Member Complaints - Revision history

RevampBot: Wiki revamp: restructure & modernise

2026-07-17T12:00:00Z

Wiki revamp: restructure & modernise

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:00, 17 July 2026
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	===Introduction===		==Introduction==
	Handling complaints from members can be one of the trickiest jobs for a moderator.		Handling complaints from members can be one of the trickiest jobs for a moderator. Finding the balance between running the community how you'd like it run, and how members would like you to run it, isn't always easy.
	Finding the balance between running the community how you ~~would~~ like it ~~to be~~ run and how members would like you to run it ~~is not~~ always easy.
	People often like to "get things off their chest". So their mail might be a bit of a rant, but by the time you read it, they're probably already feeling calmer. Bearing that in mind might help you feel a bit calmer too.
	~~Just getting a reply from a human being (you) will do a lot to make someone feel happier, as long as that reply is fairly level-headed.~~
	~~It is far better a member complains to you rather than local media and or friends~~.

	~~For specific problems relating~~ to ~~using~~ the ~~website~~ or ~~app, see [[Reporting Problems]]~~		People often like to "get things off their chest", so their message might be a bit of a rant, but by the time you read it they're probably already feeling calmer. Bearing that in mind might help you feel calmer too. Just getting a reply from a real person (you) will do a lot to make someone feel better, as long as the reply is fairly level-headed. It's far better a member complains to you than to local media or friends.

	~~===Representing Freegle===~~		For specific problems relating to using the website or app, see [[Reporting Problems]].
	~~We all get a bit frustrated at times, but we are all ambassadors for Freegle, and we want people to join Freegle and re-use. What we say~~ to ~~members will impact on how they feel about Freegle. A member lost from one group may be a member lost from Freegle for good and all their contacts in your community might be told how useless~~ the ~~group and Freegle is~~.

	==~~=Composing a Reply=~~==		==Representing Freegle==
	~~Try~~ to ~~address the facts of the complaint rather than reacting~~ to the ~~emotion~~.		We all get a bit frustrated at times, but we're all ambassadors for Freegle, and we want people to join Freegle and reuse. What we say to members affects how they feel about Freegle - a member lost from one community may be a member lost from Freegle for good, and all their contacts might be told how useless the community and Freegle are.

	Stop and think carefully - could they be making a valid point, and you might be in the wrong!		==Composing a reply==
			*Try to address the facts of the complaint rather than reacting to the emotion.
			*Stop and think carefully - could they be making a valid point, and you might be in the wrong?
			*Always be polite (yes, always), no matter how much you're provoked. Treat it as a challenge to stay courteous regardless of what's said.
			*Taking the approach of wanting to help the member use Freegle, rather than punishing them for breaking rules, works better every time.
			*Keep replies neutral and understanding. Refer to other reuse networks neutrally, and don't get drawn into discussing the rules of other communities.
			*Be careful not to sound condescending. Type out your response, then sit on your hands for a couple of minutes. Read it through - is it a fair response to their complaint? Does it come across as condescending or rude? Consider asking another member of your moderating team to check it.
			*If they're angry, acknowledge this and say you understand their frustration.
			*However trivial or silly you think their complaint is, say that their feedback is useful.
			*If you agree there's a problem, say you're sorry and explain what will happen to put it right. If you can't agree with their complaint - for example, they're disagreeing with a rule you won't compromise on - explain why the rule is in place and how it helps the community run smoothly.
			*Be mindful of sensitive issues when forwarding or copying others into emails.

	~~Always~~ be ~~polite (yes, always!) no matter~~ how ~~much you are provoked. Consider~~ it ~~a challenge~~ to ~~stay courteous regardless of what is said~~.		==Noting the complaints==
			It's worth keeping a record of complaints to see if issues come up repeatedly. If so, members may be giving you useful information about how the community can work better for everyone - it may be time to think about changing things, since there's no benefit in staying static as times change around us.

	~~Taking the approach of wanting~~ to ~~help the member use Freegle rather than punishing them for breaking rules works better every~~ time.		==Asking for feedback==
			It can help to ask members from time to time if they have any feedback, and what's working well or not.

	~~Keep replies neutral~~ and ~~understanding. Refer~~ to ~~other reuse networks~~ in a ~~neutral matter~~. ~~Do not be drawn into discussing the rules~~ of ~~other communities~~.		==Be realistic==
			We're all human - sometimes it's very hard to deal objectively with an issue, and it can be better to ask another volunteer in your team to deal with a complaint, if possible. A reply from another volunteer can sometimes calm things down when one of you has a problem with a member.

