Auto Reply To New Topics

[Hells Warrrior]

We have installed an auto reply function to new topics within the introduction forum, this will basically give a big hello to new members with a few links - this is intended for new members to get a quick response to an introduction and to also give them a quick heads up on what to do.

 

We may add the post formatting link and others but don't want to overload them, hopefully this proves a useful addition.

[S.O.P.H.I.A.]

Hi Hells Warrrior,

Thank you for the introduction, don't forget to request you're introduction medal in the introduction forum or by using the contact us form (found under help). We hope you find the forum a friendly and fun place. If you have evidence of achieving the requirements for other medals that are available, please let us know.

Remember to have a look at the Code of Conduct and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Also have a look at the Formatting 102 topic on how to use the reply editor functions.

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[Slade]

 

Hi Hells Warrrior,

Thank you for the introduction, don't forget to request you're introduction medal in the introduction forum or by using the contact us form (found under help). We hope you find the forum a friendly and fun place. If you have evidence of achieving the requirements for other medals that are available, please let us know.

Remember to have a look at the Code of Conduct and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Also have a look at the Formatting 102 topic on how to use the reply editor functions.

 

 

Wouldn't it be better if this was sent automatically to new members as a PM once they joined the site?

 

[Hells Warrrior]

Sorry Boom, Lenny, Slade, deleted your topics when I wanted to show the new edited version of the auto reply, apologies, they wouldn't merge correctly due to the timestamp being before I posted new topic, it therefor became a topic started by Boom, so I've had to delete them (sorry).

[Hells Warrrior]

 

 

 

Wouldn't it be better if this was sent automatically to new members as a PM once they joined the site?

 

 

They already get an auto PM and email

[Boom115]

Sorry Boom, Lenny, Slade, deleted your topics when I wanted to show the new edited version of the auto reply, apologies, they wouldn't merge correctly due to the timestamp being before I posted new topic, it therefor became a topic started by Boom, so I've had to delete them (sorry).

No worries.

 

They already get an auto PM and email

The man with the plan, excellent work as always.

[MegaAfroMan]

The first "you're" should be "your"

I guess this is the best utilitywise

but being greeted by a machine seems kind of lame to be honest.

I feel like this is something the users and staff should be doing without the need for a proceduralized machine.

I could see this maybe being better as a PM, rather than an Intro reply.

[Lenne]

It's not like we are not allowed to welcome new users anymore.

It does feel a bit impersonal though.

[Hells Warrrior]

I understand, it doesn't take away from people welcoming a new member, whether that be a member, admin, moderator etc.

 

It's about welcoming a member instantly in 3 different formats and given them all the information instantly on where to find things.

 

It's not personal, I get that. What you need to understand is "customer service" - that's my background, that's what I have done for 20 years. Don't for one second think that because this is just a forum for zombies that it doesn't count because it does. Automated responses make people feel welcome, it gives them reassurances that they are important (which they are) and it gives people a feel good factor and contributes to them sticking around longer.

 

It by no means takes away the personal touch, a new member "may not" post an introduction, so they get a PM and email saying hello, if they post an introduction they also get a hello - they will also receive a personal hello from the moderation/admin team as well.

 

Don't be disheartened by automation.

[GRILL]

I think it's great, and will help new users get acquainted quick. We, the community, will provide the personal touch - right?

[Boom115]

I think it will be extremely valuable. Thinking back to six months ago...I made a post urging people to welcome new members because so many were being ignored. They would join break the CoC and then post like a chicken with it's head cut off. If a chicken with it's head cut off could post. We are thinking current state, where we can read and acknowledge every post. Look towards the future, and attempt to improve on the opportunities we had in the last peak season.

[MegaAfroMan]

I've never appreciated automated new member messages from the receiving end, but I can see I'm a minority here.

I can see the useful nature of it, but it comes down to a utilitarian vs a deontological view.

I think people deserve better than an automated response, and users deserve having the responsibilty of welcoming and guiding new members left to them.

Taking the job off of them, is almost like saying "you don't do this well enough" at least to me.

If there is an automated message pointing new users to all the same threads I'd point them to, why should I even post? Just to say "hello and welcome to codz"? That's on the verge of spam by fragment. It has no weight.

