Pages: 1 2  Next -- Posted by Anonymous at 4:54 am on July 5, 2008 I'm not complaining, bitching or asking anything maliciously, this is a genuine query. I am anonymous as I don't want everyone knowing my use of eHelp in the past. Why has the number of replies to an eHelp post fallen in recent years? Here's a list of the replies I got in relation to date: 5  3.8.05 7  4.18.05 7  5.20.05 7  7.2.05   5  8.26.06   I made one the other day and was a bit surprised to only have the one reply the day after, from a friend, and also that looking through the pages that the average number replies to an eHelp is merely two or three. I don't expect to recieve more than another one or two, if that, which is quite sad. Why's this? Quotas? More eHelps? Lazier SLs? Policy change? Increase in quality instead of quantity? I remeber when I was an SL thinking that an eHelp with less than 5 replies was unattended - but that was around 2005/6. So, yeah, why the change? As I said, I'm not complaining and not particularly bothered either way. Any abrasive or arrogant replies (which are very common when seeming to pick fault with anything) will be ignored. -- Posted by carracer at 4:55 am on July 5, 2008 Because people don't actually do their jobs as support leaders. They just think it looks nice under their names. -- Posted by Anonymous at 4:57 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 12:55 pm on July 5, 2008 Because people don't actually do their jobs as support leaders. They just think it looks nice under their names. I don't want to believe this and it would be impossible to prove, but I have wondered how many SLs actually read any eHelps if the alert thing is switched off after 2 or 3 replies. -- Posted by Bagheera at 4:59 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 12:55 pm on July 5, 2008 Because people don't actually do their jobs as support leaders. They just think it looks nice under their names. Don't talk crap man. The sheer volume of eHelps recently is not helping, and along with the serious forum, I'm guessing many support leaders are finding themselves a little stretched. In relation to your question about the number of replies, the minimum number has dropped from two, but it is worth noticing that the responses given are more and more frequently of greater quality then back then. It's complex, and many groups are looking for ways to combat it, but at themoment, there is no clear response. -- Posted by blufindr at 4:59 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 9:55 pm on July 5, 2008 Because people don't actually do their jobs as support leaders. They just think it looks nice under their names. this. we need better support leaders. and maybe fire support leaders who don't actually support. -- Posted by marshmellowman at 5:01 am on July 5, 2008 Because it's hard to give advice, there are support leaders that don't often answer eHelps, and there are those that do. After a few days, most eHelps usually have two or three replies to them. Yours may have been harder to answer. Also recently there have quite a lot of new replies daily, and we strive to answer all of them when we can, however there are a limited number of us, so it's harder to answer the same number of replies to more eHelps. Generally we're supposed to answer an eHelp if we can help. Maybe yours was made on an area that not many people can relate to or understand so they're slightly cautious when answering it so they don't hurt you. Each SL has their own speciality and yours might have been on a topic that very few SLs know how to answer. The change? Some SLs are less active recently, they might be on holiday, in the past there might have been more support leaders or more of those that could answer them, or devote their time to them. But no. of replies =/= good quality. I've seen eHelps that have had 6 or 7 replies, but a lot of them were of poor quality, and the quality lately has been quite exceptional, I think anyway. -- Posted by Bagheera at 5:01 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from blufindr at 12:59 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 9:55 pm on July 5, 2008 Because people don't actually do their jobs as support leaders.    They just think it looks nice under their names. this. we need better support leaders. and maybe fire support leaders who don't actually support. I notice neither of you are not actually support leaders. Why don't you bite your tongues until you gain the role yourself? -- Posted by carracer at 5:01 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 4:59 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 12:55 pm on July 5, 2008 Because people don't actually do their jobs as support leaders. They just think it looks nice under their names. Don't talk crap man.   The sheer volume of eHelps recently is not helping, and along with the serious forum, I'm guessing many support leaders are finding themselves a little stretched. In relation to your question about the number of replies, the minimum number has dropped from two, but it is worth noticing that the responses given are more and more frequently of greater quality then back then. It's complex, and many groups are looking for ways to combat it, but at themoment, there is no clear response. im not. I wouldn't even say that except yesterday, there was a topic about being demoted from SL status, and there were multiple SLs saying that they just mark the ehelps as read and ignore them because they think they are annoying.   -- Posted by Bagheera at 5:02 am on July 5, 2008 Because eHelps aren't the only method of support that support leaders have to engage in. They get PM's from members, answer in the forums, in the support forums, and then eHelps as well. Somewhere in this they have to find time for their own lives too, and personal circumstances. -- Posted by carracer at 5:03 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 5:02 am on July 5, 2008 Because eHelps aren't the only method of support that support leaders have to engage in. They get PM's from members, answer in the forums, in the support forums, and then eHelps as well. Somewhere in this they have to find time for their own lives too, and personal circumstances. Answer this then. Why apply for a position if you KNOW you can't complete the obligations? -- Posted by marshmellowman at 5:04 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:01 pm on July 5, 2008 im not. I wouldn't even say that except yesterday, there was a topic about being demoted from SL status, and there were multiple SLs saying that they just mark the ehelps as read and ignore them because they think they are annoying. Don't you dare say that when you're not an SL. Some SLs may in fact mark as read, but that doesn't mean that we ignore these or we don't go back and answer them. I personally keep those unread that I can answer and mark the rest as read if I don't think I'm able to answer it. But sometimes I've gone back and seen that in fact I can answer it, and I did. If you're going to criticise support leaders, please become one yourself first and see what we have to do as SLs. -- Posted by Bagheera at 5:05 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:03 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 5:02 am on July 5, 2008 Because eHelps aren't the only method of support that support leaders have to engage in. They get PM's from members, answer in the forums, in the support forums, and then eHelps as well. Somewhere in this they have to find time for their own lives too, and personal circumstances. Answer this then. Why apply for a position if you KNOW you can't complete the obligations? Because peoples lives change. And look at the breadth and depth of the actual eHelps. No one person can answer them all, and sometimes, no-one can answer them. -- Posted by Anonymous at 5:05 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 12:59 pm on July 5, 2008 The sheer volume of eHelps recently is not helping, and along with the serious forum, I'm guessing many support leaders are finding themselves a little stretched. In relation to your question about the number of replies, the minimum number has dropped from two, but it is worth noticing that the responses given are more and more frequently of greater quality then back then.   It's complex, and many groups are looking for ways to combat it, but at themoment, there is no clear response. Ah, I had wondered if the number of replies was an issue. I hadn't thought of the serious forum, but, I'm sure that existed originally alongside eHelp at one point. Anyway, I would agree that the quality of replies is going up, having just flicked through some. Although if you're in a bad place, you might want the balance and comfort of several people acknowledging your predicament, alongside actual advice... or, you might not. =P Also, carracer may not simply be talking crap - look at the SL Active Members list after an eHelp is posted and see how many are actually "Supporting Peers" or whatever it says - I tried after mine and I didn't spot one for about half an hour (only three were browsing privately of 22) ... and I was looking for half an hour because I wasn't in a fit state to do anything else, aha. Anyway. I appreciate that it's complex and look forward to some sort of resolution. I hope my topic has at least help highlight the fact that it may be worth looking into increasing the NUMBER of replies along with quality. -- Posted by marshmellowman at 5:06 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:03 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 5:02 am on July 5, 2008 Because eHelps aren't the only method of support that support leaders have to engage in. They get PM's from members, answer in the forums, in the support forums, and then eHelps as well. Somewhere in this they have to find time for their own lives too, and personal circumstances.   Answer this then.   Why apply for a position if you KNOW you can't complete the obligations? So instead we should have fewer SLs so less eHelps get answered? Yeah, that makes sense. Because we can answer them, and we want to, we try to. More SLs mean more of us can help, but that doesn't mean we will answer every eHelp, but we can make it easier and help others. More SLs = Less stress on other SLs to answer all of them. Some SLs may be devoted to the Serious Forum for example, but every now and then they might answer an eHelp, which makes it already easier on the rest of us. -- Posted by carracer at 5:07 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 5:04 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:01 pm on July 5, 2008 im not.    