This document provides best practices for providing and receiving WordPress support. It recommends that support providers set clear expectations by posting support hours, response times, and terms. Providers should also include documentation, FAQs, and collect system information from customers upfront. When receiving support, it advises checking self-help resources first, being respectful since WordPress is open-source, and providing detailed information to help solve issues.

1. Support, Customer
Experience
and WordPress
Lessons in providing and receiving
support.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown

2. KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Dude, who are you and
why should I listen to

3. Lessons in Support
Use these to provide effective
support to your customers for
your theme, plugin or service.
Use these to get effective support
from theme and plugin shops as a
freelancer, Blogger,
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown

4. Providing
Best practices that you can use to
provide effective support to your
customers for your theme, plugin or
service.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown

5. Providing
Set your customers expectations.
~ Terms
Provide self help resources. ~
Docs
Collect what you need from your
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown

6. Set your customers expectations.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Providing

7. What are your hours or
operation? POST them.
What are your response times?
POST them.
What are your conditions of
support? POST them.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Providing

8. Provide self help resources.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Providing

9. Include getting started steps.
Include FAQs.
Includes documentation that is
searchable.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Providing

10. Collect what you need from your
customers upfront.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Providing

11. System Report, plugin version,
add-ons active
License Key (If applicable)
Screenshots
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Providing

12. Receiving Support
Best practices that you can use to get
effective support from theme and plugin
shops as a freelancer, Blogger,
Agency, Enterprise or Government.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown

13. Remember – unless you paid for
it - this community gave you
something.
Check the self help resources.
Help the support person help you.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Receiving Support

14. Remember, this community gave
you something.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Receiving Support

15. WordPress is an open source
product and anyone can use it.
Developers don’t have to provide
support, they do it because they
want to so be mindful.
You may not get anything and
you do not deserve it.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Receiving Support

16. Check the self Help resources.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Receiving Support

17. The WordPress Repository may
have the answer to your question.
Check the FAQ and Support
FORUM
Check the developers personal
website.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Receiving Support

18. Help the company help you.
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Receiving Support

19. It’s broken
It’s doesn’t work
It’s crappy poor code
ALL EQUAL NO SUPPORT
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Receiving Support

20. Update the plugin and WordPress
Check for theme conflicts
Screenshots
ALL EQUAL SUPPORT
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Receiving Support

21. Tools for providing support
Resolve Theme Conflicts - http://wpsaas.net/wordpress-theme-
and-plugin-conflicts/
System Info - https://wordpress.org/plugins/send-system-info/
Gravity Forms - http://www.gravityforms.com/
HelpScout– http://www.helpscout.net
Tools for receiving support
Help the support person help you. Be human, provide details
and check self help resources.
Screen Shots Screen Recordings - JING -
https://www.techsmith.com/jing.html
KYLE M. BROWN@kylmbrown
Resources

22. KYLE M. BROWN
Founder and Chief Operating Officer at
wpSaaS.net
@kylmbrown | Kylembrown.com