Service requests
 

Can we please reply to service requests without having to resort to PM's. It's so annoying reading so many of them where the details are so vague, meaning you may have questions, but don't want to keep PM'ing people.

I believe its setup that way to keep others bidding on the request from knowing the quote that someone else gave so they can't go even lower. Some people will bid up to $100 lower than someone else just to keep that from going to that person but at the sametime someone will do it for free and thats not what the Service Request forum is put there for.

I'm not suggesting that the thread be used for quotes - but for questions about the work. Actual quotes should always be via PM.

Ok in that case, I agree with you 100% as I hate PMing to ask questions. I would rather ask questions in the thread then send my quote via PM.

This probably won't happen, and I can give you 2 reasons off the top of my head:

1. People will abuse the system; They will answer service requests and do exactly what they have been told not to
2. It brings with it more legal issues such as accountability for an incomplete or bodged request; By having it as a "Post a request and get private correspondance, quoting and work done" we alleviate 99% of the responsibility, the other 1% being the numerous threads in the forum which are stickied, referring to "Check the coder out before you hire blah blah" "vB.org does not endorse anyone blah blah blah"

From my own personal point of view, I am against this anyway, as should Service Requesters - If they require people to PM them, they instantly know something about them - They are licenced

Unlicenced users cannot use the PM system here, nor can they see your Instant Messenger contacts if you elect to have them hidden; Another way you can ensure that you don't get some scammer just after your money...

Chris

But none of this is relevant to the reason for my suggestion - I already stated that all quotes etc should be via PM, besides which I didn't think non licensed users could actually see the service requests forum anyway.

I will say again - the reason is/was to allow people to ask for more details as most requests are just too damn vague.

I agree with Paul here, I think as long as no money is ever be mentioned, nor offers stated - it would accomplish exactly what you are doing now - but substantially better. I cant see how Jelsoft could be responsible, but then again im not a lawyer, I just wear those silly wigs on a good night out.

It makes a huge moderation issue also. We'd have to keep track of all the threads in there to ensure no quotes are made in there. As Chris said, people will just do what they haven't been told to. And since that forum is quite popular, it would be difficult to moderate around the clock and to eliminate quotes in the threads before anything is agreed to. By the time we see it, things may have already progressed..

We can't stop people from posting quotes. With the PM system used for all of it, it never becomes an issue.

Just because you state it and follow your own idea for it, someone else will not, and will most likely continue to do it after being told not to...

We already get enough threads in the wrong place, and people posting things against the current forum rules - What makes you think asking or telling them not to do it will actually accomplish anything other than the people who respect the rules from doing it?

Chris

each time i've read a Service Request with no details or with vague informations, i've seen a moderator ask a question to give more of these details...

so i don't think other peoples have to answer the threads... moderators are making it already.