Again, I see I'm a minority, so I conceed, but I think in the long run this is not the best option.

[Hells Warrrior]

No offence Mega, as Boom said, 6 months ago new members making an introduction barely received a response. This is automated and yes we all hate automated but we also appreciate the personal touch within them. It is not here to replace or prevent anyone from saying hello in a personal way.

 

This is by no means an end to personal welcomes, you can't catergorise a hello and welcome to CoDz as a spam response, sure a "hello" would be just that but everyone taken 2 seconds to post a quick hello and welcome to CoDz and saying who they are, is what the introduction forum (in view) is all about.

[Rissole25]

I like it. I mean, you can still welcome them to the forum, but the auto reply gives general information on where to post and stuff and I think that's neat.

Besides it goes into detail that no-one (rarely) goes into, in an introduction post.

[Tasha]

I like it ! A great way to get new members quickly acquainted with the forums. 

[Phantom]

Sorry but I don't like this. An auto-message that has this stuff in it? Yeah sure that's cool and useful, an auto reply by a bot? If I just joined a forum and I saw that I would be instantly turned off of the site. I work in customer service also, and I'm a supervisor there. People want to see that PEOPLE care for them and are helping them, not that it is automated. Sure you guys put work behind it and make sure that it's a helpful post and everything, but people don't see/understand that at first glance, all they see is the automated response. If it was me seeing it, one of my first thoughts is going to be "wow that is actually...quite lazy." 

 

I don't mean to be rude at all but I really really do not like this. 

[Chopper]

On the flip side we are not a customer service based site.  The only thing we provide is a platform for people to discuss zombies, and other random things.

It's up to the members to welcome people for sure, but this is a supplementary thing which I believe adds to their experience.

 

If people are really turned off because a site sends them an automated message with a lot of helpful information then that is just the world gone crazy.  Seriously, how prima donna can people be if they really are offended in some way, enough that they wouldn't post on the site?

 

I'm genuinely confused as to why people would think it's lazy.

[MegaAfroMan]

Chopper, even though the site is non-profit we still need to keep in mind customer service and relations, for we do still have customers in a way, and we do still want more customers.

[Tasha]

What if new members get a PM instead of the auto reply?

 

That way your welcome feels much more personal than artificial / forced.

 

And if they want to have another look at something that's in the auto reply, all they have to do is go to their messages.

Now we force them to go back to their introduction topic.

 

Not to mention the people who don't introduce themselves. Aren't they missing out?

[Ehjookayted]

I like the PM idea, it's kind of like other forums do it. The way it is now, I don't really mind it. It's there if you want to read it, and it can always be ignored. Wish some of the users who are new to the site could give their feedback on this. Doesn't really give us the best insight if everyone who responds is a regular.

[Boom115]

Craig had mentioned a while back that they receive the same message through PM, so no one is getting missed. Although mulling it over now it seems  like the direct message should do the job.

[Chopper]

Thinking about it some more in light of recent posts, PM is better than a post back to them.

Not sure it's a bad thing having the post there, but most people seem to think it is so we should probably look at talking about changing that.

[Hells Warrrior]

I have no issue with us discussing this in more depth, I don't see the problem, others see a problem with it. We will agree to disagree, sure it's always nice to welcome some new who posts in the introduction, however, as Boom will tell you, people who did post an introduction sometimes didn't receive a reply at all. I think an automated response, although not ideal is a step forward.
 
Let me just clarify what happens upon a new registration.
 
A new member will receive the following.

• A welcome email

Hello %member_name%,

Welcome to %board_name%. Please feel free to browse around and get to know others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

%board_name%

• A welcome PM

Hello %member_name%,

Welcome to %board_name%. Please feel free to browse around and get to know others. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

You joined on the %joined_date%.

%topic_link%

 

• Forum welcome message, which will display at the top of the forum for 1 hour after registration

 

Welcome %member% to the %board_name% forums, thank you for registering.

Please have a look around, post a little bit about you in the introductions section and benefit from the Introductions medal, many more medals also exist and you may be eligible for them. Have a look at the medal request topic in site news for more details..

This message will self destruct in one hour.