	~~Be careful not~~ to ~~be condescending~~. ~~Type out your response then sit on your hands~~ for ~~a couple of minutes. Read it through. Is it a fair response to their complaint? Does it come across as condescending or rude? Consider asking another member of your moderating team~~ to ~~go over it~~.		Consider having a shared account for all volunteer emails, which can encourage everyone to think about what they say. Chat also has a facility for copying in other volunteers, and can be used to chat with fellow volunteers directly.

	If ~~they are angry, acknowledge this and say that~~ you ~~understand their frustration.~~		If you or your team feel you can't handle a particular complaint, ask others for help on Central, or by emailing mentors@ilovefreegle.org or info@ilovefreegle.org
	~~However trivial~~ or ~~silly~~ you ~~think their~~ complaint ~~is say that their feedback is very useful~~.

	If you agree that there is a problem, say that you are sorry and explain what will happen in the future to put it right. If you cannot agree with their complaint, eg they are disagreeing with a rule that you will not compromise on, then explain why this rule is in place and how it helps with the smooth running of the community.		==See also==

	~~Be mindful of sensitive issues when forwarding or copying others into emails.~~

	==~~=Noting the Complaints===~~
	It’s worth keeping a record of complaints to see if there are issues that come up repeatedly. If so, it may be that the members are giving you useful information on how the community can work better for everyone. It may be time to think about whether you can change things - there is no inherent benefit in remaining static as times change around us.

	~~===Asking for Feedback===~~
	~~It can be helpful to ask members from time to time if they have any feedback, what is working well and what is not.~~

	~~===Be Realistic=~~==
	We’re all human, sometimes its very hard to deal objectively with issues and it can be better to ask another volunteer in your team, if possible, to deal with a complaint. Sometimes if a volunteer has problems with a member a reply from another can calm the waters.

	Consider having a shared account for all volunteer emails, that can encourage us to think about what we say. There is the facility on Chat for copies of all community chats, but also it can be used to chat to fellow volunteers.

	~~If you work on your own or as a team feel you cannot handle a particular complaint you can ask others for help by asking on Central, or emailing mentors@ilovefreegle.org or info@ilovefreegle.org~~


	~~Links:~~
	*[[Complaints Procedure]] - for complaints from a member about a volunteer or volunteer team		*[[Complaints Procedure]] - for complaints from a member about a volunteer or volunteer team
	*[[How To Deal With]]		*[[How To Deal With]]
	*[[Admin]]		*[[Admin]]

			[[Category:Difficult Situations & Problems]]
	[[Category:~~Specific_Problems~~]]

Jacky at 11:00, 16 April 2025

2025-04-16T11:00:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:00, 16 April 2025
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	Just getting a reply from a human being (you) will do a lot to make someone feel happier, as long as that reply is fairly level-headed.		Just getting a reply from a human being (you) will do a lot to make someone feel happier, as long as that reply is fairly level-headed.
	It is far better a member complains to you rather than local media and or friends.		It is far better a member complains to you rather than local media and or friends.

			For specific problems relating to using the website or app, see [[Reporting Problems]]

	===Representing Freegle===		===Representing Freegle===

Jacky: /* Representing Freegle */

2023-08-14T18:33:32Z

Representing Freegle

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:33, 14 August 2023
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	===Representing Freegle===		===Representing Freegle===
	We all get a bit frustrated at times, but we are all ambassadors for Freegle, and we want people to join Freegle and re-use. What we say to members will impact on how they feel about Freegle. A member lost from one group may be a member lost from Freegle for good and all their contacts in your community might be told how useless the group and Freegle is.		We all get a bit frustrated at times, but we are all ambassadors for Freegle, and we want people to join Freegle and re-use. What we say to members will impact on how they feel about Freegle. A member lost from one group may be a member lost from Freegle for good and all their contacts in your community might be told how useless the group and Freegle is.

	===Composing a Reply===		===Composing a Reply===
	Try to address the facts of the complaint rather than reacting to the emotion.		Try to address the facts of the complaint rather than reacting to the emotion.

Jacky: /* Be Realistic */

2021-10-10T09:00:28Z

Be Realistic

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:00, 10 October 2021
Line 39:		Line 39:
	Consider having a shared account for all volunteer emails, that can encourage us to think about what we say. There is the facility on Chat for copies of all community chats, but also it can be used to chat to fellow volunteers.		Consider having a shared account for all volunteer emails, that can encourage us to think about what we say. There is the facility on Chat for copies of all community chats, but also it can be used to chat to fellow volunteers.

