Upcoming Free Support Changes

[zen-r]

..... Also, some people seem to just really fail at searching....

Hehe.

I just wish someone would produce a page like this one for me ;

http://lmgtfy.com/

...but instead of designing it to look like a Google page, get it to use x10's own Search facility.

Here's the sort of link that one could post if a lazy person asked you for lots of info on, for example, installing Wordpress using Fantastico ;

http://tinyurl.com/m9k288 :biggrin:

 

[jmcgowan]

zen-r: that's probably one of the better uses I've seen of the internet so far... I could see a lot of experienced people (shoot, even fairly patient newbies like myself) laughing hysterically every time it's used, and a lot of newbies getting really ticked and posting rants about how dumb you are for posting a response like that because it's not helpful. Of course, those newbies would also likely still fail at searching for the answer themselves... :biggrin:

As for the new support ideas, I love them. It'll stink that more pressing issues may end up waiting a little longer than they do now, but then again we all just waited patiently through the server moves, and I'd say the payoff was more than worth the wait. I suppose in this fancy internet age patience is still key...

 

[taohero]

It is a good system, aggravating for the users who know when to ask for help and will now have to wait, but definitely the best way for X10 to operate.

What about requests that only staff can handle like unsuspension requests, upgrades, internal server errors? I believe that these 'helpers' should be able to instantly escalate other people's support requests to cut down on unessesary wait time. This can be done either as you suggested, or by introducing a new group of moderators called Community Support.

:eek4: Yes, I think so~

 

[zapzack]

Hehe.

I just wish someone would produce a page like this one for me ;

http://lmgtfy.com/

...but instead of designing it to look like a Google page, get it to use x10's own Search facility.

Here's the sort of link that one could post if a lazy person asked you for lots of info on, for example, installing Wordpress using Fantastico ;

http://tinyurl.com/m9k288 :biggrin:

I'll make one later today when I'm less busy.. It should be quite easy to make..

 

[ejweb]

I agree with the general consensus as this is option is "free" and we get what we pay for - which is pretty descent support and service :biggrin:. As has been mentioned, I have a support ticket out (almost a week) on an "internal server error" for a guestbook script that worked before but stopped. Such server errors, of course, I have no control over and I always search the KB/forums first for similar requests/problems but either I can't find a solution or various resolutions don't work. As I now understand, there are new features under the "free" accounts that offer newer guestbook apps. I can try this later as an option but didn't want to jump too far ahead of my outstanding ticket. Thanks all for the service...

 

[zen-r]

..... It'll stink that more pressing issues may end up waiting a little longer than they do now, but then again we all just waited patiently through the server moves, and I'd say the payoff was more than worth the wait.....

In a way though, I think that the urgent issues will probably end up with a shorter wait time overall, than they do at the moment ;

Currently, one can open a ticket straight away, but then one may have to wait a long time to get seen. In times of major outages etc, Support staff can get swamped with time-waster tickets & may take several days wading through them all before they can get to your own ticket. Even in less turbulent times, it may take a day or 2 for your ticket to get dealt with if you are unlucky.

After these suggested changes, the idea is that all these junk tickets will be eliminated, & so staff should be able to attend to your ticket almost immediately.

So even if you have to wait 24hrs in the "holding pen" of Community Support before your problem is escalated to a Support ticket, you should still be seen more quickly. And if the new idea is also implemented, of other members being able to escalate your ticket immediately for you, then the difference in speed between old & new system will be even more dramatic.

I'll make one later today when I'm less busy.. It should be quite easy to make..

You'll be my hero if you do!

Just be careful to stay on the right side of any Copyright issues.

Also, if you plan to host the page on your own website, be warned that you could be on to a winner. I can foresee a lot of staff & other x10 members who try to give support to other (lazy) people here, using that new search page quite a lot!

You'd better set up your investment account now. Can I have a cut for coming up with the idea?!

 

[stpvoice]

It sounds like a very effective may of managing the support system, as x10 is expanding, and more and more cases like corey described will be happening.

Well done to administration for all your hard work.

 

[zapzack]

In a way though, I think that the urgent issues will probably end up with a shorter wait time overall, than they do at the moment ;

Currently, one can open a ticket straight away, but then one may have to wait a long time to get seen. In times of major outages etc, Support staff can get swamped with time-waster tickets & may take several days wading through them all before they can get to your own ticket. Even in less turbulent times, it may take a day or 2 for your ticket to get dealt with if you are unlucky.

After these suggested changes, the idea is that all these junk tickets will be eliminated, & so staff should be able to attend to your ticket almost immediately.

So even if you have to wait 24hrs in the "holding pen" of Community Support before your problem is escalated to a Support ticket, you should still be seen more quickly. And if the new idea is also implemented, of other members being able to escalate your ticket immediately for you, then the difference in speed between old & new system will be even more dramatic.




You'll be my hero if you do!

Just be careful to stay on the right side of any Copyright issues.

Also, if you plan to host the page on your own website, be warned that you could be on to a winner. I can foresee a lot of staff & other x10 members who try to give support to other (lazy) people here, using that new search page quite a lot!

You'd better set up your investment account now. Can I have a cut for coming up with the idea?!

