This article :: slack.sar.run
The intent of this article is to provide the why behind slack and its uses.
slack is as good as any chat app. Like any chat app, there are some features that are not great, outlined below, and there are some features which have quite a bit of merit and worthy of use. Overall, slack is just slightly better than other chat clients. And just like shopping carts, there is no good one, it’s just that this good one sucks just a little bit less than all the others.
How to use slack
From good communication and structure comes good service.
Condition inputs
Customers are sloppy in their questions, and issues require forming and norming to be processed efficiently. Perhaps we all are guilty. At least some of the time. Think of it this way: Customers provide bad service to you sometimes.
- Questions with missing inputs.
- Fleeting attention.
- General impatience.
If we must interact in such conversations, then let’s be great at it. Let’s condition the conversation around efficiency. Take pride in delivering great service to everyone you interact with. To be the best you must write for drunk people.
Write for drunk people
Steer the conversation in the direction of efficiency. Provide links to the resources mentioned in the posts. Make it easy for people to follow your mental production. Your art.
The best customers and the worst customers get the same level of service.
Use headings
Assume no one knows what you are talking about. Think big to small. Position the conversation on the correct application and qualify each noun with properties. Speak about the properties of the object in mind.
Focus keenly
The care and attention given in that moment to the moment is important. Read carefully and process before you reply.
Approach
Focus on what each other say more than what others say. Move together as a team. It grows out from there to external parties.
- A seamless integration of conversations with internal and external parties.
- A standardized experience in all conversations.
- A single application to manage it all.
Standard operations for good customer service take that bad service and condition it to provide great service back to the Customer.
All Unread
In the upper left side of slack as shown above, there is an option to “View All Unreads.” Keep yourself organized and check this tab often. This is the best way to stay up to date. This feature will show every message directed towards you that has not been viewed. Every new message that is relevant to you will appear here.
Notes
Sense a lukewarm feeling towards slack? That’s because slack is a second-level response. It’s symptom of a system issue. A sign of muda
Think of an automobile manufacturing facility. Do you think slack has many of them as a customer? I just did a search, no case studies or landing pages by slack on the topic. Nothing really. Not used in practice. Let’s avoid slack and use it only if necessary.