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Microsoft responses to customer issues in the PFC

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We would like to add a mechanism on the PFC by which customers could rate each Microsoft response they receive to issues they file. In the meanwhile, here are some ideas on what I think we should strive for in terms of response quality.

With each response the first thing we want to let the bug submitter know is that we have read and understood their issue. We never want to use a canned response or template. Each issue is different and each response is directly relevant to that issue.

We want to thank each user for their contribution, taking the time to post the issue. It helps us build a product that is more inline with customer’s expectations and the dialog with Microsoft is informative to other customers as well who may have the same issue.

We want to provide a good reason for each resolution. In particular, if we don’t fix an issue (and I don’t think customers expect us to fix every single issue) we should provide a good explanation for why we made the trade-off we made.

Here are some additional things I think Microsoft responders should always do in each reply:

  • Be honest and polite
  • Use a respectful tone
  • Keep in mind that written communication is more open to misinterpretation then in person
  • Sign replies with name, title, team
  • Don’t treat customer issues like a hot potato
  • Don’t reply to customer bugs during bug triage, take time to provide a great response
  • Provide a workaround whenever possible
  • Don’t sound like Marketing J

I’m putting together guidance for the VS product team on providing great responses to customers… your feedback on the subject would be greatly appreciated and will be incorporated.

Also, if you have examples of good and poor responses from MS, please forward to me. I will send kudos for the good ones and try to correct the others.

And another note, if ever you are not satisfied with a response you receive, just reopen the issue and let us know!

Thanks,
Marie Hagman

Visual Studio

Program Manager

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 13, 2005
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    January 13, 2005
    The comment has been removed
  • Anonymous
    January 13, 2005
    Thanks Joku, agree that users should be able to reopen bugs that they didn't themselves post as well as add to the description. Since the discussion thread at the bottom of each bug is not ported to our internal bug database the way the rest of the bug report is, i don't know if our developers consistently look at it. That way the bugs become community property after they are posted. The main concern is the potential for gaming, but i think those fears may be unwarrented.

    I'll follow-up on the bugs you listed.
  • Anonymous
    January 13, 2005
    "We would like to add a mechanism on the PFC by which customers could rate each Microsoft response they receive to issues they file."

    This is really subject to personal opinion... some people who are passionate about an issue might not like the answer Microsoft has to give and score it low, even if it's the best possible answer.

    I'm thinking this should be a binary choice:

    - The response from Microsoft is clear and reasonable.
    - The response from Microsoft is unclear or unreasonable.

    Something like that.

    I like your guidelines for responses :)