction, and this topic is here specifically for you.



Dennis	Nov 28 2007, 03:24 PM Post #2
Member Extraordinaire Posts: 893 Group: Support Team Member #94 Joined: Nov 27, 2007 What Browser are you using? Firefox 3	Getting Support Let's start off with a few issues of Getting Support. Research. So you're having a problem on your board, and immediately you come to this support forum and post the problem? Hold on sonny! More than likely, we have the problem and solution listed in our Official Documentation. Finding your answer could be as easy as typing a few key words into the Wiki Search box, which looks like this: You could also try this forum's Search Engine. If you still can't find the answer, then you can feel free to post and ask for assistance. If you don't find an answer, post in one of the support forums, and patiently wait for an answer. If you do move on, and post a topic in our several *Support Sections, BE PATIENT, and DO NOT BUMP UNDER 24 hours. Bumping is rude, inconsiderate, and can get your topic closed, with this nice little image next to it: A few tips on getting your topic solved quickly* More information on this in the next post along - Use a descriptive topic title! Bad: OMG! MA FORUMZ Good: My members cannot post - Use an explanatory topic description: Bad: HELLLP!!!!!111 Good: But only in one forum - Provide a thorough description of the problem. Bad: my members cant post and how do you get them postin in forumz please help Good: I've set up several forums, but for some reason my members cannot post in one particular forum. How do I solve this problem? - Either provide a link to your forum, or make use of the "ZB Board URL" profile field. Questions (especially theme related questions) are much easier to resolve when the problem can be examined. Once your topic has been answered, feel free to leave a nice little 'Thank You' or 'This is Resolved', so a moderator can come along and mark it as such. Bear in mind also that if you don't follow these few tips, to make your topic readable and helpful to us, you really don't have the right to be complaining and bumping your topic excessively. By following what's stated above, you can usually expect the good, fast support many people get around here. Don't PM or IM staff for support, don't make multiple requests for support Posting in the support forums or sending a support ticket should be enough to get your problem solved. There is no need to post the same request in multiple areas, so posting the same thing in two forums is not necessary, nor is sending a support ticket and then posting on the forums. Post your question in one place, and provided you've asked well enough and someone knows, it should be answered. Although you cannot bump a topic in under 24 hours, once 24 hours has passed, feel free to bump if you haven't gotten a reply, but only bump once, and be polite about it. Also, do not post in other people's topics unless you're answering their question, even if their topic has an issue similar to yours. This is rude because it inconveniences the topic starter and confuses those who want to help. Also, PMing or IMing staff for support is not allowed. Perhaps members don't mind it, some staff might say it's OK for them personally, but most of us do not have the time and don't appreciate being bugged via PM or IM for help. We really do like to help, but we only do so in the support forums and via support tickets, we can't do so through PM or IM



Dennis	Nov 28 2007, 03:24 PM Post #3
Member Extraordinaire Posts: 893 Group: Support Team Member #94 Joined: Nov 27, 2007 What Browser are you using? Firefox 3	Giving Support Many people contribute to giving support at our Support Board. It's what makes it so great. But, there are a few rules we want Support Givers to follow, so they don't end up Restricted or Banned. Yes, it can happen. Why? To remove the little nuisances we have to better clean up and keep clean the support section. Don't backseat moderate Do not backseat moderate, because it fills up the support forums with spam and unnecessary junk. Backseat moderating includes telling people not to bump, etc, and also answering replies trying to act on behalf of staff, such as explaining the cause of server problem. Be considerate to others, don't race to help out Be considerate to other members of ZB Support, and don't post a reply while someone else is. That looks really silly. So when you are in a topic, make sure you're clear to give your good and concise support. It looks like Jonathan is about to answer this particular topic, so RyanF should not make a post. If possible, you should refresh the page to be sure that members aren't posting with the "Add Reply" button. Please do not race to resolve every topic in the forum. Some may think that answering all the topics really quickly is going to get them noticed and on staff, however, the opposite usually happens. Instead of racing to answer all the topics, solve one at a time instead. Quality over quantity. Do not ask for Admin CP Access! Just a simple rule, don't ask for Admin CP Access. Although you may truly be willing to help, asking for access to someone else's Admin Control Panel is not the way to properly help. You can end up giving much better support otherwise. If Admin CP Access is absolutely necessary, then the person needing help can submit a Support Ticket, where an ZetaBoards Staff Member can help you. This should be the only place you allow someone access to your board. Those asking for Admin CP Access will be warned. To those needing help, be advised, it's always better to be safer than sorry. Don't spam, don't advertise, and follow all of the board rules. Random spam and junk in topics really won't help at all, especially in support. This includes the "you're welcome" post or any permutation thereof. If the problem is solved, there should be no reason to post anymore in that topic. Spamming in support will most likely lead to a even more harsh punishment than elsewhere. Also, remember that advertising is not allowed. Any link to another forum which isn't the support board, is not allowed, even if you think it is helping. This means if someone asks something, and you have an answer on your own or someone else's board, don't post a link, because it'll usually end up removed. If someone asks for where they can get skins, a link to your own forum, even if it does provide what they want, isn't allowed. Even a link to the IF Board Directory, even though it's not your forum, isn't allowed. In cases like that, a link to the graphics/skins section of the board directory however, would be allowed. Don't repeat the same thing twice, use your common sense Yes, it is true that some people can just repeat the same thing twice just for the sake of posting. If a topic has been answered, and you know it has - why post again? If someone has answered a topic, leave it as it is, if someone needs more help, they will ask. Usually their problem is solved, when they say so, we will mark the topic as such. So if a topic has been answered, and especially if the topic starter themselves as said so, there is no need to repeat something or add a little bit if it's useless. If you don't know, don't post. Posting "I don't know" is the equivalent to spam, which is bad. If you don't know the answer, and can't find the answer, then leave the topic alone - someone else will answer it. And this also means no "omg i no this hold on ill get it for j00" posts. If you have an answer, take the time to type it out before posting - don't post a filler, find the answer then come back and edit your post.



