💁 Member Support Are you always listening to members on your site?

[Ja sa bong]

Forums are nothing without the members using the community. If a forum is created but it fails to attract members, the forum will die in its credle. Members will have a few things to say about the forum they are using. It may be positive or negative based on how they see it.

Do you always make listening to your forum members opinion a priority?

 

[Bluezone777]

One of the founding beliefs that has always governed my days as an forum admin has always been that this is not my forum but our forum. We collectively decide how this forum should be and what it should and shouldn't have with everyone having an equal say. You could say I was listening to the members even before there was even a board to join in the first place. I was listening to what people wanted and not getting from the existing forums and attempted to fill in the gap that existing boards weren't doing.

This helps to foster an emotional attachment between the people who come to your board and the board itself and it leads to a people who won't walk away or be influenced by what the other guy is doing even if the other guy is genuinely doing it better. If someone were to ask why do you stick with this guy when you believe I am doing it better and they would reply... " While it is true that you do it better, this place is where my friends are and where many of my fond memories were made." There is no argument you can make against that.

 

[Shortie]

I always feel that members of a forum should feel included when it comes to ideas or plans for a forum, members are what make the forum tick after all and are the reason for the success when you finally reach it.

Member's opinions are always important and should be treated that way.

 

[Darth Cognus]

An owner would be foolish not to listen to their community as a general rule, and ensure the bulk of the community is enfranchised in where it goes

Here's where I'll get contrarian: you do need to draw a line somewhere. You need to decipher when people's ideas are off the cuff and not made with the full picture, or would take the place in a direction it wasn't meant to go. And comparing with technical troubleshooting: sometimes the issue isn't in what they say, it's in what they describe that leads you to deduce the real issue. They say they dislike x, perhaps x is not well presented or its issue lies with y. This is a shortcut to arrogance, staff should never come off dismissive or take this for a power trip, but one should approach feedback with an open mind in case there are more aspects at play than what you immediately get for feedback.

It may pay off also to be watchful of what you don't hear, after all people who've been turned off before they started will never get to sending feedback to you directly so you may have to get creative to find those nuggets of fact or see what is being said in more established neighbor communities. If you can't even get people to register it's unlikely you'll get some of this key, harsh, but perhaps required feedback for progress.

 

[Cedric]

A community is formed by the members. Not listening to them is your biggest mistake ever. They’ll feel not welcomed and leave promptly. There’s indeed a line to be drawn as @Darth Cognus says, but in the end, the members knows best most times. If you’re stubborn not listening to your members you’ll end up being the only member of your own community.

 

[Empire]

Members are those who are willing to spend their time and hours typing or showing their ideas and support to you, and I'm always grateful for that, even on other sites like AJ or other promotion-related sites there are members stopping there own time to give help to you. In my case, I do spend the time reading and taking those ideas or improvements down and then I consider the options and look into those things

Not all ideas or improvements get added, but most of the time it does. These are the people that want to see results and also those that you want without members or people helping, how can you grow also end of the day members/people have another point of view that you might not even think or thought about.

 

[MrDawn]

Do you always make listening to your forum members opinion a priority?

While I don't own a forum of my own anymore. I do listen to the other members and read their opinions. I have learned what I can talk about on those communities and what not to talk about so I don't trigger the few members whom are unstable and highly opinionated.

 

[Reverie]

I prefer members input because they are what inspire me and make me want to improve the community. If members do not state opinions it can be difficult to know what direction they may want our community to go to. While I appreciate all opinions and comments, I suppose sometimes there are some things as a forum you must decide that if you're willing to change or not. Some things you can compromise on.

My biggest deal - if it benefits the entire community it's probably a great idea. If it only benefits one person - let's see what we could do to make it better for everyone. If it isn't a difficult add then I would likely add if it is wanted.

 

[Jason]

I would listen to members in many situations. However, nobody has given me any feedback on the forum. Well, in the past, on other forums, people complained about posting time. That was about it.

 

[~ True Legend ~]

I would listen to members in many situations. However, nobody has given me any feedback on the forum. Well, in the past, on other forums, people complained about posting time. That was about it.

Me too - ppl have complained to me about flooding but that’s about it.

A community is formed by the members. Not listening to them is your biggest mistake ever. They’ll feel not welcomed and leave promptly. There’s indeed a line to be drawn as @Darth Cognus says, but in the end, the members knows best most times. If you’re stubborn not listening to your members you’ll end up being the only member of your own community.

but there’re times when members may not understand the entire situation and staff time is limited. As long as feedback is voiced in a constructive manner, it’s welcomed.