Here is the new version... All 106 pages..hehe
EVERQUEST POLICIES AND PROCEDURE MANUAL
COMBINED MANUAL
LAST UPDATED 11/16/02
Scope 7
Mission Statement 7
Changes to the Document 7
1.0 Guide Ethics - A Guide is Always Polite 8
1. 0.0 General Behavior 9
1. 0.5 On Duty 10
1.0.10 On Server Interaction 11
1.5 Interacting with Other CS Reps 13
1.5.0 Website 13
1.5.5 Server Boards 13
1.5.10 Server Guilds 15
1.10 Coming, Going, and Transferring 15
1.10.0 Choosing your name 15
1.10.5 New Apprentice 16
1.10.10 Promotion to Guide 16
1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona 17
1.15 Absences 18
1.15.0 Guide Absences and Returns to the Program 18
1.15.5 Returns After An Absence 18
1.15.5.0. Returns From Absences With a Definite Date of Return 19
1.15.5.5 Returns From Absences Without a Definite Date of Return 19
1.15.5.10 Returns From an Absence of 6 Months or More 20
1.15.10 Involuntary Releases 20
1.15.15 Guide Program Personnel Procedures 21
1.15.20 Appealing an Involuntary Release 22
1.20 Transfers 22
1.20.0 Candidate Transfer Requests 22
1.20.5 Apprentice and Guide Transfer Requests 23
1.20.10 Senior Transfer Requests 24
1.25 Program Obligations 25
1.25.0 Account Security 25
1. 25.5 Information Dissemination 25
1.25.10 Communications between Sony Online Entertainment and Customers 25
1.25.15 Posting to Public Boards 26
1.25.20 DSR's 26
1.25.25 WSR's 27
1.30 Avatars - Levels and Descriptions 28
1.30.0 Avatar Changes 28
1.30.5 Avatar Levels 28
1.30.10 Candidates 28
1.30.15 Apprentices 28
1.30.15.0 Apprentice Training in an Apprentice Restricted Zone 29
1.30.20 Guides 30
1.30.25 Guide Level Coordinators 31
1.30.30 Senior Guides 32
1.30.30.0 Becoming a Senior Guide 33
1.30.35 Elder Guides 35
1.30.40 SOE CSRs 37
1.30.45 The Server Management Team (SMT) 37
1.35 Is a Team for YOU? 38
1.35.0 Communications Team 39
1.35.5 Personnel Team 39
1.35.10 Grading Team 39
1.35.15 SWAT (Server Wide Action Team) 40
1.35.20 Training Team 40
1.35.25 Policy Team 40
1.35.30 NDCS (Norrathian Dramatic and Comedic Society) 40
1.40 Tools of the Trade (Commands) 41
1.40.0 All Levels 41
1.40.5 Senior Level 41
1.45 Answering Petitions - the Queue and Procedures 43
1.45.0 The Customer Service Interface and Tools 43
1.45.5 Other Requests for Assistance 45
1.45.10 General Queue Guidelines 46
1.45.15 Email Support for Customers 47
1.45.20 EverQuest Customer Service Contacts 48
1.50 Other Procedures 49
1.50.0 Chat Room for Swat Guides and Other Brave Souls 49
1.50.5 Who can I turn to with Problems? 50
1.50.10 Program ONLY Email addresses 51
1.55 Recognition Programs (Medals, Levels and Awards) 52
1.55.0 Service Medals 53
1.55.5 Avatar Levels Based on Time in Program 53
1.55.10 Achievement Awards 54
1.60 Common Abbreviations, Terms, and Names 56
2.0 Commands and Tools 58
2.5 Soulmarking 59
2.5.0 Soulmark Commands 59
2.5.5 Soulmark Display 60
2.5.10 Soulmark Procedures 60
2.5.15 Soulmark Technical Issues 61
2.5.20 General Soulmark Policy 61
2.5.20.0 PRAISE 61
2.5.20.5 WARN 61
2.5.20.10 Concurrent Use with Abuse Database 61
2.10 Customer Service Tools 62
2.15 Zones 65
2.15.0 Zone Listing 65
2.15.0.0 Towns 65
2.15.0.5 World Zones 66
2.15.0.10 Dungeons 67
2.15.5 No-Loitering Zones 69
2.15.5.0 Acceptable Guide Presence in No-Loitering Zones 69
2.15.5.5 Exploring and Adventuring 69
2.15.5.10 Reporting CS Actions Taken in No-Loitering Zones 69
2.15.5.15 Resurrections in No-Loitering Zones 69
2.15.5.20 NPC Interaction in No-Loitering Zones 70
2.15.5.25 Repopping a No-Loitering Zone 70
2.20 Responding to Questions 70
2.20.0 Account and Billing Problems 70
2.20.5 Questions about Becoming a Guide 70
2.20.10 Questions about Game Mechanics 70
