Help Content

quote:

2)Somebody who needs help is probably using the software and is trying to post to an auction or edit a post, or something immediate. Seems a bit ridiculous to assume 2 business days is a good answer. Why not just beef up the help system? No real help, except basics, and not a good way to search for help.Who has hours to study message baords.

By filling out a help ticket, I've had answered in less then 30 minutes everytime and usually within minutes. Maybe the problem wasn't fixed right then, but I was acknowledged and told the problem was being worked on.

I've used other service and no other has the support auctiva does. Try to get a answer from ebay in less then 2 hours, it won't happen. Try 2 days if your lucky.

The find tab on the top is a search feature, which will search the forum your in for symptom/solutions.

Also, all one has to do is ask in the forums and most of the time have a answer within minutes from other auctiva members. There are alot of very helpful people here and love to help, we just need to be asked so we know.

quote:

Originally posted by answrtek:


2)Somebody who needs help is probably using the software and is trying to post to an auction or edit a post, or something immediate. Seems a bit ridiculous to assume 2 business days is a good answer. Why not just beef up the help system? No real help, except basics, and not a good way to search for help.Who has hours to study message baords.

3)Who wnats every post to take 30 minutes to figure out. Kind of goues against the sole reason to use Auctiva in the first place.

Just my two cents. -answrtek

Here's my take Answrtek..

I've tried various third party auction sites. So I feel that I have a good feel for other services.

The last service I used I PAID for you. A member of that service could wait until the cows come home and never receive an answer for problems.

My only way of getting any answers was from the fellow paying members of the service. Service was zip, nada, zilch, zippoh! And I PAID for that service. Yeah, yeah, I know..paying for a service that is sub-par isn't a smart business move, guess what? That's why I'm here.

I came here last year and lo and behold...customer service here is abundant. If I asked via a help ticket..I had an answer within 30 minutes. Most of the time I have an answer within 10-15 minutes. So I'm not sure what you're questioning in reference to two business days. And honestly, if I had my questions to management acknowledged at my prior service I'd have keeled over with heart palpitations. No communication whatsoever much stating I would have an answer within 2 business days.

I do have to ask this...have you taken the online class that Auctiva offers?

Alot of the basic questions are answered in the online classes. I wholeheartedly suggest this to all new persons or persons who might need a refresher course with Auctiva. I believe that once you go through the online class alot of the reasons your posts take 30 minutes will be lessened to what it takes me for my auctions to post. Lightning fast! <finger snap>

Good Luck with your future sales,
Donna

OK. I appreciate the responses. I understand it is a free service, never said anything negative about the service at all. I also understand that the help ticket system works pretty well and that you all do a pretty good job at providing answers. That was not however , (my apologies for seeming insulting), my point.

The point was good software (auctiva is good software), needs a robust help system (it doesn't) one that can and should provide some basic answers when troubleshooting (it doesn't).

Seems like my suggestions offended a couple of you possibly and it may have been taken personally or quite possible my observations were misunderstood. Wasn't my intent.

Maybe I misread the FAQ/Header for this board and this was not really the place to write suggestions?

My suggestions had really nothing to do with the help ticket system, the professional help providers , the auction classes offered or any of the other things you mentioned.

I only offered my suggestions as a 30 year software professional and a long time software user that the on-line (when you click the help button) help pages be more robust. Personally, I've learned more in searching the advice given by the professionals and the other members than the help system offers, and that seems like an easy fix to me.

To me when the things mentioned in the posts on this board come up over and over again , it seems like those pieces of advice should be included in the basic help system and most of them really are not there, and that wasn't the point anyway. I found the answers I was looking for here, in this community. It's almost better to come to the community board and look for help that it is to click the help button.

By all appearances those issues are adressed in your help ticket system and on this board adequately. So while I appreciate the answers everyone gave, the answers didn't really address the issues, other than to tell me to take classes, use the forum search capacity (which I already knew and didn't ask about) and fill out a help ticket. I agree however that Auctiva service is the best I've seen, and did not question that at all in my original post. The reason I signed up is because they whip the pants off everybody else, hands down.

The remedies you all suggest are basic help desk issues, the suggestions I gave are programming issues. Auctiva is a great service and I like it a lot. However The help content is help-lite (ticket used or not), classes don't help lite content (wouldn't have helped and yes I took them) and I don't see a troubleshooting system that is built in. Providing a robust issues driven help menu with better content eliminates the need to fill out a help ticket in the first place, I would think.

Maybe that is a bit clearer.

quote:

Originally posted by answrtek:
Providing a robust issues driven help menu with better content eliminates the need to fill out a help ticket in the first place, I would think.

Maybe that is a bit clearer.

Nice to meet you!

I'm Donna.

There...we're off to a different start.

The thing here is the same I've found on other sites. Even though the answers might already be on the board...either in a help file or a posting to the board already, very, VERY FEW will take the time to look for it.

Especially if a person is a newbie to Auctiva, (Sorry to all of those I'm offending in advance) alot won't even bother to look for a file, help stickie folder or previous posting that will help them. Even when that file is clearly noted as here is your answer, click me...and all the person has to do is take a few extra moments to find the answer. Or files that will walk them through learning the system, or take an online class or even hit the search. It's come to the boards and ask for whatever they're looking for whether it be something simple that taking the online class would've solved or something that there is already a file sitting right here and waiting to be opened.

That's one of the reasons I put the Online Classes in my sig as it answers a good percentage of questions.

I like your idea of a robust answering system and since you know what you're doing..it would serve Auctiva (and in the long run help others) to "pick" your gray matter.

Drop Jeff (the CEO) a line or send in a help ticket with your ideas.

You did the right thing and thanks for the smile this morning. I love that term you used..

Auctiva whipped the pants off everyone else.

You take care of yourself,
Donna

I don't know, the Help page concept is a standard part of using the Internet and computers. I agree that a beefed-up Help section would be a good idea. No offense to Auctiva support (I've yet to file a support case) but personally I'd rather look it up than have to file a case and wait for an answer -- assuming, of course, it's something fairly broad and common.

This way you can still get your answer quickly when, for example, Auctiva staff is stretched a little thin (during a crisis, during the weekend).

Also, although the forums are an excellent place for help and advice I'd never suggest that it's a good place to get help quickly. There are a lot of people posting here but not necessarily enough for that. I see too many first posts sit for hours and days to know better. But it's still a great place for assistance.