Sometimes we are all so busy online that we fail to take even a moment or two out of your busy days to help others.
A huge example of how terribly wrong that approach can be was given by Jon Olson in TELive yesterday.
Jon was surfing some of the TimTech traffic exchanges when he noticed that a new member (we bring in lots of new members each and every day) asking for help in chat.
The briefest of exchanges took place with an old hand in the TE industry before the newcomer was brushed aside with the comment: “If you need to know any more then contact support.”
This is what happened next…
1. The newcomer stopped chatting and presumably went off to do their own research to find the answers they needed.
2. Over the following few hours the newcomer upgraded in the program he was asking about and then went in to make further purchases with TimTech.
3. The member who brushed him off got nothing from this…not a penny and neither did (s)he deserve to.
Now imagine if that member had actually taken the time to help this person, then who do you think would have benefited from the purchases which followed?
Opportunities like this must be missed on a daily basis because far too many members of “social” traffic exchanges have lost the ability to be social, or even friendly for that matter.
Interestingly Richard Arblaster touched upon this subject in a recent post on his NAFTE Chronicles blog in a post called “The Art of Conversation.”
In it he wrote: “It’s time to bring back the art of conversation in the Traffic Exchange chatrooms.
“I love to see people interacting in the chat, even though up until a couple of days ago I wasn’t participating that much in chat as I used to.
“There’s nothing more annoying than going into chat and see a whole column full of copy and pasted prize wins, sometimes from just one surfer.
“So let’s bring back the art of conversation and start interacting with each other and helping each other when a question is asked.”
Good timing Richard. Let’s start chatting again because it could pay dividends…and sometimes quite literally.
Hi. I am Terry Allison. I am a SurfAholic…I agree with the above…I just have one question…If that new person was following the CTP program, would not the person that benefited from the upgrades be the sponsor, who had this person in his/her CTP downline; afterall, CTP is a basically a downline builder?…Just asking…
Yes that is true but the point is that many people who join traffic exchanges on a daily basis are not already in CTP.
I agree…it’s important that we don’t lose our ability to be personable even though the Internet (as it is) can be pretty in-personable.
If you can answer a question for someone stumbling thru trying to figure things out by all means give them an answer — and if you don’t know the answer at the very least direct them to someone who can help them.
It’s not always about how you can benefit – sometimes it just a feel good moment to send someone in the right direction!
That is exactly the right attitude Marye
Without seeing the actual transcript of the chat exchange, it’s difficult to judge what constitutes a “brushed aside comment” as opposed to a well-intended guide/push in the right direction to contact support. Even if the person was an old hand in the TE industry, the specific question from the newcomer may have merited him/her following up with support instead of being helped in the chat.
And I agree with Terry…unless the newcomer was contemplating joining CTP/Kore4 (in which the person in chat may have benefited by assisting), the newcomer’s sponsor would have been the beneficiary of those purchases.
Don’t get me wrong, chatting/conversation/assistance is great in the chat, but directing someone to support is not necessarily a bad thing.
I have noticed a major decrease in chatroom interaction since teams, DC’s and XP have been introduced. A lot of different veterans used to talk and interact a lot more when I first joined a year ago then they do now. I have also wrote on this subject and people need to remember that before computers, being friendly was a requirement.
I think it me who got Richard talking as I decided to keep on pasting in when I got nothing in the match games.
Just had some good chat today about the daily challenge, so you just need to have people paying attention to get the chat going.
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
In yesterday’s TELive Jon specificially mentioned that you were one of the people he was talking to in CTP chat.
It’s a fine line in Chat. Sometimes the urge to goof off is overwhelming. I tend to at list cut and paste large acheivements. This always opens the door and lets people know I am there.
I must admit I have mooched several great team members and a Kore4 upgrade in Chat. Just by answering a few questions and inviting them to PM me for more.
It works. In fact Jon unintentionally helped me on a couple by just agreeing with me. Thanks Jon
people miss a lot when they dont enter chat
Some owners have even been known to reward active members in the chat with credits & XP……just sayin 🙂
Yes…I think you even do that yourself Randy!
This was one of those : One to Read Blogs!!
Interesting stuff indeed. Good written, and something for all to look into I believe.
I agree with the Uber Viking again
Friendly conversation is such an added bonus online, just like face to face.
Thanks for the Marketing=Communication topic revisit/reminder. Initially, the CTP chat was both active and a very helpful place for new members (especially the ‘orphaned’ ones) to interact with other established members. Perhaps this post will get that going again for the new members?
Awesome
Note to self – try to visit chat at least once a week. I loved it but I must admit that when teams came in fully, the work went up and the chat dropped off. Skype, FB etc became the primary sources of communication and chat was left behind.
I and we need to remember that new CTP members will be there, possibly asking for help. If they don’t get it, they’ll move on.
I have now reminded myself and will try to be there, even for a short period of time.
Chat party next week? See you all there. lol