	If you work on your own or as a team feel you cannot handle a particular complaint you can ask others for help by emailing mentors@ilovefreegle.org or info@ilovefreegle.org		If you work on your own or as a team feel you cannot handle a particular complaint you can ask others for help by asking on Central, or emailing mentors@ilovefreegle.org or info@ilovefreegle.org

Jacky: /* Cafe Sites */

2021-10-10T08:58:55Z

Cafe Sites

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:58, 10 October 2021
Line 27:		Line 27:

	Be mindful of sensitive issues when forwarding or copying others into emails.		Be mindful of sensitive issues when forwarding or copying others into emails.

	~~===Cafe Sites===~~
	Cafe sites can be a useful place to send members who disagree with a policy or have a complaint as your regular members will probably understand the reasons for, say, a No Pets rule. However, don’t be tempted to respond yourself on the Cafe, it is far better to let your members discuss it amongst themselves than turn a complaint into a public argument with you and your moderating team.

	~~The Chitchat section of the website is best not recommended as a place to go to discuss rules or complaints~~

	===Noting the Complaints===		===Noting the Complaints===

Jacky: /* Be Realistic */

2020-08-17T15:40:37Z

Be Realistic

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:40, 17 August 2020
Line 40:		Line 40:

	===Be Realistic===		===Be Realistic===
	We’re all human, sometimes its very hard to deal objectively with issues and it can be better to ask another volunteer in ~~the group~~, if possible, to deal with a complaint. Sometimes if a volunteer has problems with a member a reply from another can calm the waters.		We’re all human, sometimes its very hard to deal objectively with issues and it can be better to ask another volunteer in your team, if possible, to deal with a complaint. Sometimes if a volunteer has problems with a member a reply from another can calm the waters.

	Consider having a shared account for all volunteer emails, that can encourage us to think about what we say. There is the facility on Chat for copies of all community chats, but also it can be used to chat to fellow volunteers.		Consider having a shared account for all volunteer emails, that can encourage us to think about what we say. There is the facility on Chat for copies of all community chats, but also it can be used to chat to fellow volunteers.

Jacky: /* Be Realistic */

2020-08-17T15:40:00Z

Be Realistic

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:40, 17 August 2020
Line 48:		Line 48:

	Links:		Links:
			*[[Complaints Procedure]] - for complaints from a member about a volunteer or volunteer team
	*[[How To Deal With]]		*[[How To Deal With]]
	*[[Admin]]		*[[Admin]]

Jacky at 07:59, 15 August 2020

2020-08-15T07:59:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:59, 15 August 2020
Line 34:		Line 34:

	===Noting the Complaints===		===Noting the Complaints===
	It’s worth keeping a record of complaints to see if there are issues that come up repeatedly. If so, it may be that the members are giving you useful information on how ~~you~~ can ~~improve your group~~. It may be time to think about whether you can change things ~~for the~~ benefit ~~of the Group~~.		It’s worth keeping a record of complaints to see if there are issues that come up repeatedly. If so, it may be that the members are giving you useful information on how the community can work better for everyone. It may be time to think about whether you can change things - there is no inherent benefit in remaining static as times change around us.

	===Asking for Feedback===		===Asking for Feedback===
	It can be helpful to ask members from time to time if they have any feedback, what ~~the group~~ is ~~doing~~ well and what is not ~~so good~~.		It can be helpful to ask members from time to time if they have any feedback, what is working well and what is not.

	===Be Realistic===		===Be Realistic===
	We’re all human, sometimes its very hard to deal objectively with issues and it can be better to ask another ~~mod~~ in the group, if possible, to deal with a complaint. Sometimes if a ~~mod~~ has problems with a member a reply from another ~~mod~~ can calm the waters.		We’re all human, sometimes its very hard to deal objectively with issues and it can be better to ask another volunteer in the group, if possible, to deal with a complaint. Sometimes if a volunteer has problems with a member a reply from another can calm the waters.

			Consider having a shared account for all volunteer emails, that can encourage us to think about what we say. There is the facility on Chat for copies of all community chats, but also it can be used to chat to fellow volunteers.

