Better method for FamilySearch to respond to cases

LegacyUser

Larry Bassist said: On several occasions I sent in questions that became cases for FamilySearch and instead of responding to the very specific question I asked, they just sent back some article from the Wiki that only very tangentially touched on a broader subject. It would have been very easy for someone to see that the "answer" did not really address the question. So I had to either go back and forth several times or call in and talk to someone and sometimes that did not help either. There must be a better way or better training that can be done. If they don't know the specific answer then say so, and have an escalation path so that questions actually get answered with the authoritative answer. Do they even read the whole question and explanation or just the title given to the question?

LegacyUser

A van Helsdingen said: I have on several occasions also experienced this. It is very frustrating.

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: Part of the problem is the software that first level support is using and also their unfamiliarity with some of the foibles of FamilySearch. The software recommends a "canned" response and so the volunteer (a missionary) uses the response.

I've run into this a number of times and now, unless I have a very specific case, I post the problem here and usually get a good response (not necessarily the one I'd hoped for) from many of the regulars, for which I'm grateful.

The key that I've found is that unless the problem is easily identified and specifically impacts one of my relatives, I do not open a case, but post the issue here and usually in its own thread.

LegacyUser

Juli said: It's fairly standard customer support procedure for the first-tier response to always be "canned". Often, organizations try to get away with not even having a human involved in this first step. It's infuriating.

LegacyUser

gasmodels said: Frequently the issue is the person who creates the case does not clearly identify the issue. I have worked in FamilySearch support and have seen cases that come in with the following type of question. ----- Some of my ancestors are missing from my tree why? --- Without specifics it is impossible for any support person no matter how skilled to respond to a question like that with anything but some general information for the user. Questions need to very specific and either deal with an issue or a question about how to accomplish a task. Support cannot answer questions about why the system is designed the way it is or respond to demands for changes to the system. They are there to answer questions about how to use the system or to help users to get understand why the system operates in a certain way. For example to explain private spaces to many users who do not understand why they cannot see other living members of their family including spouses.

Reports of problems usually do not get a response because the case gets escalated and the front line support person has no idea what happens or whether the issue will be resolved at a later time.