Thanks from all of the
Call of Duty Zombies Staff

 

And posting an introduction supplies a member with the following.

 

• Auto reply

 

Hi {username},

Thank you for the introduction, don't forget to request your introduction medal in the introduction forum or by using the contact us form (found under help). We hope you find the forum a friendly and fun place. If you have evidence of achieving the requirements for other medals that are available, please let us know.

Remember to have a look at the Code of Conduct and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Also have a look at the Formatting 102 topic on how to use the reply editor functions.

• Have a twitch account? Why not add your own stream
• Fancy a shot of a few games in the arcade, see if you can get a high score
• Want to give us your own zombie story?
• Do you have a theory on the zombie game mode, where have we been, where are we going?
• Have a look at the community centre
• You can also download some desktop wallpapers

Have fun, enjoy and don't be scare of the different sections. If something is posted in the wrong area then someone will let you know and explain what section it should go too, also remember to use the search function before posting, it may have already been posted elsewhere

All the best, the CoDz's forum team.

 

 

So why is the message not the same for all, well, a member may register but never actually say anything, want to do anything. However, a member that takes the time to make an introduction after regsitering is more likley to stick around (imo).

[InfestLithium]

I'm a bit unsure of all that, Craig. I love that every member will be welcomed on the spot, but having an alert that sits for an hour alongside and email followed by a PM and introduction post is rather excessive. An email and PM should suffice (plus, I've encountered it countless times on several boards and it held no consequence for me). The email could be a confirmation that the person registered successfully on CoDz while the PM gives important links to help a new member out.

 

I'm confident our armada of blood-thirsty slayers give warm welcomes.

[KeredNomrah69]

I'm glad I found this topic.  I've been reading over what people have said and can see both sides.  I would hate to come onto a site where I introduce myself and no one responds for days or even at all.  At the same time getting an automated response is the equivalent of getting a letter from a local company in your mailbox.  It's great when you haven't receieved anything in a while but when you are subjected to a lot of them you just start throwing them in the trash without looking.

 

There is a very real and recognizable loss of importance with a bot posting for the forum/community.  Was this the only solution for people being not welcomed in introductions?  I understand this was a duct tape fix that covered all the basics but in all honesty is a bot welcome really a welcome at all?  Information is great and should be given but as stated before this is done with PM's and E-mails already.

 

Lets get back to basics: As of right now the bot itself needs fixed.  It's format or however it was setup doesn't seem to be compatible as it shows code in the post.  Multiple people have expressed concern over the bot method and have asked for it to be reconsidered.  Even now I see threads in introductions that people have overlooked that only the bot has posted in. 

 

Does the bot have a negative posting effect? Do people see that an introduction was replied to and automatically skip over it to one that is active with multiple posts from usernames they recognize?  What is a personal response that would fill any customer service requirement?

 

 

Also I don't understand how we got to needing a bot, if people see that introductions weren't being welcomed, why didn't we just welcome them instead of going through the setup process for the bot?  In the past I knew of several people who could be considered the "Welcoming Committee".  This was done purely out of love and no one was ever designated.  Is it time to expand the admin club to include a team that would be responsible?  Instead of just a PM from a bot that you can't reply, include the names of that group if any further questions come up.

[GRILL]

Thanks for your input @KeredNomrah69 - we appreciate what everyone thinks, and I will do my best to address your concerns.  Also - good to see your name around these forums again!

 

I'm glad I found this topic.  I've been reading over what people have said and can see both sides.  I would hate to come onto a site where I introduce myself and no one responds for days or even at all.  At the same time getting an automated response is the equivalent of getting a letter from a local company in your mailbox.  It's great when you haven't receieved anything in a while but when you are subjected to a lot of them you just start throwing them in the trash without looking.

 

It's not really the same as getting "repeat" letters from a local company, as the automated intro response only happens once (but I understand what you are getting at).  Many users who make accounts here won't even make a post,  and even if they do - it's even less of a chance for those posts to be an introduction about themselves.  We want to make sure that those who make introductions and go out of their way will receive tips on how to further become involved with the community.  Essentially, if you make an intro - you're an asset, and we'd love to tell you about all the functions and options and new stuff that's going on.  Keep in mind CODZ has changed a lot since Black Ops 2, and since we've implemented the "new look" forum with various new features.

