Improving the Live Help preface text

The current Live Help lead-in/preface text is the following:
I suggest changing it to this:
The biggest problem I have noticed in Live Help is that many residents don't seem to be reading the preface text. In it's current form, it is just one big paragraph of text that I imagine few people will take the time to read, and some of the points sort of blur together. I think that separating each point out into a short list will make it more likely that residents will read it, especially while they are waiting for someone to respond.

Another problem is in the current text:
I get the feeling that some people are reading these two sentences together, which leads them to believe they should type their question, send it, and then close the window (like submitting a request for GM intervention on other MMOs).


Another important detail when creating this text is to use as simple of words as possible, especially as SL grows more international. I have tried to optimize for this, but there may be room for improvment.

I think the primary goals with the preface text should be:

1. be as short as concise (short and clear) as possible (both in list length and the length of each list item)
   
2. minimize the use of complex words so that people who do not speak English natively can have the best chance of understanding it
   
3. provide alternate means of getting help
   
4. empahsize that non-Lindens are volunteers, not employees or "GMs" and that their advice is not official
   
5. ensure the resident knows that they may need to wait a bit for a response
   
6. get the person to give as much detail up front to save time on discovering the exact problem
   
7. be courteous (sometimes people are already angry when they have finally given in and decided to try Live Help)
   

Please share any thoughts you might have for how the preface text can be modified to improve the Live Help experience for both helpers and those who need help.

Great post, Kex! I'm glad you brought this up.



From what I've seen, I totally agree with you on these 2 lines being confusing that way. Another wording to avoid the confusion: "Please keep this Live Help IM window open until your question has been answered."



While I think it's important for LH users to realize that our answers aren't official, I'm also thinking it may encourage people to type in their question as, "Is there a Linden here? I need to talk to a Linden." instead of typing in the issue they need help with. I'm trying to think of a good way to word it so that it doesn't encourage that... but I'm drawing a blank. Perhaps there's no way around it. (:

Though I agree with you in principle that short points are easier to read than a large block of text, in practice, I'm not sure how 5 separate lines of chat would show up formatted on everyone's IM window. It could end up scrolling the top points off the readable part of the window (depending on how large their IM window is -- the default is relatively tiny) which would mean LH users would only read the last few lines at best anyway. :\

Nice plug for the F1, I think Jeska will love that!
:D

Thanks for the post, Kex, here's hoping this message is changed soon!

Sel

I don't particularly like the statement about volunteers not being Lindens so their statements are not official. It seems a bit demeaning. Heaven knows I'm often opening my notecard of useful info and copy/pasting something a volunteer said. If it's legal niceties in question, well, doubt it's necessary to say anyway.

(I don't get to help much with LH, but here's my thought)
Quote:

Welcome to Live Help. Please read this before sending your question:
- Please check the Help Pages first for common questions (press F1).
- Helpers without the name "Linden" are volunteer residents; their answers are not official.
- Please begin with your basic question and fill in details while a helper becomes available.
- Keep this IM open for a few minutes to give time for a response.
- If you don't get help, try again later or mail [email]support@secondlife.com[/email].


I think this is GREAT adding the F1!!!!

I wouldn't want to make LH more complicated, but would there be a way for them to have to click a box saying "I understand" before they could continue on to ask their question?

Hiyas, Thank You for your responses! =D
I was thinking about that too, but I've observed that occasionally a helpee doesn't get any response (or if they ask their question while it's very busy a helper will paste a macro asking them to hold on and someone will get with them as soon as possible), and after about 5-10 minutes the session times out with no help given.

The unfortunate thing about the session timing out is that it does so silently without telling anybody, so they are left there hanging. (This is also partly why the last item in the list mentions that if you don't get help to try again later.)

I wouldn't mind leaving that line out entirely, as it is quite long and will probably word wrap into two lines for many people. Part of the reason I included it was because the current text places so much emphasis on it by writing it in all-caps, and occupying 1/3 of the space of current text =)

This is a very good point. I hope just removing the volunteer/unofficial line would suffice to shorten this enough. If that's not enough, maybe the first item (F1 Help Pages) could be combined into the last item to become something like:
I'd prefer not to do that, as it will put things a little out of order. The Help Pages should probably be something the helpee considers first before submitting a question to Live Help, not as a last result if they don't otherwise get help.

This has always been an awkward thing in the preface text. I think the reason it was added was that helpees assumed we were Lindens or "GMs" or something, and would therefore unload their frustrations upon the volunteers. I think it would be adequate to defer this clarification to the individual situations where it needs to be said, instead of making the preface text even longer.

Without that line, we can shorten down to:
I hope that this would be short enough, as I'd hate to remove the first line and distill it down and integrate it into the last point. If the last line becomes too long in length, it may word wrap into a second line anyway (making it moot to move the first line).

Hmm. Very great post. There is a lot of confusion so how about (compiled from others)

Welcome to Live Help. Please read this before sending your question:

1. Many common answers are available via the F1 Help option.
   
2. Closing the window cancels the Live Help session preventing any response.
   
3. There are many Live Help calls at any time. Your response may take a few minutes.
   
4. FULLY write out your question so that the most qualified person may respond.
   
5. If you do not recieve a response we apologize as the number of help calls may be greater than the number of avialable volunteers. Please try again later or email [email]support@secondlife.com[/email] with your questions or greivances.
   
6. Lastly, anyone here whose last name is not 'Linden' is a fellow resident who volunteers their time and experience to assist you. They do not make policy and have no tools to punish greifers. Please be courteous and show them some respect if you are here with a greivance.
   

The minute someone clicks the 'Live Help' menu option these should not be in the IM session but should be in a nice pretty blue dialog box that will not accept an 'OK' click for 5 seconds. Only upon clicking OK will the IM window open up.

The bullets are not all one liners but its more important (to me) to get the points across as clear as possible. Size isnt really an issue if they are forced to have the box on screen for a few seconds. This time limit is short but enough to make them realize reading may be benificial.

Even before joining the L.H. team as a resident i thought the "is not official" thing was discriminatory against someone i understood was just helping out. (i did read the whole thing). That portion should be removed. With some of the various suggestions including my own the point is made in a more respectful manner that doesnt encourage "I need to speak to a Linden" responses.

Kex++

Here's what I suggest for the text:

"Having problems? Call Philip Rosedale at 415-243-9000 and he'll give you an assist!"

Good idea. Added to my list.

that number is BOGUS Flip. I was put through to Liza Minelli dialing that. She wasn't helpful at all.