Update on Chat
Hello Writers,
I’m writing to give an update on Chat. As some of you may have noticed, we have temporarily removed it from the site. Here’s why…
Writers repeatedly brought to our attention the problems the scrolling feature experiences. We initially thought we could fix it quickly so we left chat up while we worked on it. The problem proved to be more difficult than an easy-fix.
We think we’ve found the solution to it. It appears that the issue lies with the size of pictures that have been uploaded. While some pics were uploaded small enough to allow for very smooth scrolling, others were uploaded with extremely high resolution and slow the system down as the scrolling feature attempts to render the higher resolution picture. Eventually, we will create a feature to limit the size of pics that can be uploaded. In the meantime, we’re manually fixing the pics manually.
A second problem we’re experiencing with Chat is the amount of load it is putting on our server. This is a problem that is really only solved by adding more server power. We’re in the hunt for that now.
One feature we added to help out the server is limiting the writers who appear in Chat. Some of you online earlier today may have seen us testing the feature where only those writers who are online appear in the large chat window. Writers who are offline do not appear. In the short term, this solution fixes both the scrolling problem and the server load problem. However, as more writers login the scroll is enabled and the server load grows.
The final thing we’re working on is the addition of your pic on your letter purchase pages. (To get to one of your letter purchase pages, go to the customer homepage, click a category where you know you have a letter, find one of your letter titles in the list and click it. The following page is your letter purchase page.) Look for the area of the page inside the brown box that reads, ‘Sign me up for E-tips on the best strategy for writing these kinds of letters.’ This box is being replaced with your pic. If you are online the ‘Ask this Writer’ text appears…if you are offline, ‘Email the Writer’ text appears and is linked to the messageboard.
One writer who did have some hits from customers in chat explained that customers seemed to be looking for advice. Her strategy is to continue giving advice to encourage the customers to return. Our bigger strategy and the point of giving you direct access to the customers is to figure out how to turn the chat conversation from providing advice to selling your letters.
Hang in there. We’re just getting started.
~Rob
August 12th, 2009 at 1:59 am
Thanx for the update Rob.
As far as my 1st two days on chat went - I feel it was a rewarding experience.
I was blessed with being able to speak with a total of 3 customers and was actually presented the opportunity to write for 1 of them - culminating with her purchase of that letter.
I can’t see where you’ll go anywhere other than up uP UP with this resource!
Looking forward to seeing it go live agin.
Adios Amigo.
August 12th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Well if you, Rob, haven’t chatted with me I’ve had two chats. One just now but the person left after I told them I could help them. I am still no able to find the unavailable button and also I am not sure of how this works. When the person chats they haven’t paid. So I either find them a letter done or I give them my link to submit it. I’m standing by while they do that…..then what? I haven’t had a chance to chat to write a letter so are you for ex. R. Mansfield, gathering information and then writing the letter as you would with a paid request only this request is directly to you? Jo
August 12th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Jo, you bring up some really good points. I’m looking forward to learning the answers to these questions. I have yet to chat with anyone; the hours I was on-line with the chat feature b4 it went offline, I didn’t hear/see anyone come on to chat. I hope I get a chance soon.
I’m curious how you (Jo) were able to chat with someone today…? I checked online several times & didn’t see the feature available. Am I doing something wrong…or maybe the chat feature was on for awhile & I missed it? Confused…
Chaz
August 14th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Hello Jo,
My experience was a trip - to be sure; apparently I was fortunate to have a chat with just the “right someone”…
She had already submitted a prepay request for a letter and her concern was GETTING A QUALITY LETTER written as FAST AS POSSIBLE. - like - “in her hand in under 24 hours”, possible.
It was a flurry of activity - resulting in emailing and chatting back and forth; placing a total of about 3-4 HOURS into the work, 2 full re-writes and being submitted supporting dicumentation that should have been submitted PRIOR to ever even making a rough draft - ALL with me not having a clue how to “bump up the sales” to advance Rob’s objectives or my own.
Hey… It was fun…
But will definately take getting a better handle on my “MARKETING” abilities.
$9.95 for being: COUNSELOR, COACH, GRAMPA, BROTHER, FRIEND, SALES TEAM, & WRITER!
Like I said… It was “FUN”!
August 14th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
dog gone… u HAD TO KNOW - that’s DOCUMENTATION, yo?
(well… on second thought, maybe not)
Let ‘er buck!
August 16th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Hi Rob!
So…
ARE WE NOW “LIVE” - up n running again?
I had a hit for just a second today aproximately 1P.M. PST…
A “GOOGLER” - but they popped off about as fast as they popped in?