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I worked customer service for "a" major MMO for a while. People who got asked if they were robots were generally behaving like robots: using macros (pre-written

I worked customer service for "a" major MMO for a while. People who got asked if they were robots were generally behaving like robots: using macros (pre-written responses) to respond to questions even when the answer didn't properly fit, sending responses (even proper responses) to questions faster than people generally type, or abusing the auto-name-fill-in shortcut to fill in the character name in every sentence. In short, there's very likely to be an actual problem when your customers ask if you're a robot ... not a "cute" problem like you were too quick to answer their initial request.

manoloe 16y ago
Not exactly. As you see in the transcript on the blog, we responded with a simple "Hi, how can I help you?" and then we're asked if we were a robot. We don't use pre-written responses, nor do anything else like you suggest. We're just online, working away.
- alanfalcon 16y ago
  And you'd be much more likely to be seen as a person if you opened with, "Hi, this is Jorge. How can I help you?"
  - elithrar 16y ago
    Jorge the robot? If someone is anticipating a bot, I don't think greeting them with a name is going to dissuade them from asking.
  - manoloe 16y ago
    Interesting... we'll do some tests on alternate ways to introduce ourselves. Being able to test out different approaches real-time is another benefit from live chat. thanks!
    - Herring 16y ago
      Another possible response might be "Negative, I am a meat popsicle".
    - elxx 16y ago
      My first thought looking at the transcripts was that seeing "IndexTank" as the screen name answering the questions rather than a person's name would make me suspect "robot" at first too. Either way, I agree that introducing yourself to the user with your own name will do a lot to reduce the suspicion.
      - manoloe 16y ago
        That's a great catch. We chose the name for the account when we started using Olark, and labeled it with the company name. We decided initially to have only three accounts and rotate them among our team, so all of the accounts were given IndexTank labels. As we are expanding our use of Olark, we will give each of our developers their own account, and they could put in their first name there. We will test it out. thanks.
davelittle 16y ago
As a hobby I volunteer as "support" for an MMO, too. I go into an open chat room and answer people's questions. I'm very obviously a human - every response is different, the answers fit the questions (because I'm typing them!), I abbreviate people's names, I share anecdotes etc... Still people not only ask if I am a bot constantly, sometimes they just decide that I am. (Of course, they still believe me if I start talking to them directly and "prove" it, but in those cases I don't like to ruin the joke if I don't have to!) The only robotic thing I do is type about 90wpm - and read fast enough to keep track of a quickly scrolling chat room. It's not superhuman, but I am "above average" compared to the casual participants. I can understand people being surprised at first. But making the leap into assuming a fast typist is a bot - despite all the evidence to the contrary - well, sometimes there is no actual problem. Sometimes people are just ridiculous.

manoloe 16y ago

Not exactly. As you see in the transcript on the blog, we responded with a simple "Hi, how can I help you?" and then we're asked if we were a robot. We don't use pre-written responses, nor do anything else like you suggest. We're just online, working away.

alanfalcon 16y ago
And you'd be much more likely to be seen as a person if you opened with, "Hi, this is Jorge. How can I help you?"
- elithrar 16y ago
  Jorge the robot? If someone is anticipating a bot, I don't think greeting them with a name is going to dissuade them from asking.
- manoloe 16y ago
  Interesting... we'll do some tests on alternate ways to introduce ourselves. Being able to test out different approaches real-time is another benefit from live chat. thanks!
  - Herring 16y ago
    Another possible response might be "Negative, I am a meat popsicle".
  - elxx 16y ago
    My first thought looking at the transcripts was that seeing "IndexTank" as the screen name answering the questions rather than a person's name would make me suspect "robot" at first too. Either way, I agree that introducing yourself to the user with your own name will do a lot to reduce the suspicion.
    - manoloe 16y ago
      That's a great catch. We chose the name for the account when we started using Olark, and labeled it with the company name. We decided initially to have only three accounts and rotate them among our team, so all of the accounts were given IndexTank labels. As we are expanding our use of Olark, we will give each of our developers their own account, and they could put in their first name there. We will test it out. thanks.

davelittle 16y ago

As a hobby I volunteer as "support" for an MMO, too. I go into an open chat room and answer people's questions. I'm very obviously a human - every response is different, the answers fit the questions (because I'm typing them!), I abbreviate people's names, I share anecdotes etc... Still people not only ask if I am a bot constantly, sometimes they just decide that I am. (Of course, they still believe me if I start talking to them directly and "prove" it, but in those cases I don't like to ruin the joke if I don't have to!) The only robotic thing I do is type about 90wpm - and read fast enough to keep track of a quickly scrolling chat room. It's not superhuman, but I am "above average" compared to the casual participants. I can understand people being surprised at first. But making the leap into assuming a fast typist is a bot - despite all the evidence to the contrary - well, sometimes there is no actual problem. Sometimes people are just ridiculous.