I wouldn't even say that except yesterday, there was a topic about being demoted from SL status, and there were multiple SLs saying that they just mark the ehelps as read and ignore them because they think they are annoying. Don't you dare say that when you're not an SL. Some SLs may in fact mark as read, but that doesn't mean that we ignore these or we don't go back and answer them. I personally keep those unread that I can answer and mark the rest as read if I don't think I'm able to answer it. But sometimes I've gone back and seen that in fact I can answer it, and I did. If you're going to criticise support leaders, please become one yourself first and see what we have to do as SLs. I didn't say EVERY SL. But there ARE SLs who are flat out ignoring their duty! There are a lot, and im sure it wouldn't hurt if a few were demoted. -- Posted by Anonymous at 5:07 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 1:01 pm on July 5, 2008 no. of replies =/= good quality. I've seen eHelps that have had 6 or 7 replies, but a lot of them were of poor quality, and the quality lately has been quite exceptional, I think anyway. I really agree with you, but, I do think it's worth looking into increasing the number of replies alongside keeping the quality at its current exceptional standards, simply for the (perhaps face-value point) that people are comforted by acknowledgement off several people. -- Posted by Anonymous at 5:08 am on July 5, 2008 Carracer, make your own topic and please don't derail mine with inane baseless arguments. -- Posted by carracer at 5:08 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 5:06 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:03 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 5:02 am on July 5, 2008 Because eHelps aren't the only method of support that support leaders have to engage in. They get PM's from members, answer in the forums, in the support forums, and then eHelps as well. Somewhere in this they have to find time for their own lives too, and personal circumstances. Answer this then. Why apply for a position if you KNOW you can't complete the obligations? So instead we should have fewer SLs so less eHelps get answered? Yeah, that makes sense. Because we can answer them, and we want to, we try to. More SLs mean more of us can help, but that doesn't mean we will answer every eHelp, but we can make it easier and help others. More SLs = Less stress on other SLs to answer all of them. Some SLs may be devoted to the Serious Forum for example, but every now and then they might answer an eHelp, which makes it already easier on the rest of us. Not if half the SLs are not doing their jobs! -- Posted by carracer at 5:09 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Anonymous at 5:08 am on July 5, 2008 Carracer, make your own topic and please don't derail mine with inane baseless arguments. And how are they inane and baseless? care to explain yourself? -- Posted by Bagheera at 5:12 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Anonymous at 1:05 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 12:59 pm on July 5, 2008 The sheer volume of eHelps recently is not helping, and along with the serious forum, I'm guessing many support leaders are finding themselves a little stretched. In relation to your question about the number of replies, the minimum number has dropped from two, but it is worth noticing that the responses given are more and more frequently of greater quality then back then.  It's complex, and many groups are looking for ways to combat it, but at themoment, there is no clear response. Ah, I had wondered if the number of replies was an issue. I hadn't thought of the serious forum, but, I'm sure that existed originally alongside eHelp at one point. Anyway, I would agree that the quality of replies is going up, having just flicked through some. Although if you're in a bad place, you might want the balance and comfort of several people acknowledging your predicament, alongside actual advice... or, you might not. =P Also, carracer may not simply be talking crap - look at the SL Active Members list after an eHelp is posted and see how many are actually "Supporting Peers" or whatever it says - I tried after mine and I didn't spot one for about half an hour (only three were browsing privately of 22) ... and I was looking for half an hour because I wasn't in a fit state to do anything else, aha. Anyway. I appreciate that it's complex and look forward to some sort of resolution. I hope my topic has at least help highlight the fact that it may be worth looking into increasing the NUMBER of replies along with quality. It might be interesting to look at the responses from the time when both the serious forum and the ehelp system co-existed. eHelp responses were around three sentences in length. Quality has improved. And just because they aren't termed to be 'helping peers' doesn't mean that they aren't. Topics, PM's are both further ways that are used. And if you increase the number of replies, you're going to seriously reduce the amount of eHelps answered, which isn't an option at the moment. -- Posted by Bagheera at 5:13 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:09 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Anonymous at 5:08 am on July 5, 2008 Carracer, make your own topic and please don't derail mine with inane baseless arguments. And how are they inane and baseless? care to explain yourself? Because you have no basis in fact for your arguments. -- Posted by Anonymous at 5:14 am on July 5, 2008 Again, I appreciate that quality at the moment is exceptional and look forward to a resolution to the complex issue that you recognised. -- Posted by carracer at 5:15 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 5:13 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:09 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Anonymous at 5:08 am on July 5, 2008 Carracer, make your own topic and please don't derail mine with inane baseless arguments.    And how are they inane and baseless?    