One ticket for One Issue
Keep tickets as targeted to one specific issue as possible. We actually prefer you opening 5 tickets than one long never-ending ticket. The longer the ticket gets, the more the next tech has to read in order to get caught up and can be frustrating to both the customer and the techs working on it.
Forum url
We installed a custom mod requiring you to enter your forum’s url when you post a ticket for a reason: We need it! Over 95% of problems are forum specific and we can’t fix it without knowing the url to your forum.
Come clean and admit it
If you messed with the cookie settings and can’t login, banned yourself, deactivated the admin account, or just have no idea what button you pressed, don’t worry about it. We’re not going to engrave your name on the forum hall of shame. We all make mistakes and admitting yours will get your problem resolved much faster.
Research
There is a goldmine of information out there that can help solve your problem. Half of forum questions can be solved by a simple Google search. As they say, GIYF! (Google is your friend).
Close the issue
When your problem is resolved, update it and say “thanks, that fixed it” so we know to close the issue. Not doing so will lead to stale tickets floating around and slowing down the support process.
The “Thank you”
After 6 years of tech support I’ve come to the conclusion that a support tech is one of the most thankless jobs in the world. Lets face it, when was the last time someone opened a ticket just wanting to say “thanks for all the hard work.” Never. Every email or ticket includes a problem that needs to be resolved and usually an agitated or frustrated user on the other end. When your ticket is resolved ending with a simple “thank you” can do wonders.






October 14th, 2007 at 8:54 am
Nice article.
If every one follows those instructions replies will be easire and freeforums will be a clean place.
knight
October 14th, 2007 at 10:26 am
what good advice…I always say thank you once I’ve been helped as I have been brought up with manners to always say please and thank you
October 21st, 2007 at 3:16 am
LOL the come clean and admit it one made me laugh. And for research, google is no good if you have no idea what to look for. And as for thank yous’, maybe you should make a subject where people just say thank you
lol maybe huh Thanks for the free forum
November 21st, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Well, I didn’t read any of the above and I’ve had a forum for a while on this, and I don’t care if this is the wrong topic but thanks for keeping my forum up and running ;D