Crying For Help Online:
Tips For Getting The Answers You Need

Contributed by Carla Davis

Here you are at the tail end of completing all the fields of an online form. You hit the submit button…wait for it…wait for it. And it happens! The so-called “Webmaster” fires back a note…the fields with asterisks must be completed…don’t insert dashes when entering telephone numbers…use two digits for the month, 2 digits for the date, 4 digits for the year…blah, blah, blah. Hope you’ve got a seatbelt on that cushy ergonomic chair of yours. You’re now entering the Information Superhighway!

Adding to your frustration: the form automatically resets every time you hit the Back button, erasing all the data input. “Argh! I give up!”

Not able to access a web site; can’t download documents, software; finished loading your shopping cart, but can’t checkout. It happens to the best of us. No matter how computer savvy we think we are, at one time or another, we all have fallen victim to these online snafus, leaving us feeling helpless—our hands, completely tied.

Asking for help online may be our last resort. But bless the poor soul that answers to our beckoning call. We’re on edge! Gunning at the chance to lash out a flurry of un-niceties—a brutal, relentless assault with words, punishing whomever we can get our hands on. Essentially, what we’re really doing is making a scapegoat out of the person who, strangely enough, is there to help us. Pssst! Newsflash! It’s probably not the best way to go. So what you’ve copped an attitude. Using the administrator, or anyone who could possibly assist you, as your conduit to vent, will only prolong the agony.

Elbows off the table! Don’t slurp your soup! Ms. Manners in the 21st Century? We know what she’d say about dinner table mannerisms. But what online training tips could she possibly have to give us? Or, as she’d call it: e-Etiquette.

JUST CALM DOWN!
Your anger will only make matters worse and could impact the level of service you ultimately receive. The person trying to help you could become mysteriously stricken with amnesia, forgetting the fix; or suddenly start experiencing technical difficulties of their own, dropping even their connection to you. Odd, huh? Doing any and everything they can to delay helping you. Sure your frustrations are bonafide. But they don’t have to put up with your attitude. And when you stop to think about it, really: what are the chances they want to stop their own work to deal with your issues? Check your emotions at the door! Take a time out, if need be, to let your anger subside, before asking for help.

SAY IT, DON’T SPRAY IT.
Thinking about firing off a nasty-gram to show your displeasure? Save it! If what you’re saying doesn’t contribute to getting a fix, squash it! Summarize your problem in an organized thought pattern (e.g., use bullets). Contrarily, osmosis… mental telepathy…never a good idea, either—they can’t read your mind, you know. Providing sketchy details impairs the person’s ability to provide you the best help possible. And don’t forget to set up an automatic signature block, including your callback numbers. Speaking live may help speed things up a bit. Not readily providing this information, adds to the string of e-mails.

SHHHH! USE YOUR INSIDE VOICE.
Yelling across the IS? Someday you’re bound to collapse from exhaustion. WHY SHOUT? The good news is that, except for maybe your own, there are no horns, sirens or other extraneous noises to contend with on the IS. Besides, it’s just plain old rude.

WE CAN STILL SEE YOU, YOU KNOW.
Why is it that still, to this day, people think anything they send electronically sinks deep into the dark abyss? You’d be surprised—things bounce back in places, and to faces, you’d never imagine. Ask the celebs. You could very well end up the laughingstock of the IS. Just think…would I want my mother to see this? Everything you send is subject to being scrutinized by everyone else on the World Wide Web. The word “softcopy” is defined as: The display on a video terminal, with “a” being the operative word. Unlike jotting down a note to someone and then deciding, “Gee, I wish I wouldn’t have said that,” you can’t just crumple up your last transmission or put Wite Out on your display screen, for that matter. Once it’s transmitted, it forever lives! Again, your attitude is duly noted and could have a boomerang effect on the response you get now and in the future. Be sure whatever you post, is something you can live with for a long, long time.

BRANDISHING YOUR MAGIC WAND, AGAIN?
You can’t make time demands on others. They’re not your patsies. As difficult as it may be—being at the mercy of someone else—wait politely for a response.

SHOW SOME GRATITUDE.
Do we really need an explanation for this one? Just do it. It’s the right thing to do.

While 1% of this comes solely from experience and may take some getting used to, the other 99% is common sense and loosely based around life lessons. Following simple online protocol can save you a lot of time and embarrassment. We’re only telling you because we’ve, “Been there, done that!”

About the Author:
Carla Davis is a senior freelance writer. She has an MBA in Global Management and a career span of over nine years in the marketing and advertising industries.

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