 

There is a very real and recognizable loss of importance with a bot posting for the forum/community.  Was this the only solution for people being not welcomed in introductions?  I understand this was a duct tape fix that covered all the basics but in all honesty is a bot welcome really a welcome at all?  Information is great and should be given but as stated before this is done with PM's and E-mails already.

 

The bot post was in no way at all a solution to anything, it was simply an addition.  It is not meant to be a "welcome" but more of a guiding stick towards other awesome things on CODZ.  Like I said above, you make an introduction - and you are already an asset to the site.  We want to make sure people who want to be a part of CODZ can jump in as soon as possible.

 

And yeah, it's true that they do get the information with PM's and e-mails - but we (the staff) really think that making an introduction is a huge step towards community interaction, and we'd like to help as much as possible.

 

Lets get back to basics: As of right now the bot itself needs fixed.  It's format or however it was setup doesn't seem to be compatible as it shows code in the post.  Multiple people have expressed concern over the bot method and have asked for it to be reconsidered.  Even now I see threads in introductions that people have overlooked that only the bot has posted in.

 

The bot does have issues every now and then.  I know what you are talking about, with the <br> stuff.  Please understand that glitches and bugs like this may arise, and we will do our best to address them.  It was not always like that, and we will get @Hells Warrrior on it ASAP.

 

Yes, there are some introduction threads that people overlook.  Keep in mind that it is the off season, traffic is down - and hence there is not as much activity in totality.  I guess my question to you is, do you think it looks better with no replies at all?  or with a bot reply?  Honestly, I'd argue that a bot reply is better then nothing at all, if not equivalent.

 

Does the bot have a negative posting effect? Do people see that an introduction was replied to and automatically skip over it to one that is active with multiple posts from usernames they recognize?  What is a personal response that would fill any customer service requirement?

 

No, the bot doesn't have a negative posting effect.

 

If someone only posts in an introduction thread because they recognize the other people posting in that thread, then they are posting for the wrong reasons.

 

I don't know, what is a personal response that would fill any customer service requirement?

 

Also I don't understand how we got to needing a bot, if people see that introductions weren't being welcomed, why didn't we just welcome them instead of going through the setup process for the bot?  In the past I knew of several people who could be considered the "Welcoming Committee".  This was done purely out of love and no one was ever designated.  Is it time to expand the admin club to include a team that would be responsible?  Instead of just a PM from a bot that you can't reply, include the names of that group if any further questions come up.

 

It never got the point of "needing" a bot.  We implemented the bot because we thought it would be a helpful addition to those taking the extra step when making an introduction thread.  If there is an issue with people not being welcomed, that is on the community side.  We did not implement the bot to give people a false sense of welcome.

 

It was always heavily conveyed that the bot was there for guidance, and that WE would provide the welcome.  Don't blame it on the bot, man.  The bots just trying to help!

 

Yes, there used to be a steady stream of people who would always welcome new users (mylittlehellhound, for example).  Like I said above, it's the off season - and activity is down (plus many of the old users have kind of left CODZ :/ ).  

 

In regards to your suggestion of an admin appointed "welcoming committee" - wouldn't that be just as bad as a bot?  You said that the "unofficial" welcome committee did it out of love, no one was ever designated - if there was a group designated to be responsible for welcomes, then would it really be out of love?  I'm not at all dismissing the concept, just simply playing the devils advocate.

 

If you want to start a community regulated unofficial welcoming committee, then by Great Odin's Raven DO IT!!!  I would love to see such an initiative, and it would be great to know that no introduction thread will go unanswered.  Make a thread, get some names, spread the love.

 

Other then that, all we can really do is just try and make a pact to ourselves (as a community) to be more responsive with introduction threads.  Like I said, the bot was never an answer for people not being welcomed - it was purely an addition for further immersion into the community.

 

I completely agree that we should include names of active staff that new users can contact with questions on PMs and everything.  ORRRR we could just direct them to the community regulated unofficial welcoming committee

 

Thanks again for your input, sorry the post was so long.