support@
In checking the forum while I was away and since I got back, I see advice being given to email support directly. I assume this is because people feel this will get attention faster or because support is closed..
This does not work.
The point of closing support is that the workload is high and it cannot be sustained for 7 days a week. Yes an email will get through but no it will not be answered any quicker.
Support may or may not be open for 7 days in the future but even so, people should be asked to use the form, not email. In fact the best way to contact support is using the Support tab inside the blog – the one that used to be Feedback. It’s already improved and I’m working on more improvements there.
The more people see to use email the less likely they will go to the form/support tab. If they do not go there then they will not see any latest notices or pointers to other information. I know it irritates forum helpers that people do not read the sticky or use the search – telling people to use email bypasses all possible help that could otherwise be there too.
So not advising direct email would be the most helpful.
(And emailing the team personally is never advised. We get huge amounts of email already)
August 18, 2007 at 10:41 pm
Test 1
August 20, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Actually I think what you’re looking at is when Timethief doesn’t know the answer, she tells folks to send in an email. She doesn’t wait for someone else to respond or try to get more information. Straight to email.
Being serious here. I’ve noted that before and for quite some time. A lot of those questions could be answered within the forums.
I mentioned it in passing a couple of times but I gather it didn’t take. I tried to limit emails on the weekends to only those folks that had broken blogs or major issues or concerned money.
Support should be open 7 days a week. Also it should have been handled better while you were on your break. All those folks working for Matt now means there was no excuse.
August 20, 2007 at 8:46 pm
Feel free to delete by the way. I know you’re going to do it anyway and not listen to a thing I’ve said. Great way to thank me for the work I tried to do. I’m used to the poor manners of Automattic staff by now.
August 21, 2007 at 12:16 am
It was not directed at TT.
I saw it in many parts of the forum and it’s a growing issue.
It’s as I say – the more people see it, the more it’ll be used, the more they have to wait and the more support is needed for issues that could be sorted sooner for people.
August 21, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Now I know you’re not paying attention to the forums. Yes it’s a growing issue but it has been for quite sometime, even when I was around. Many times I told folks not to email in but to wait after someone else told them to, usually TT.
Well that’s what you get for getting rid of the moderator who actually paid attention to the forums and tried to help folks. The only time I mentioned to email something in was when folks didn’t have an account or when something was actually broken on the weekends and support was closed. (And I only did that becuase you told us to.)
Anytime TT doesn’t know an answer, she tells folks to send in an email, even if the answer could be given in the forums.
The other growing issue is the number of incorrect answers being made on the forums. Maybe staff needs to address that as well.
August 25, 2007 at 6:55 pm
It always seems to be the same three or four (but really two) people in the forums who tell people to “email support directly” when they don’t know the answer or solution. They’ll even get upset when you continue looking for an answer. Maybe a simple reminder that the three or four (but really two) people who always seem to be responding that maybe the support forums are not extentions of their personal blogs… and by “three or four” I really mean TT.
In the interest of full disclosure, whenever I was in The Forum I appreciated Dr. Mike’s help, but I’ve had TT in my blogroll for a couple of months now.
Thanks a lot for all the help in the past, Mark.
August 26, 2007 at 1:59 pm
So if somebody has an urgent issue such as money going missing or being unable to access their blog, and it happens to be Saturday morning, we have to tell them to wait till Monday and send a feedback? Not only Monday, but Monday afternoon, if they happen to be in Europe.
OK, cool. Just don’t expect the volunteers to remain calm and polite in the face of the abuse that will inevitably come their way when they tell people this.
August 26, 2007 at 5:07 pm
tga – support may be closed but that doesn’t mean I’m off away doing something else.
If they post to the forums, modlook it. I check that regularly, I check the forums regularly.
Some errors we now display have the email address on because there is no other way – and I check for those too.
There was a wider point above which I’d hope can be seen.
August 27, 2007 at 3:31 pm
I already modlook anything I think needs staff attention, though I don’t much like using the same tag for things that are urgent and things that are spam.
August 27, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Agreed it’s a blunt tool in that way, but then someone spamming the forum is also urgent in some way.
I’ve been using Google Reader for checking but that updates every 60 mins I think. I just set up Ecto and it’ll check every 15 mins.
September 16, 2007 at 9:56 pm
For th record this is the first time I have ever laid eyes on this post.
I’m astonished that our demoted ex-moderator had the audacity to criticize me behind my back, when I was only trying to help and, when he knew I had no idea the email address was not to be given out.
September 26, 2007 at 12:25 am
hey mark i noticed that my blog is marked as mature when i have no mature things on it,is this an error and if so what can be done about it..thanks
~angel
September 26, 2007 at 12:29 am
and when ever i go to the support forum it is always closed and i go between the hours that were given
September 30, 2007 at 4:01 am
Here’s a thanks. Didn’t know Mark got a blog.
Anyway, since I moved from Sohu to WordPress (China entertainment circle was in an undertable mess anyway), WordPress team has been pretty efficient in support since to a non-technical chap like Scope.
Big thanks~
We should have more mature and dedicated IT guys around.
Do keep up the good job.
Scope.
October 7, 2007 at 7:02 am
As I have emailed. There are some stupid disturbances from Hardwarezone forum’s EDMW. The initial search in Google ‘EDMW made me pregnant’ which include many of my CGP works is now gone .
My lawyer team (overseas) suggest I sue. But I am puzzled because new pics after I returned from China are not available in Google.
I have discovered, to my great disappointment, that icon/s identical to that of some from WordPress ‘keymaster’ could be found in Hardwarezone forum.
Mark, if there is anything I need to know, kindly don’t be reserved.
Happenings at Hardwarezone forum (which is under SPH) and at Google have been most puzzling.
Take care.
October 13, 2007 at 11:08 am
It may be that I’m simply old fashion or it may be that I am simply old. As I ponder why my blog of prayers and solace for addicts was suspended.
I get learn about what “modlook” means and when I should use it and why. I simply don’t want my blog back. I simply want to continue my ministry.
With all the acronyms and word stubs that are used – it seems that people with techo-skills are working over time to avoid conversations with the outside world by stripping all recognizable language elements away standard conversation.
The truth of the matter is I get most of it but in the end all I want is to write my blog and serve the few people that find it helps them in dark times.
October 13, 2007 at 11:24 am
I miss spoke in my above comment – I do!! want my blog back, I was recently informed that there is a bug in the wordpress system that has caused some of the suspensions, and that letting the staff know can get the situation turned around.
I felt very good that someone in the forum wrote me so quickly and that a resolution could be received.
Just stated my point over – I do want my blog returned!
October 13, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Thank so very much for the assistance.