2.20.15 Questions about Game Secrets 71
2.20.20 Minor Bug Reporting 71
2.20.25 Major Bug Reporting 71
2.20.30 Technical Problems 71
2.20.35 Known Problems 72
2.20.40 Undetermined technical problems 72
2.25 General Incident Procedures 73
2.25.0 Summoning characters 73
2.25.5 Corpse Recovery 73
2.25.10 Verifiable Bug Deaths 74
2.25.15 Verified Server Connectivity Issues and Zone Crashes 75
2.25.20 Stuck NPCs 75
2.25.20.0 Stuck NPC Procedure 76
2.25.20.5 /Kill Restraint 76
2.25.25 Under the World 77
2.25.25.0 Verification of Under the World 77
2.25.25.5 General Procedure for Player Characters Under the World 77
2.25.25.10 Procedure for Player Characters Under the World in Dangerous Areas 77
2.25.25.15 Under the World Corpse Recoveries 77
2.25.30 Reimbursal Requests 77
2.25.30.0 Reimbursement of Items or Experience 77
2.25.35 Guild Creation 78
2.25.40 Sleeping Players 78
2.25.45 Binding Death Loops 79
2.25.50 PvP Quests 80
2.25.55 Loot Anomalies 80
2.25.55.0 Examples of Loot Level Anomalies: 80
2.25.55.5 Loot Anomaly Procedures 80
2.30 Abuse Definition and Procedures 81
2.30.0 The /report command 81
2.30.5 Abuse 81
2.30.5.0 Things that are Abuse 81
2.30.5.5 Things that are not Abuse 82
2.30.5.10 Abuse Procedures 82
2.30.10 Reports of Fraud 83
2.30.15 Reports of Ninja-Looting 83
2.35 Disruption Definition and Procedures 83
2.35.0 Examples of Minor Disruption: 83
2.35.5 Examples of Major Disruption: 83
2.35.10 Disruption Procedures 84
2.35.15 Use of /summon in disruption incidents 84
2.40 Exploitation Definition and Procedures 85
2.40.0 Examples of Exploitation: 85
2.40.5 Things that are not Exploitation: 85
2.40.10 Warning Procedures for Exploitation 85
2.45 Threats of banishment. 86
2.50 Real Life Threats 86
2.55 Player Disputes 86
2.55.0 Contested Spawn Complaints 87
2.55.5 Kill Stealing 87
2.60 The Naming Policy 87
2.60.0 Naming Rules 87
2.60.5 First Names 88
2.60.10 Surname-specific Rules 88
2.60.15 Surname Change Procedure 89
2.60.15.0 Surnames that Violate Rules 1-2: 89
2.60.15.5 Surnames that Violate Rules 3-11:: 89
2.60.15.10 For Surnames Being Changed Due to a Customer's Request: 90
3.0 Quests 91
3.0.0 Quest Categories 91
3.0.5 Quest Administration 91
3.0.10 Quest Coordinators 91
3.0.15 Quest Scheduling 92
3.0.20 Quest Performance 93
3.0.25 The Quest Director 94
3.0.30 NPC's and /Kill Restraint During Quests 94
3.0.35 Use of /becomenpc 95
3.0.40 Quest Disclosure 96
3.0.45 Creation of a Quest 96
3.0.50 Impromptu Quests 97
3.0.55 Historical Quests 97
3.5 PERSISTENT CHARACTERS 97
3.5.0 Application Process 98
3.5.0.0 If the Guide or Senior Guide receives a recommendation: 98
3.5.0.5 If the Guide or Senior Guide does not receive a recommendation: 98
3.5.5 Persistent Character Behavior 99
3.10 EVENTS 100
3.10.0 Player Run Events 100
3.10.0.0 Player Weddings 101
3.10.5 Event Coordinators 101
3.10.10 Server Events 101
3.10.15 SOE Sponsored Events 102
3.10.15.0 Tournament Series Events 103
3.10.15.5 Test Series Events 103
3.10.15.10 Challenge Series Events 103
3.10.15.15 Competition Series Events 103
3.10.15.20 Arena Door 104
3.10.15.25 Running/Assisting SOE Events 104
3.10.15.30 SAMPLE BotB Event Guide 104
Scope
