Hi Andy, On Thu, Jun 07, 2007 at 01:26:02PM +0100, Andy wrote: > We do have #ubuntu-uk on Freenode IRC. >
Indeed we do - "welcome to the madhouse" should be the motto. > Who do we speak to at Ubuntu in the event we did want an Ubuntu UK > support channel? > Just create it. There is no "process". Think of a name, join the channel, register it with chanserv, document its existence. Job done. > It's possible to register an email address with IM, but how would we > go about getting multiple people able to answer? qunu is a service I have used for IM based discussion. > Is it even possible on the common networks? > You can create "rooms" with some of the IM networks. Personally I think this whole area of IM/IRC based support is separate from, but supplemantary to the subject in hand of voice support. > One problem with call back is volunteers have to pay an unknown price > when then start the call. Who knows how long it's going to take to fix > the problem to start with? And if the number someone gives is a mobile > number then you're in for a hefty bill. > Yup! One of the main problems already identified - cost! > If it used VOIP for someone to ring in the support person wouldn't > have to pay. And it is still going to be cheaper than the 60p a minute > rubbish I got billed when I had to call for help with the dreaded > Windows (parents machine, not managed to persuade them to switch yet). > Agreed. A number could be obtained for free from (for example) sipgate. Even if it was a regional (for example) London number it would be cheaper for people to call than a premium line. Although.. maybe we _should_ use a premium line, to finance the service? Whilst evil and expensive, it does motivate people to spend less time on the phone. It would also filter some of the ad-hoc not so productive calls like "when does gutsy come out" or "what does Ubuntu mean?". > One issue that would put me off helping is the fact I am not an > expert, I don't know the internal working of the kernel or X etc. Neither do most people. Chances are you know considerably more than someone whose experience of Linux is "insert ubuntu cd, turn on computer". > so > some of the complex questions I will be stuck on. There is no expectation that you would necessarily be able to answer them. However you have access to a great network of people who do! If the customer is comfortable using the phone but uncomfortable using other methods then you can effectively become a proxy for them. You could use irc, google, launchpad (answers, bugs), or even voip call another support person, to get the answer. > I can probably help > with the simpler of questions though. What does one do if you don't > know the answer, is it possible to setup some kind of facility to > "bounce" the call to someone more experienced? Think how this works in situations you have been in. If you call a company for support does the person on the end of the phone _always_ know the answer? Most likely not. They may take your call, put it in a request tracker and get an "expert" to call you back. You could think of yourself as first line support. You may well be able to resolve some issues, which would of course be logged in the request tracker anyway, but if you can't you could forward onto someone who might. > On the subject of recording stuff, would it not be helpful to fill out > a small report after the support call. It would be useful to know what > people are phoning up about so we know which bits are not user > friendly and so we can document common problems and have then at hand > for the support people to look up. > Some request trackers have a facility to allow feedback to be given to the team after the call is made. In my experience people don't fill them in, indeed I am guilty of this myself. I never filled in a customer satisfaction survey when the RAC recovered by car or when Dell sent me a laptop. It's something to consider but not immediately IMO. Cheers, Al. -- ubuntu-uk@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.kubuntu.org/UKTeam/