care to explain yourself? Because you have no basis in fact for your arguments. There was a topic with SLs discussing how they IGNORE ehelps because they find them ANNOYING. Do the research! Don't complain to me just because I am saying what is true! i wouldn't even say anything if I didn't know it was! -- Posted by marshmellowman at 5:15 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Anonymous at 1:07 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 1:01 pm on July 5, 2008 no. of replies =/= good quality. I've seen eHelps that have had 6 or 7 replies, but a lot of them were of poor quality, and the quality lately has been quite exceptional, I think anyway. I really agree with you, but, I do think it's worth looking into increasing the number of replies alongside keeping the quality at its current exceptional standards, simply for the (perhaps face-value point) that people are comforted by acknowledgement off several people. But you also have to think of whether people can answer them. I've found eHelps I can answer before, but they've already had two replies. The general rule is that if we can't add anything else above what's already been added, there's no point in us posting there, as we'll just be repeating what's already been said. Instead we should try to answer those that haven't been answered yet. We are trying to increase the number of replies, believe me, but we all have our own lives, as well as being swamped with eHelps daily more than usual. It's not easy to answer an eHelp, but we try to answer them, and some of them require quite a bit of time. -- Posted by marshmellowman at 5:17 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:08 pm on July 5, 2008 Not if half the SLs are not doing their jobs! You'd know this how? -- Posted by carracer at 5:17 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 5:17 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:08 pm on July 5, 2008 Not if half the SLs are not doing their jobs! You'd know this how? Read ^ Above -- Posted by marshmellowman at 5:19 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:17 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 5:17 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:08 pm on July 5, 2008 Not if half the SLs are not doing their jobs! You'd know this how? Read ^ Above I KNOW about the topic. I replied in it. But because one SL wanted to hide the eHelp system doesn't mean half the SLs are useless, not even mentioning the fact that not even half of the SLs replied in that topic. Please don't judge us when you really have no idea what work we actually do. -- Posted by Bagheera at 5:20 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:15 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Blank black at 5:13 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:09 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from Anonymous at 5:08 am on July 5, 2008 Carracer, make your own topic and please don't derail mine with inane baseless arguments.   And how are they inane and baseless?   care to explain yourself? Because you have no basis in fact for your arguments. There was a topic with SLs discussing how they IGNORE ehelps because they find them ANNOYING. Do the research! Don't complain to me just because I am saying what is true! i wouldn't even say anything if I didn't know it was! Because if you knew the eHelp system, you know that one person cannot answer all the eHelps. Now that means that those they cannot answer remain, flashing in the corner. I don't care what you say, but that is annoying. Simple as. I went round a few days ago, checking out support leaders. Those who I couldn't see support or eHelps from I started to talk to, via pm. The vast majority of those tried to help me with what was a serious and honest problem. The rest explained that they were struggling at the moment themselves, and in some cases then went and found me either another psl, or eHelp responses which were relevant to my issue. And because of that, I wont have an ill thought out comment said about them. -- Posted by Anonymous at 5:20 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 1:15 pm on July 5, 2008 But you also have to think of whether people can answer them. I've found eHelps I can answer before, but they've already had two replies. The general rule is that if we can't add anything else above what's already been added, there's no point in us posting there, as we'll just be repeating what's already been said. Instead we should try to answer those that haven't been answered yet.   We are trying to increase the number of replies, believe me, but we all have our own lives, as well as being swamped with eHelps daily more than usual. It's not easy to answer an eHelp, but we try to answer them, and some of them require quite a bit of time. Aye, I know. I (and we) do appreciate the time and effort that is put in - I remember doing so myself for a few years. And of course I sympathise with the difficulties. Just highlighting an issue for the sake of progress. Thanks for replying reasonably, for what it's worth. -- Posted by carracer at 5:20 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 5:19 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:17 pm on July 5, 2008 Quote: from marshmellowman at 5:17 am on July 5, 2008 Quote: from carracer at 1:08 pm on July 5, 2008 Not if half the SLs are not doing their jobs! You'd know this how?    Read ^ Above I KNOW about the topic. I replied in it. But because one SL wanted to hide the eHelp system doesn't mean half the SLs are useless, not even mentioning the fact that not even half of the SLs replied in that topic. Please don't judge us when you really have no idea what work we actually do. Im not doubting you! gosh don't take everything so seriously! im just saying for so few responses, there are A LOT of SLs! It doesn't really connect! Pages: 1 2  Next