What's your expectation of users with companies in their profile?

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Handle9

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#147343 16-Jun-2014 18:51

I've been observing a few users giving others grief recently about the way they post because they have the companies the work for in their profile. I'm interested in what others expectations are about posts from members who are identified as working for a company, but aren't actually here as official representatives of a company.

Personally I feel that the users (eg Johnr) bring a lot to the community and given they do this in their spare time should be given a bit of slack rather than treated like they are at work and on duty. I think it's a bit of a shame that they get reactions like there work for their companies PR Department rather than as community members who happen to work for a telco etc.

Saying that this is why I've never bothered to get the company I work for listed as from time to time I have been known to be a curmudgeon and be a bit inappropriate.

Really interested on what others think?

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#1066936 16-Jun-2014 19:06

I can be very black and white at times and or abrupt and sometimes inaccurate. If i was someone who was another user and not a VF employee i think i would just get over looked and no one would take the bait.

People seem to be very touchy and very eager to have a comment in that persons posting habits. We 99% of the time dont speak on our companies behalf. We have PR teams and social media teams that handle that but we basically have a input in the community and offer at our own will to assist people. NikT, Dylan, Demeter and social media employees and are paid to sift through Geekzone etc and they would be speaking on behalf of Vodafone.

What does everyone else think?

Here is some feedback from a GZ member in addition. www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=40&topicid=147260&page_no=2#1065701

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MikeB4

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#1066941 16-Jun-2014 19:12

I absolutely appreciate their time, assistance and input, its awesome.

Coil

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#1066946 16-Jun-2014 19:15

At the end of the day really i do wear a hat that says Vodafone NZ. That would instantly link anything "Bob" sees me say in relation to Vodafone as a direct statement or how Vodafone sees things. What my footer says wont stop the vast majority taking on everything we say as it is.

solaybro

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#1066951 16-Jun-2014 19:21

I think we are just lucky to have access to such personalized help.

RunningMan

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#1066952 16-Jun-2014 19:22

I think it's about finding a balance (which can be pretty difficult sometimes!).

If you do offer assistance in a professional capacity, then you should be identified with a company tag, but as TimA very rightly points out, a good proportion of those company tagged contributors are here in a personal capacity, helping people out of the goodness of their heart, not because it's part of their job description. Given they're here in a personal capacity, you're going to have personal views, opinions etc. (and rightly so).

IMHO, people asking for help need to show some understanding that these guys are going above and beyond to help (and that really makes GZ a better place), but equally, if you do have a company tag, be mindful that rightly or wrongly some people will interpret what you say as the official company word, so perhaps take a moment to confirm before hitting the post button.

freitasm

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#1066955 16-Jun-2014 19:25

There are two sides here: official representatives and unofficial. It's a very blurred line, and I assume anyone with a company tag as seen as "official" as in they're trusted by the company to receive private customer information and deal with it in a proper, secure manner (a reason why we installed SSL for PMs for example).

Even when not on work hours someone posting in a company thread, discussing company business/customer needs while showing a company tag is "official".

Under this light any interaction should be in the best form - but I see this as a community and some times the odd "troll", er "hard to deal with customer" will show up, and therefore I understand when emotions run wild.

If the user is a nuisance to the community in general then we ban the account. If the user is not breaching our rules, and only being a nuisance from the provider's perspective... Well, so be it. We don't ban accounts or hide posts because a provider is being inconvenienced.

If an "official" is being seen as rude, not much we can do. It's their attitude and their job on the line.

All our moderators (and myself) will personally know almost every "official" around here - not all of them but a good majority. So we know that sometimes people just behave here like they do in real life. And that's not a bad thing.

And that comes to personal time. If people join here asking for help then they better behave, because we certainly do not expect help being given to rude people (most of the times they breach the FUG and get banned anyway).

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RunningMan

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#1066960 16-Jun-2014 19:35

freitasm:All our moderators (and myself) will personally know almost every "official" around here - not all of them but a good majority. So we know that sometimes people just behave here like they do in real life. And that's not a bad thing.

I think that's a really good point. None of us are perfect.

Coil

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#1066962 16-Jun-2014 19:36

RunningMan:
freitasm:All our moderators (and myself) will personally know almost every "official" around here - not all of them but a good majority. So we know that sometimes people just behave here like they do in real life. And that's not a bad thing.