This document covers all of the policies for all members of EverQuest Customer Service (hereafter referred to as EverQuest CS) and the procedures for them to follow to enforce these policies. The term "Customer service" includes all interactions with customers/testers, and includes everything from first-level technical support to public relations. The goal is to support and enhance the playing experience for customers, and to provide an interface between the customers and Sony Online Entertainment (hereafter referred to as SOE). SOE Employees are not bound by the P&P in relation to customer interaction. Volunteer Guides, however, are bound by the P&P in all aspects. The customer service organization is the "face" that SOE presents to the customer. As such it is very important that all actions taken by customer service be ethical and professional and avoid even the appearance of favoritism or conflict of interest. These guidelines provide customer service personnel with a way to handle customer situations that will ensure consistent and professional behavior.
Mission Statement
"To support, educate, and direct the customers of EverQuest to create an enjoyable and immersive Role Playing experience."
Changes to the Document
This is a working document and will change to meet the needs of the program. Requests for changes to this document may be sent to
policies-verant@soe.sony.com. Normal, non-emergency change requests will be batched and handled as time allows, while change requests flagged as urgent will be processed as they arrive. Requests for all other changes will be discussed among the senior guides, and representatives of SOE. If the change is approved, the document will be modified and a new copy sent to all customer service personnel.
1.0 Guide Ethics - A Guide is Always Polite
Professionalism
The Customer Service team is expected to behave professionally at all times. This does not mean "stiffly and formally", but consistently, ethically, and with integrity. Being that we are in Norrath to enhance the game, there is a code of conduct that all members of the CS Team must follow whenever dealing with customers in any capacity.
Communications between the Customer Service team and Customers
Communications between the CS team and EverQuest customers should be handled in as professional and courteous manner as possible. This is not to say that we must be serious and short with the customers. On the contrary, we should attempt to role play our encounters with customers, portraying some personality and using humor where appropriate. We should at all times show good communications skills, speaking to the customer in correct English or a suitable role-play variant. Commonly used slang associated with hackers/cheaters/warez sites, etc. should not be used, as it is unprofessional. Foul language should never be used when speaking to customers.
Courteous. We are polite, always. No matter how angry the customer, no matter how bad the complaint, no matter how personal the insult, we are always polite.
Empathetic. We care, always. Even when we can not help, or when the customer is abusive, we always remember what it was like to be in the customer's position and understands how they feel.
Patient. Things go wrong, often. Things do not work out or fall apart, and take customers with them. No matter how wild the chaos, we are a rock that the customers depend upon in the storm.
Decisive. When a critical problem occurs that requires immediate action, that action must be rational, logical, and consistent with the program policies. A member of the CS team being able to keep their head, contacting the proper escalation points, and executing consistent damage control can keep a minor emergency from becoming a disaster.
Humble. We are not above the customers. We support them, and they are the reason the program exists. The hierarchy of Guides is a measurement of the trust earned from other Guides and SOE, not necessarily an indicator of experience, knowledge, or ability. The Senior Guides are there because they excel at the requirements listed here, not because they have been in the program the longest.