	~~Consider having~~ a ~~shared account~~ for ~~all mod emails, that can encourage us to think about what we say~~.		If you work on your own or as a team feel you cannot handle a particular complaint you can ask others for help by emailing mentors@ilovefreegle.org or info@ilovefreegle.org

	~~If you work on your own or as a team feel you cannot handle a particular complaint you can ask other mods for help by emailing mentors@ilovefreegle.org or info@ilovefreegle.org~~

			Links:
			*[[How To Deal With]]
			*[[Admin]]

	~~<br> <br> <br> Back to [[How To Deal With]] or [[Admin]]~~

	[[Category:Specific_Problems]]		[[Category:Specific_Problems]]

Jacky: /* Cafe Sites */

2020-08-15T07:41:15Z

Cafe Sites

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:41, 15 August 2020
Line 29:		Line 29:

	===Cafe Sites===		===Cafe Sites===
	Cafe sites can be a useful place to send members who disagree with a policy or have a complaint as your regular members will probably understand the reasons for say a No Pets rule. However, don’t be tempted to respond yourself on the Cafe, it is far better to let your members discuss it amongst themselves than turn a complaint into a public argument with you and your moderating team.		Cafe sites can be a useful place to send members who disagree with a policy or have a complaint as your regular members will probably understand the reasons for, say, a No Pets rule. However, don’t be tempted to respond yourself on the Cafe, it is far better to let your members discuss it amongst themselves than turn a complaint into a public argument with you and your moderating team.

			The Chitchat section of the website is best not recommended as a place to go to discuss rules or complaints

	===Noting the Complaints===		===Noting the Complaints===
	It’s worth keeping a record of complaints to see if there are issues that come up repeatedly. If so, it may be that the members are giving you useful information on how you can improve your group. It may be time to think about whether you can change things for the benefit of the Group.		It’s worth keeping a record of complaints to see if there are issues that come up repeatedly. If so, it may be that the members are giving you useful information on how you can improve your group. It may be time to think about whether you can change things for the benefit of the Group.

Jacky: /* Composing a Reply */

2020-08-15T07:37:49Z

Composing a Reply

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:37, 15 August 2020
Line 13:		Line 13:
	Stop and think carefully - could they be making a valid point, and you might be in the wrong!		Stop and think carefully - could they be making a valid point, and you might be in the wrong!

	Always be polite (yes, always!) no matter how much you are provoked. Consider it a challenge to stay ~~polite~~ regardless of what is said.		Always be polite (yes, always!) no matter how much you are provoked. Consider it a challenge to stay courteous regardless of what is said.

	Taking the approach of wanting to help the member use ~~the group~~ rather than punishing them for breaking rules ~~can work~~ better.		Taking the approach of wanting to help the member use Freegle rather than punishing them for breaking rules works better every time.

	Keep replies neutral and understanding. Refer to other reuse networks in a neutral matter. Do not be drawn into discussing the rules of other ~~groups~~.		Keep replies neutral and understanding. Refer to other reuse networks in a neutral matter. Do not be drawn into discussing the rules of other communities.

	Be careful not to be condescending. Type out your response then sit on your hands for a couple of minutes. Read it through. Is it a fair response to their complaint? Does it come across as condescending? Consider asking another member of your ~~group's~~ moderating team to go over it.		Be careful not to be condescending. Type out your response then sit on your hands for a couple of minutes. Read it through. Is it a fair response to their complaint? Does it come across as condescending or rude? Consider asking another member of your moderating team to go over it.

	If they are angry, acknowledge this and say that you understand their frustration.		If they are angry, acknowledge this and say that you understand their frustration.
	However trivial or silly you think their complaint is say that their feedback is very useful.		However trivial or silly you think their complaint is say that their feedback is very useful.

	If you agree that there is a problem, say that you are sorry and explain what will happen in the future to put it right. If you cannot agree with their complaint, eg they are disagreeing with a rule that you will not compromise on, then explain why this rule is in place and how it helps with the smooth running of ~~their group~~.		If you agree that there is a problem, say that you are sorry and explain what will happen in the future to put it right. If you cannot agree with their complaint, eg they are disagreeing with a rule that you will not compromise on, then explain why this rule is in place and how it helps with the smooth running of the community.

	Be mindful of sensitive issues when forwarding or copying others into emails.		Be mindful of sensitive issues when forwarding or copying others into emails.

	===Cafe Sites===		===Cafe Sites===
	Cafe sites can be a useful place to send members who disagree with a policy or have a complaint as your regular members will probably understand the reasons for say a No Pets rule. However, don’t be tempted to respond yourself on the Cafe, it is far better to let your members discuss it amongst themselves than turn a complaint into a public argument with you and your moderating team.		Cafe sites can be a useful place to send members who disagree with a policy or have a complaint as your regular members will probably understand the reasons for say a No Pets rule. However, don’t be tempted to respond yourself on the Cafe, it is far better to let your members discuss it amongst themselves than turn a complaint into a public argument with you and your moderating team.