I think that's a really good point. None of us are perfect.

I am probably a good example of that plus John.

Inphinity

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#1066966 16-Jun-2014 19:40

My only expectation of people with a company tag is that, if I provide my personal/account details to them in relation to an issue they're helping with (which is great that so many offer help on here), that that info is treated in accordance with suitable privacy guidelines as if I were providing it to said companies call centre or other official support service. Beyond that, I don't really expect a lot... they're still people browsing the forum, often in their own time, so.

Coil

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#1066970 16-Jun-2014 19:44

Inphinity: My only expectation of people with a company tag is that, if I provide my personal/account details to them in relation to an issue they're helping with (which is great that so many offer help on here), that that info is treated in accordance with suitable privacy guidelines as if I were providing it to said companies call centre or other official support service. Beyond that, I don't really expect a lot... they're still people browsing the forum, often in their own time, so.

That would definitely be president. If i provide POTS, Address, Account numbers i would expect the people handle them with accordance to privacy act.

Handle9

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#1066977 16-Jun-2014 20:01

TimA:
RunningMan:
freitasm:All our moderators (and myself) will personally know almost every "official" around here - not all of them but a good majority. So we know that sometimes people just behave here like they do in real life. And that's not a bad thing.

I think that's a really good point. None of us are perfect.

I am probably a good example of that plus John.

It's called engineers tact.....

I've got it in spades.

Mark

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#1066988 16-Jun-2014 20:21

I don't see why anyone would want to have where they work listed against their profile, opens the person up to so much grief from external people and from their own company ... handling support outside of the companies ticket tracking system for example, me personally I don't think that's such a great idea as I'm skeptical that the "support" people are validating the identity of people asking for help via this website rather than the official method.

Sure unofficial help is no problem, but someone coming on and saying their (for example) internet speed is slow and then a geekzone member who is a rep for that someones ISP asks for account details and the such ? Nah .. not a good idea in my mind and just opens the helper up to possible grief from HR and other legally types in their company.

freitasm

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#1066991 16-Jun-2014 20:23

I don't see how... They can ask identification questions that wouldn't be much different from what they have on a voice call. And I've noticed at least one ISP here open tickets for cases - I myself have received quality control surveys after having had a couple of requests acted upon, meaning these did go through their ticketing system.

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Coil

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#1066994 16-Jun-2014 20:29

Mark: I don't see why anyone would want to have where they work listed against their profile, opens the person up to so much grief from external people and from their own company ... handling support outside of the companies ticket tracking system for example, me personally I don't think that's such a great idea as I'm skeptical that the "support" people are validating the identity of people asking for help via this website rather than the official method.
not a good idea in my mind and just opens the helper up to possible grief from HR and other legally types in their company.

Even if there was no link back to me at Vodafone through this account and i was to say something out of place in Vodafone's eyes they will definitely speak to me about it. Most large companies that are heavily involved with media have strict social media policies. Yes there is a bit of grief involved. Personally it would be easier for me if i didnt have the Vodafone hat on and could go on like a regular poster.

NonprayingMantis

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#1067003 16-Jun-2014 20:43

TimA: I can be very black and white at times and or abrupt and sometimes inaccurate. If i was someone who was another user and not a VF employee i think i would just get over looked and no one would take the bait.

People seem to be very touchy and very eager to have a comment in that persons posting habits. We 99% of the time dont speak on our companies behalf. We have PR teams and social media teams that handle that but we basically have a input in the community and offer at our own will to assist people. NikT, Dylan, Demeter and social media employees and are paid to sift through Geekzone etc and they would be speaking on behalf of Vodafone.

What does everyone else think?

Here is some feedback from a GZ member in addition. www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=40&topicid=147260&page_no=2#1065701

the fact that you have Vodafone's name in your profile, and post in the vodafone sub-forum, implies very strongly to other people that you are actually speaking on vodafone's behalf, whether you believe you are or not and whether that is your intent or not.

If you identify yourself openly as a VF employee in your profile, then you have to expect people will treat you as one, which means posting under that profile is representing the company.

Now, you might be able to get away with it on random non-telco sub-forums, like discussing home theatre and whatnot. People will know that is just you speaking. But when you post in the Telco subforums it's natural that people will expect that you are speaking for vodafone

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