Hahaha.. I'm making the script myself.. I dont copy things.. And the interface looks like crap.. and I'm still developing the internals..

 

[kkenny]

I think that everyone should be able to help, and you have to be an elder/sophmore to escalate someones issues to ticket support. I don't think it is worth the stress of maintaining a new user group, which would have to be monitored for spammy posts. You can simply make the free hosting section and extra points forum like crossfire.

I strongly disagree with that statement, no offense. Honestly, if we want to provide good hosting, we need good support. And if we have users who desperately need help, and getting help from the public who are less experienced at x10Hosting in general in comparison to experienced x10 elders, or staff, the user might be turned off by the inadequate hosting support and leave x10.

That's how I felt at this other free host which let their community do the support and escalated to tickets, I needed to know the nameservers because they didn't publicly list them anywhere I tried to find them, I posted in the support forums and they gave me the main website url which definately wasn't a nameserver, I waited for two days and no one was able to answer my very simple question, and honestly, if we let anyone answer the support problems it might replicate that situation.

 

[Twinkie]

Yes, kkenny, you raise a good point. That happens probably because there was not good moderation there, and that probably led to help spamming. It is not like by allowing people who are less experienced (at x10, not nessesarily web developing) help out, that every support question will get 20 "I am not sure" responses. Only those who have a solution would post. You should not have to have a high to help because that is not an accurate measurement of what someone knows, or how they can help you. Creating a designated group could dramatically slow down support response time.

Basically, the system can be like phone support. There are the less experienced customer service agents, and the supervisors. The only difference between this system and the forums is that you don't need to get through the less experienced members to get to the knowledgable ones.

 

[Anna]

I'll give my thoughts as well.

I think it is great to have the extra help in answering support questions that no doubt can be answered by the community. We do get some about the actual coding/setting up third party scripts occasionally as well as the more general questions like what are the name servers and similar.

Having a special group with people that are helpers seem like a good idea to me, if for no other reason so have them be able to on sight click escalate on issues they know can't be answered by the community. Also answers from users in that group would have a more "official answer" ring to them, which is good.

I think it would be nice if other users can help as well, but they should not be able to escalate the tickets. Of course this comes with a little extra work for moderators, they'd need to remove spam posts and give infractions when needed (hopefully it won't be needed).

Maybe some block to what users, apart from staff and helpers, can post like they have to have at least x posts, been member at least x days (months) or anything other suitable can stop most of the spam and incorrect answers and let the benefit of fast response by the community be as big as possible.

 

[garrettroyce]

This is why I love X10. We all get together, have a chat, and problems get fixed. Awesome.

 

[lmstfy]

LMSTFY (Let Me Search That For You) will be up as soon as this account has enough posts to avoid the captchas -.-

 

[zapzack]

LMSTFY (Let Me Search That For You) will be up as soon as this account has enough posts to avoid the captchas -.-

http://lmstfy.co.cc/s/Let me search that for you

 

[zen-r]

http://lmstfy.co.cc/s/Let me search that for you

Excellent work, & you were so quick to produce it!

Please note that discussion of this new idea/website has moved to here ;

http://forums.x10hosting.com/review-my-site/100001-lmstfy-let-me-search-you.html#post562939

....so that this thread here can stay on-topic.



Also, here is the new website's address, without any pre-entered search string, & ready for you to use to create your own links ;

http://lmstfy.co.cc


We're looking forward to feedback, any help with further improvements, & of course:

We hope any of you frustrated Support staff-ers get pleasure in using it, & giving the links that it creates out to our beloved time-wasters (ocasionally!)

 

[mac173]

Being one of the noobs that has at times asked "simple" questions, I think this is a great idea. I always ask on the forums before submitting a ticket, but I can be as impatient as the next geek, and this method will control that behavior well.

Great idea, and once again, thanks to the community and support staff for doing such an outstanding job. I have learned more from you guys than I ever thought I could learn. The "back end" of web sites are still a mystery to me, but every mistake or goof I make I end up learning from because of the answers I get from you.

Salute!

 

[Twinkie]

If you guys come short of JavaScript, PM me. I can recreate the cursor and sarcastic messages for you.

I doubt it will make people search more often, but it sure will make a statement!

 

[bradwis]

Sounds good as to support system

 

[kkenny]

I'll give my thoughts as well.

I think it is great to have the extra help in answering support questions that no doubt can be answered by the community. We do get some about the actual coding/setting up third party scripts occasionally as well as the more general questions like what are the name servers and similar.

Having a special group with people that are helpers seem like a good idea to me, if for no other reason so have them be able to on sight click escalate on issues they know can't be answered by the community. Also answers from users in that group would have a more "official answer" ring to them, which is good.

I think it would be nice if other users can help as well, but they should not be able to escalate the tickets. Of course this comes with a little extra work for moderators, they'd need to remove spam posts and give infractions when needed (hopefully it won't be needed).

Maybe some block to what users, apart from staff and helpers, can post like they have to have at least x posts, been member at least x days (months) or anything other suitable can stop most of the spam and incorrect answers and let the benefit of fast response by the community be as big as possible.

Pretty agreeable. I still don't like having the whole community help because giving incorrect support is just simply unacceptable.

 

[Elesarr]

Awesome idea Corey, I for one am full behind this!