Dennis	Nov 28 2007, 03:24 PM Post #4
Member Extraordinaire Posts: 893 Group: Support Team Member #94 Joined: Nov 27, 2007 What Browser are you using? Firefox 3	Punishments It's come to our attention that we need to be strict in keeping order. There are a large number of members who come and give accurate, wonderful support. They don't have to worry about this section, because we only punish members who give bad support, often informally referred to as "Support Volunteers". This bad support isn't intentional, but usually because they haven't clued into the fact that support is not a race, that they should not backseat moderate, and that they are often providing inaccurate answers. Also, keep in mind of the rules properly listed out in this post. To make sure that the people who are actually in need of support get quality support, we will invoke punishments on those members who give inaccurate support. These punishments range in severity, and are at the discretion of the staff. They can include... Warning - Often it's just a simple warn note, perhaps with a PM to the offending member to let them know they need to improve their support. Post Disable - This just means you can't post. It's a temporary measure, easier on us than mod queue because we don't have to approve any posts. After all, if you can't make good posts, why post at all? Moderation Queue - All your topics and posts have to be approved by a moderator. This can take time, since we aren't on 24/7 and seldom will we spend all our online time approving posts. Suspension - You can't access the forums, at all. This is temporary (unlike banning). Don't try to get around the suspension though, because that will lead to the use of the ban stick. Restricted: Support - You get moved into this user group, where you can no longer provide support. This is the most common punishment for repeat offenders. Posting in support is a privilege, not a right and privileges can be revoked if you can't handle them responsibly. Making fun of, not helping, and/or utterly pointless posts will insure that you no longer post in our Support Section anymore. Ask yourself, is it really worth that?



Dennis	Nov 28 2007, 03:24 PM Post #5
Member Extraordinaire Posts: 893 Group: Support Team Member #94 Joined: Nov 27, 2007 What Browser are you using? Firefox 3	Posting a Proper Topic It seems that most new members come in here, and wish for help super fast. They make 3 errors 1. They don't provide enough information for their problem to be resolved quickly 2. They use shortcuts like 2, ur, u, da and other phrases that actually make it harder to understand them. 3. They fail to accurately explain the problem in the topic title, using such words as Help, Please, Need help asap. Important! The Support forum, contrary to popular belief, is not the Daytona 500. We are known to give fast support. But Support is a two way street. In order for us to help you, you have to help us. We NEED: 1. A proper title When creating a new topic to ask for support it's important that you are as descriptive as humanly possible. This benefits both parties - the person asking for support and the person giving support. For example; You're having a problem changing the colour of group names in your admin control panel, so you come here to ask for help. Using "Help!" as your topic title is extremely vague, so your topic may not be looked at for some time. Titling your topic with "Group Colours", or "Problem Changing Group Colours" not only looks good but it's obvious as to what sort of problem you're having. A member or Support Staff volunteer can now answer your topic with ease. 2. Proper English, spelling and punctuation We understand that English isn't a first language for everyone, but for those of you who do speak it fluently it's expected that you don't make use of the notorious chat-speak type shortcuts that exist on the internet. Using these shortcuts while posting a support topic makes it extremely hard to understand. In many cases users (and even staff) may ignore your topic due to the frustration that it can cause. "i am hving tonz 0f probs w my forum i cant change ne groop clrs and wen i went 2 hit submit it dltd evrything! HELP!" Okay, so this is just a little bit dramatic...but we've seen it. People who don't speak English couldn't even come up with a post this terrible! The appropriate way to post this would be: "I am having tons of problems with my forum. I can't change any group colours, and when I went to submit my settings, it deleted everything. What am I doing wrong?" There we go! It's eye pleasing and it makes sense. You're bound to get an answer quickly if your post looks even half as good as this. 3. Information Information is key for a member or staff member to solve your problem. You can never give us too much information, as each little bit you give us makes it that much easier to solve in the long run. You can start giving information with your topic title and topic description. Be descriptive! If you're having a problem, tell us what you were doing when that error happened. What browser were you using? Has this happened on more than one occasion? Do you know if it's just you experiencing the error, or are your members having the same problem as you are? Put yourself in our shoes. What kind of information would you need to ask yourself if you were looking to solve your own problem?



