Job Description for new ANet Customer Relations Manager?

Buster

Buster

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

Elona

Clan Eternal Legion

D/W

All applicants should be tested on the ability to properly conduct a conga line in Kamadan.

Darcy

Darcy

Never Too Old

Join Date: Jul 2006

Rhode Island where there are no GW contests

Order of First

W/R

That is a good one, Buster.

Kusandaa

Kusandaa

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

N/Mo

Hire me... you'll have the social, talkative type right from the start . Plus, antyhing to get out of this hellhole known as Magdalen Islands...*chants* 3 months, 3 months, 3 months...

- Must deal well with spam, repeated questions even though you reply to them (when possible) - takes a fast reader IMHO;
- Must also deal with random love and hatred declarations;
- Must have a couple mules for the gifts they recieve from people.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster
All applicants should be tested on the ability to properly conduct a conga line in Kamadan.
And that too...

Guessing those events were everyone spams the same thing over and over again kills me thus why I don't attend...

Friday

Friday

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2006

[DVDF]

Applicant must have a skin thicker than armor-plated elephant hide and an endless well of patience... ALL the rest is irrelevant.

JR

JR

Re:tired

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/

Quoting parts of a post of mine from another Guild Wars forum:

Quote:
It seems a lot of people underestimate the amount of work involved in a good community managers job, and the skills they are required to have.

Before you dicuss this any further, I would suggest those of you wanting to voice an opinion first read this:

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/featur...anagement_.php

Knowing what a community manager actually does is a pretty crucial preface to any meaningful debate. For people who's experience with MMO communities consists soley of Guild Wars it is very easy to look at the scope of Gaile and Andrews work and assume that is about the norm for a community manager. This is absolutely not the case.

Community management positions don't generally require specific technical skills, because obviously there simply aren't any that fit. Instead potential employers look at your background and your range of experience. Plus points go to people with the following attributes/experience:

- Running fansites.
- Writing content for websites / creative writing (demonstrating well written and clear use of the communities native language).
- Hosting gaming based radio shows.
- Running gaming events.
- Marketing/PR experience.
- Games industry experience.
- Being a particularly passionate gamer.
- Customer service experience.
- Basic HTML/webdesign/graphic design experience.
- Communication skills.

...and more.

Obviously being part of the community already has its benefits, but there is no reason why any new CM would have to be someone we know for them to do a good job in the role. That's another common (and slightly selfish but understandable) misconception from within communities; that one of their own would be the best candidate.

Kayelyyb

Kayelyyb

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2006

Founder of Nerfs Are [Whak]

N/Me

I think they should hire a taiwanese bot to replace Gaile.... oh wait they dropping the taiwanese servers, back to the drawing board.

Darcy

Darcy

Never Too Old

Join Date: Jul 2006

Rhode Island where there are no GW contests

Order of First

W/R

@JR - This was meant to be sort of "tongue in cheek" - to cheer us up over the bad news (which just got worse with Andrew also moving to another position).

But you are correct as to the requirements for a "real" CR applicant.

I, personally, believe that someone who is part of the community on the player side would find it difficult to keep the required distance from "old friends" without being verbally abused.

On the other hand, someone who is familiar with the GW community would be better than a "newbie" in this situation. The actual job description of CR for GW is not fixed as it gradually grew to become what it is today. ANet will need to decide on their "wants" for the position.

rnicoll

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Jan 2007

Conclave Order

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darcy
I, personally, believe that someone who is part of the community on the player side would find it difficult to keep the required distance from "old friends" without being verbally abused.
I'm curious about why you think this would be a problem? Also, I suspect if it's someone from the existing playerbase that they'll have different identities for themselves when playing, and when working...

Severlator

Severlator

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Nov 2007

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayelyyb
I think they should hire a taiwanese bot to replace Gaile....
They are busy working on the grind for GW2

Alex the Great

Alex the Great

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2007

America.....got a problem with that?

[Lite]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pleikki
i THink it should be some mature aged person that have played gw since beginning and knows allready almost everthing bout gw. and ofc is sosial
and they need to be able to relate!

Shanaeri Rynale

Shanaeri Rynale

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

DVDF(Forums)

Me/N

Since both Andrew and Gaile are moving on, I'm wondering if Anet will have a CR at all. It would be sad not to have the regular input on the fan forums but most of Gaile's fan input is of clarification of issues, feeding back into the dev team and the pursuit of bugs/exploits.

All of this is concievably in the remit of her new role, and since there will be no new major GW content is the role of a CR needed other than what is outlined above? I know there is a certain frustration on both sides with the same questions being asked, with the same answers being given, leaving the CR with nothing to talk about except trivial matters. In addition the Wiki pages give people the chance to give feedback and Anet the chance to respond and as when

Just playing devil advocate.

Longasc

Longasc

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

I think they just need to re-define the role of their community managers.

Trivial talk and conga lines cannot be the heart of customer relations!

Meaningful interaction, asking the community questions, joining discussions, providing a link between developers and gamers - this is how I envisioned this position.

It does not look like a full job, actually. Blizzard's "blue" WoW usually have additional duties in development and stuff like that.

And no, GW1 is at the end of its lifecycle, it does not need a CM anymore.

They should think about a developer being given this position in GW2. He could make more out of direct contact than filtered over a CM in between.

JR

JR

Re:tired

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanaeri Rynale
Since both Andrew and Gaile are moving on, I'm wondering if Anet will have a CR at all.
Yes, they will.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Longasc
I think they just need to re-define the role of their community managers.

Trivial talk and conga lines cannot be the heart of customer relations!

Meaningful interaction, asking the community questions, joining discussions, providing a link between developers and gamers - this is how I envisioned this position.
They don't need to redefine the role, they just need staff who can actually perform it. Aside from that, this part of your post is quite accurate.

Holly Herro

Holly Herro

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Kangaroo-land.

Blades of the Dingo [AUST]

I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't get a new CR. Guild Wars is being neglected by Anet now. (Well, kinda) and Gaile and Andrew will turn up in GW2 methinks! =]

Lord Sojar

Lord Sojar

The Fallen One

Join Date: Dec 2005

Oblivion

Irrelevant

Mo/Me

I vote myself as new CR. Vote Rahja in 2008. A vote for Rahja is a vote for amazing community events.

Not to mention, I love you all here on Guru even if you do test my nerves at times. <3

guevera verreuil

guevera verreuil

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2007

Imperial Isle

We Would Like To Play [Wii]

E/

I will do it. =)
CR needs a lady anyways.

Women are much better at communication than men, and have better people skills in general. Plus, we tolerate a lot more too.