The Daily Grind: Should free/trial accounts get less support?
by Tateru Nino 
Mar 26th 2008 at 8:00AM
Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind
Some games offer two tiers of membership, free and premium. Some are free-to-play with microtransactions. Some are subscription-based, but have free-trial periods. Customer service and technical support costs the same whether someone's paying or not, though.
Should the free-trials and free users get the same amount of customer care and technical support as the paying players? Should it not matter? If free/free-trial users get less or no support does that encourage them or discourage them from upgrading to paying for the game? Shower us with your collective wisdom!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Pralaya said on 8:57AM 3-26-2008
yes, it does matter.
it's very important a good customer care for potential paying players; however, as premium player, I need more attentions.
(I hope this post has decreased my wisdom ;)
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Ghen said on 10:29AM 3-26-2008
Why yes, you've been reduced to 18/20 wisdom sorry =)
Christian Calen said on 9:19AM 3-26-2008
It does matter. However, I think though, it's more appropiate with some epic feeling in the first levels of the trial, then anything. That combined with the support, is what gets staying members, that goes onto subscriptions and what not.
Like for example Lord of the Rings has a very good start in the game, in my eyes. It really does feel epic. However, not having problems or anything such, I wouldn't know how any form of CS works over there.
Calen
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Crap Mariner said on 9:31AM 3-26-2008
Yeah, top-level customers in (two-letter abbreviation) already get Concierge level... but I think that Premium account holders ought to get some level of service better than the freebies but less than the top-level folks.
Many phone systems that support departments use have the ability to queue calls based on looking up accounts via caller ID and determining status of that customer. Takes a bit of programming, but can be done. Surprised they don't have that in place already.
Aside from being able to own land in Lagland.. I mean Mainland, no real practical benefits to being Premium.
Does cutting the free help-me-nows discourage new users from continuing? Maybe the ones who are generally helpless or clueless and can't RTFM on their own to solve issues... and from a resident standpoint, do you really want those stumbling around, clogging up the pipes?
Or is shouting "n00b!" is meant as a positive thing and not a slur? ;)
It's got it's own key on the keyboard, people: F1. It's a beautiful, shiny key... probably mint condition, too, seeing how rarely most people use it.
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Pralaya said on 12:03PM 3-26-2008
there is something very wise in this post.
(please Ghen add a bonus here ;)
what you say about online help (F1) is totally true, not only related to mmo field, even to OS (windows help) and each kind of software. sometime the best manual is just hidden behind F1: often we don't need to buy expensive books.
also I think that at least half of help-requests could be self-solved, just checking online-guide or official knowledgebase.
Pinbin said on 9:41AM 3-26-2008
As has been previously stated, I think that there should be two levels of support.
There has to be some level of support for Free/Trial accounts, those new users are needed to help build a robust online community. Without them, a game would simply bleed to death as current users faded away for whatever reason.
That being said, I believe a paying consumer should expect a higher level of support. If it is quicker turn around on petitions or some sort of perk for being a paying member of the community. Expectations needs to be realistic though, I mean there can't be a personal GM for each user.
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Tateru Nino said on 9:48AM 3-26-2008
Oh, nuts. Not even the muscular one in the leather shorts?
Ghen said on 10:30AM 3-26-2008
/shudder