I just wanted to provide a more accurate picture of what I do in the forums.
There is the obvious customer service aspect of the position and this is where I offer assistance to users or direct their case to where it can be solved. It is of critical importance when a user reports that a customer service item has not been resolved and we are fully committed to closure on all customer service issues (to the highest degree of satisfaction possible).
However, there are other benefits to being out in the forums. This is another aspect of the position and one that is also important---user feedback and policy explanation.
Basically, nearly all customer issues that come to the forums are reported in some way. It could be something simple, such as how to send money, or that some users don't understand the Seller Protection Program well. This information is important because we can:
1.Find out the "Why" and make policy changes to address customer concerns.
2.Find technical issues that users are reporting.
3.Find out where we can improve customer messaging (on the site content or in the materials that we distribute).
As an example, a user may not understand the send money screen (the user has several funding options and the incorrect one might cause the customer issues).This gives us the ability to understand the issue and it allows us the ability to possibly change the screen in question.
The user information posted in the forums is qualitative in nature and gives us an idea of how to make the flow smoother and the site easier to read.
There is also the added benefit of being able to address policy issues to, for lack of a better word, an audience. Some discussion threads can get fairly long and the information posted to them can assist more than one individual. It can also prevent someone from having to contact customer service to get an answer, which helps our speed of response and service levels. This is why I try to post to the individual user's concern, while at the same time expressing it in a way that makes sense to other users that could be reading the thread. This generally entails talking in generality about the individual user's problem (because of proprietary rights), but wording it in a way that addresses policy or product issues. This helps clear up many concerns about the service or misinformation that steers users away from the service (such as the fear of a restricted account, which is, in fact, a very rare item).
The concerns found in this forum (as well as others) is reported in an end of day report, along with selected customer comments (because of their qualitiave feel, we can get a better grasp on what the issue is).
A typical report will include:
1. Some users found the send money screen confusing and the reason is xxxxxx.
2. Some users were complaining about this feature because xxxxxx.
3. Some users were requesting American Express acceptance.
4. Some users would like to see xxxxxxx in their transaction logs.
5. Some users would like to know when debit cards are being released.
6. Some users were upset about the messaging on the latest product release and the wording (or they are confused about xxxxx).
And then a list of positive, and negative, comments about our service will be added to the report. This kind of information helps us build the product(s) with the customer in mind and it allows us the ability to rapidly address concerns relative to policy changes or product needs. The report is then distributed to many parts of the organization for them to read and this helps bring the customer to the company and the company to the customer (or that is the intent).
As an immediate way of referencing the value of the forums, I would like to point to the following items that were designed as a result of feedback in the forums (and the customer service center inquiries).
1. Seller Protection-many users had expressed fear about charge backs (a relatively rare item) and ways to be protected from them, something that is not typical when processing credit card payments. Provided the user follows the guidelines of the program, they will have no liability for the charge back.
2. Buyer Protection-buyers wanted to be protected from scam artists.
3. Debit cards-some users wanted access to their money quicker and this is the fastest way to access money to your PayPal account.
4. Transaction isolation-an old rule was to restrict the customer account if a problem arose as the result of a transaction. This has now changed to where the transaction in question is "pending reversed" and documentation is needed to assist in clarifying the problems relative to the transaction. Accounts are rarely, if ever, restricted as the result of one transaction.
5. Reasons an account can be restricted-found on the web site under the terms of use.
6. Policy/Product changes page-this can now be found on the web site after the user logs in.
7. Credit card billing address release-this is done so the user can know what the confirmed billing address is of the credit card.
8. The ability to accept/deny payments-also built so the recipient of a payment could calculate the risk of the transaction or they could set the account to receive only specific account payments.
9. Money Market-many users had expressed an interest in leaving money in their account (so they could have money to send around), but they also wanted to earn dividends on money left in the account.
There have been several other changes as well.
This kind of information assists us a great deal when building products users want.
Particular problems I face:
1. I have to be extremely careful not to offend anyone. No doubt this has happened, but my solid intent is to assist our users with their questions and to get problems resolved.
2. I also have to word items in a way that makes the most sense to as many users as possible. This is not as easy as it sounds and I also have the issue of having to work fast, while making sure the information I provide is accurate and current (when I make a mistake, I also have to come back and correct/apologize).
3. Some posters that I have to respond to are not users of the service. However, for the benefit of all users or readers in the forum, I have to address them in the same manner that I would a customer.
4. At times, admittedly, I have to watch my personal feelings to a large degree because I do, whether fair or not, suffer a fair amount of personal barbs by users and non-users.It is part of the job, but I do draw a fair amount of heat for any change in the company that someone, even if it is only one person, takes offense to.
5. Some users do take offense when I respond in their thread. However, this is not meant to disrespect any member of the community. I would remind users that they are making public comments (in a public forum) with a company representative present. If misinformation is presented by another member of any of the communities I frequent... I will comment on the issue and present the policy side of the equation. (The internet is a wonderful source of information, but there is also a fair amount of misinformation out there about many aspects of the service).
6. Information presented, or certain claims about issues, are extremely one-sided and I am limited to how, and what, I can respond to. User XYZ could comment that their account was restricted without reason, but the records show me that the account was restricted because 15 users reported a problem with this individual not shipping product. I know the reason why, but I can't tell a public group this because of privacy issues.(This does not happen often---but it has happened.) A good way for a person in the forums to address this is to ask a policy question----
"If Customer A did this--- should this have happened?"
While my relationship with some board posters has been somewhat heated at times, I still take note of their feedback because they may have insights on how to make the service run more efficiently. And, perhaps, with a little luck, I will win them over some day
