Feedback Answered mod

[Lock Down 265]

Ok this answered mod leaves a lot to desire. I see many topics closed before a reply is made from the member who started it. 

 

This is very aggravating because when I come back to see if they have been answered by the  member and if the solution was correct they are gone. I have to search the answered section and some seem to be closed before the member sees it. I am guessing it is because they didn't see it or click the answered button.

[Tony 5,207]

Couple of problems with that:

• 95% of the time, users fail to utilize the "Answered" button, which leaves it to Staff's discretion to close them.
• Most users don't respond even if the answer is given, only further compounding the problem above.
• If an answer is given, and it's correct, there's virtually no point in leaving the thread open. If they have an issue with the answer, they can open a new thread. Thus the: "If you have other questions, please open a new topic." part of the auto-response generated by us moving the thread.

While it's mighty generous of you to want to ascertain whether or not the problem was truly solved, it's not your responsibility to do so - that responsibility belongs to the user who opened the support thread. You've done a wonderful job resolving a hefty number of support topics (some you didn't receive credit for even though you should have); surely you can appreciate why we prefer to close/move them, rather than leaving them clutter up the support area.

[Swift aka AnonyWS 9]

Ok this answered mod leaves a lot to desire. I see many topics closed before a reply is made from the member who started it. 

 

This is very aggravating because when I come back to see if they have been answered by the  member and if the solution was correct they are gone. I have to search the answered section and some seem to be closed before the member sees it. I am guessing it is because they didn't see it or click the answered button.

 

I agree, my topic got taken as answered 1 hour after one of the replies was added. And that reply didn't even solve it, it's VERY Annoying.

 

- I always click solveed/answered..

[Tony 5,207]

We can't possibly have a list, and check it twice, to be certain the thread we're about to close/move wasn't posted by a particular member. Exceptions like that on an individualized basis would be far too much of a hassle.

 

The reality of it is, if you still have a problem, open a new topic. It's really not that difficult. We have plenty of users who enjoy opening multiple topics before the first one is ever resolved (in most cases, for the same topic).. so why the issue with opening a new topic if you require further support?

[Evarni 174]

Yes, it is true that members can open new topics if they require further support. However, I agree that (in most cases) support topics should not be marked as solved by WebFlake staff. There are very obvious exceptions to this, of course.

 

I encourage everyone to read my Better Support at WebFlake topic. This will help ensure that your support topic has a better chance of getting answered.

 

I can not stress enough that no support pm's should be sent to staff and/or members. These kind of interactions do not help the community at all. All support topics and answers should be posted in the forums and only in the forums.

[Yuu 180]

I think that only when the member reports the topic as solved and says it got solved in a post that then, and only then, should an answer be marked as "Best Answer" on that specific topic. Unless the topic hasn't had a reply from the OP in 24-36 hours, and if the answers on the topic are 100% certain to work.

[Justin™ 204]

Having seen this issue before there was a "best answer" mod, I suggest leaving support topics open for 30 days if the post author hasn't responded. Then they can be automatically locked and move to the appropriate forum.

[Evarni 174]

I think that only when the member reports the topic as solved and says it got solved in a post that then, and only then, should an answer be marked as "Best Answer" on that specific topic. Unless the topic hasn't had a reply from the OP in 24-36 hours, and if the answers on the topic are 100% certain to work.

 

I agree with you. However, this won't work.

 

The fact of the matter is that most members don't mark their topics as solved at all. Some will write "thanks, that solved my topic", but they won't mark it as solved.

[Lock Down 265]

I agree with Evarni and Justin.

 

If not thanked or said solved leave them open 30 days and if not responded or if member has been banned close them. That is the only fair solution.

 

To think the new members can understand and test these solutions in 24-36 hours is totally unrealistic......

 

Also to mark a topic solved and choosing your own answer as best is ludicrous. Just close them and move on.

 

It will cause bad feelings when you tell a member to search for the answer and they find 3 or 4 chosen by mods as working and they don't.

 

I really don't think that is what this forum want to become.

Edited April 6, 2013 by Lock Down

[Evarni 174]

The single biggest problem in the support area is that members are sending support pm's (or Skype messages) to other members, and then failing to follow up on the their own support topic.

 

I just locked/archived 3 pages of support topics.

[Justin™ 204]

In the old FC there was task created that locked topics after 31 days. It would be easy to extend the task to move those locked topics to a predetermined forum. No one should have to go through the old support topics to determine which ones should be locked and moved.

[Lock Down 265]

Amen.

[Tony 5,207]

In the old FC there was task created that locked topics after 31 days. It would be easy to extend the task to move those locked topics to a predetermined forum. No one should have to go through the old support topics to determine which ones should be locked and moved.

 

Well, I believe that's what Evarni is referring to. I've had to move several threads myself, that dated back as far as February (including a chunk started by banned members). There really isn't an app/hook out there that would be sufficient enough to not leave us with threads we'd still have to manually clear.

 

Evarni is also correct about off-site support. I'm not opposed to members offering support outside of WebFlake, but it becomes a hassle when people don't follow through with their open topics.

 

Furthermore, the quicker threads are locked the better. Users have been making a habit of hijacking support threads by other users, which often times derails a topic and leaves us fumbling for a "best answer" when one isn't marked. I could go on and on, but our current approach should stand. Unanswered topics are moved/archived within 30 days, unless the answer is blatantly obvious and we mark it as such.

[Justin™ 204]

If you have to lock unanswered support topics older then 30 days then something is wrong. Like I said, the admin need to set up a task in the ACP to automatically do this. No one should have to spend time doing something that can be done automatically. It a waste of your time.

[Tony 5,207]

I believe all that needed said has been said. Closing this topic to avoid spam/support requests.