Marking [Answered] and Locking is just plain wrong

Carl

Replying to a thread, marking it [Answered] and then Locking the thread from further replies is just plain wrong!



1. It doesn't even give the original poster of the question a chance to add follow-up, say thanks, confirm solution, etc.



2. Creates more threads



3. Is just a really poor way of dealing with customers in my opinion

mixture

Yep, AgileBits is just trying to hide and dismiss people's worries and complaints by locking threads so quickly.



Ridiculous, as per usual now..

MikeT

HI guys,



I'm sorry that you feel those ways. We do not close threads unless the customer has confirmed that it works or just said thank you. At the moment, this is done in order to keep the threads on topic and avoid others from injecting unrelated posts. Right now, customers are having a hard time locating correct answers because the threads get too long with multiple posts that are not related.



We're working on something better for this but right now, [answered] tags/locking threads is our solution for this forum. This is only temporary.



Thank you for patience and for bringing up your thoughts on this.

Carl

There certainly appears to be very inconsistent application of the standard for which threads get locked.

Ben

Hi Carl,



As you've probably noticed, we're a bit backlogged. We're trying something to help us work smarter, not harder. If a thread has [Answered] in the title and is locked, then each of us knows that one of the others has already read the last post in the thread and determined it solved (either because the customer said so, it was a question that was already answered in an FAQ, or because the thread is simply no longer productive to continue). Before we were each either A) always replying to every thread even when no response was required so that we could see one of us was the last to post there, or B ) having multiple people read the same thread possibly multiple times.



If the answer has been posted, it's been proven that it is much more likely that other customers will find the answer if there is no further discussion after the answer. If you take a look through some threads before we started this, you'll find one of us had posted the answer, there is more discussion, and then someone will say "I'm having this problem too!" We will point out "this was answered here: #X" and then they say "thanks." That creates a lot of extra work for us (and more work and waiting for the customer) where if the thread had simply been closed, the customer would have seen the correct answer as the last post, solved their problem, and been happy to not had to have waited for us to respond again pointing them to the correct answer.

Carl

[quote name='bwoodruff' timestamp='1316534471' post='50602']Hi Carl, As you've probably noticed, we're a bit backlogged. We're trying something to help us work smarter, not harder. If a thread has [Answered] in the title and is locked, then each of us knows that one of the others has already read the last post in the thread and determined it solved (either because the customer said so, it was a question that was already answered in an FAQ, or because the thread is simply no longer productive to continue). Before we were each either A) always replying to every thread even when no response was required so that we could see one of us was the last to post there, or B ) having multiple people read the same thread possibly multiple times. If the answer has been posted,[/quote]





By all means... make it better for the staff and not the customers [that is sarcasm btw]



[quote name='bwoodruff' timestamp='1316534471' post='50602']

it's been proven that it is much more likely that other customers will find the answer if there is no further discussion after the answer.

[/quote]



How was it proven? I'd like to see the data on that. Was it a study from one of those large think tanks? [no answer to those question actually requested]



BTW, I noticed the new TenderApp discussions for MAS customers and now wonder when this forum will actually be closed down.

Ben

We can continue to have these conversations so long as we can keep them civil. <img src='http://forum.agilebits.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />



I just spent the last 20 minutes moderating forums instead of helping customers. I'd really like to get back to helping customers. <img src='http://forum.agilebits.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> Thanks.

supinum

[quote name='MikeT' timestamp='1316450173' post='50367']

HI guys,



I'm sorry that you feel those ways. We do not close threads unless the customer has confirmed that it works or just said thank you. At the moment, this is done in order to keep the threads on topic and avoid others from injecting unrelated posts. Right now, customers are having a hard time locating correct answers because the threads get too long with multiple posts that are not related.



We're working on something better for this but right now, [answered] tags/locking threads is our solution for this forum. This is only temporary.



Thank you for patience and for bringing up your thoughts on this.

[/quote]

I am sorry to say I was not asked or even informed, not even at notification, on the fact that my last thread '[url="http://forum.agilebits.com/index.php?/topic/9253-how-is-the-transition-going/"]How is the transition going?[/url]' was closed within hours. Some even moderator asked me to elaborate on my problems and then just shuts it down. It does not make me feel very happy as a paying and very loyal customer.

Earlier this summer I posted another [url="http://forum.agilebits.com/index.php?/topic/7434-what-have-you-done/"]thread[/url] the moderating team did not even bother to close. It was just removed. At the same time my activity on this forum was edit so there are no traces of my earlier posts.

I was asking about this removed thread in another thread where I was assured nothing had been deleted. That post is ironically not possible to find.

Searching these forums for solutions is not very ease since there is a 'flood control' enabled.



Is it me? Am I pissing you off for asking what is going on?



Please help me understand these things.



/regards David S, Sweden

Ben

Hi David,



The conversation in that thread was not heading in a productive direction. Comments like "I'm using this software for years and now it is pretty much useless" and "I just wish there was a good alternative" do not help us solve problems. If there is a technical issue that you would like addressed please start a new thread with as much detail as possible regarding the issue.



Thanks!