Dennis	Nov 28 2007, 03:25 PM Post #6
Member Extraordinaire Posts: 893 Group: Support Team Member #94 Joined: Nov 27, 2007 What Browser are you using? Firefox 3	Support and Backseat Moderation Contents: What is Backseat Moderation? What are some basic examples of Backseat Moderation? Why is Backseat Moderation so bad? How can I prevent Backseat Moderation? How can I help the staff without Backseat Moderation? What are some more examples of Backseat Moderation? 1. What is Backseat Moderation? Backseat moderation is the term the ZetaBoards staff use to describe a person who attempts to moderate a topic in the Support Forums and has no power. To make it simpler: A person is impersonating the staff. They are telling the topic starter or posters what to do or they are pointing out things that they believe are against the rules. 2. What are some basic examples of Backseat Moderation? The most common example of Backseat moderation is a user saying to the topic starter: "This topic is in the wrong place." Another common one is "Read the Board Rules" or "This topic should be closed." 3. Why is Backseat Moderation so bad? Backseat moderation really doesn't sound so bad at first. Its helpful if someone points someone to the board rules or tells them a topic is in the wrong place. Right? WRONG. In many many cases, the topic starter feels offended by the user and tends to attack that person. The Staff members have to put out the fire. Now imagine one or two of these incidents and multiply it by the number or users online and topics everyday. That should give you a rather large number of problems. So to prevent these problems, our policy regarding Backseat moderation: Don't do it. 4. How can I prevent Backseat Moderation? If you are in the support forum looking to answer support questions and notice a topic is in the wrong place, Just click the handy button, and give us a heads-up so we can deal with the problem. Remember to leave us a little note detailing what you think is the problem. Now if you go in a topic strictly to point out a topic is in the wrong place, DON'T DO IT. If you don't know the answer to the topic and you can not help the person find the answer, do not bother posting. Let someone else who knows answer the topic. 5. How can I help the staff without Backseat Moderation? The Support Forum is a neverending flood that will always have a flurry of questions anyone can answer. If you absolutely, positively know the answer to a support topic, by all means post a detailed answer to the question. If Support isn't your thing, then join us in the community area. Graphics are always needing artists to fill requests. If graphics is something you excel at and you have the time, filling a request or two is a great help. If you are a regular lurker and notice a topic or user that is inappropriate, send a Report. And of course if you see a topic needing to be moved, closed or removed, send a report message to the staff as explained in question 4. 6. Why don't I message Staff Members with my problems? One of the great new features in ZetaBoards is the Report CP, which allows us staff members to instantly see reported posts or PMs and deal with them accordingly. With the old system, the only way for you to give us a heads-up was by sending us a PM. Now, however, it's much faster and easier to use the Report System. 7. What are some more examples of Back Seat Moderation? Some extreme, but not uncommon examples of back seat moderation: Quote: Type properly! And it's "Know" not now, "we are going now", you use that then! I want to "know" the name of a song. Quote: Your on a support forum, this isn't some kind of slang lounge. Quote: What? Your in a dream world! I mean if you can't properly construct a sentence, Get Lost! :angry: Quote: Your an idiot thats for sure. Quote: I am not disturbing you! Your just incompetent. Quote: Why don't you shut up. Quote: No shut up. Your incompetent too! Support Backseat Moderation: On Support some of the more common forms of Backseat moderation include: -Telling a person to read the board rules. -Telling a person to read the Manual/FAQ/Documention Forum without linking to specific areas. -Telling a person to look in the Code Index without giving a link -Telling a person to send a Support Ticket when they don't know the answer. The exception to this is when a Support Ticket is the only recourse, such as for a Restoration or a Conversion. -Saying a Topic is Solved, should be closed or Moved instead of alerting staff.. A simple rule of thumb is that anything that a mod is here for, other than to actually answer questions, should be left to a mod.



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