Consistent. The actions of any individual team member directly impacts the expectations on all of the others. Anyone who steps outside of the policy, no matter how "necessary" the violation, immediately causes other customers to ask why that exception was not granted to them in their own time of need. Policies exist for a reason, no matter how unfair they sometimes seem.
Committed. We are committed to the success of EverQuest. This is above personal gain within the game, making friends, and ego. Our commitment to our mission statement drives this.
Honest. The Guide program is where it is by earning the trust of SOE and its customers. Any betrayal of that trust hurts the other Guides, the customers, SOE, and EverQuest. Any short-term gain from being dishonest is FAR overshadowed by the long-term damage.
Creative. This is a role playing game. As such, most of the fun is mental and spontaneous. The more creative we are, the more fun everyone can have with each encounter and situation.
Tolerant. Customers do not come to us happy. They only petition when something has gone wrong, and they are often angry. It is not personal. We smile, listen, and fix it to the best of our ability, no matter how we are treated by the customer. We should not carry any negative feelings about a customer encounter-into the next customer encounter. The CS team on a server should develop a level of teamwork that will allow the team members to support each other, avoiding passing on our frustration to the customers.
1. 0.0 General Behavior
Set an example. It is imperative that all members of the CS team maintain an air of professionalism and integrity, both with customers and their fellow team members. When in the Guide persona, a Guide should always present his or her best face to the customer. A Guide's communication with other players and in game actions should always be exemplary. This means that Guides should never use "doodspeak" nor should they ever appear "drunk" in front of players. Personally, out of character, and "off the clock", they can behave how they wish as long as there is no connection between who they are and their Guide persona. But on duty, even in the /private channel, we speak of and to the customer with kind regard and consideration, even when telling them "No".
Tempers. No matter how frustrating the situation, no matter how angry the customer, no matter how personal the insults, members of the CS team should never lose their temper. Should we feel that we are losing our temper, we should escalate the petition immediately to a member of the Server Management Team if possible or another member of the CS team if a senior member is not available. This is not personal, and the other CS team members are here to help.
Ignoring customers. No matter how frustrating a customer can be, we never /ignore them. If we are having a difficult time with a customer, they should escalate it to another team member, if possible. If no one else is available, we must simply handle it as quickly and efficiently as possible, then disengage from the customer.
Guide and CSR "friends." The end goal of the Customer Service program is to have representatives spread across multiple servers to allow them to not have to play on the same servers as their friends. However, friends will go where they will, so the program must endeavor to avoid the stigma of favoritism.
We do not take a /petition from a friend unless there is no one else to take it. If no other team members are available we must take the /petition, doing only the minimum amount of work required to close the petition, even if it means leaving the problem only partially fixed. Better to be accused of giving poor service to friends than better-than-normal service to them.
We shall never request 'favors' of a customer, either for themselves or on behalf of another customer. In such cases where it is deemed that customer assistance is needed, the CSR or Senior Guide shall be the contacting person.
Controlling customer perception. No matter the intentions, no matter how pure the motives, no matter how well meaning the CS team member, the specter of favoritism can rear its ugly head if we are not diligent and consistent in our actions. All it takes is for the belief to be propagated to cause a problem, even if it is completely untrue. This must be avoided at all costs, as it not only damages the individual's reputation and that of the program, but undermines EQ overall.
We do not stay in zones where our friends are playing - the further away the better. We do not associate with friends while we are on duty, even if the friend is aware of our role in the Guide Program. Seeing us in the same zone with the same characters consistently, especially if it the identity of our alternate character becomes known, is simply asking to be accused of favoritism.
Under no circumstances whatsoever should any member of the CS team "help themselves", such as answering a /petition put in by their player character or that character's party or doing a CR on their player character or members of that character's party.
Twinking. We have the ability to explore dungeons and zones at our leisure (with the exception of CS Limited Zones). We do not adventure and do not give things to customers, no matter the circumstances. This includes giving items to our player characters. We are observers, not participants. Note: Valtron's Brew and Gnome Sandwiches that Guides can purchase in CSHome are the only items approved for handing out to customers.
1. 0.5 On Duty
Off Duty = Off Duty. When we are off duty, we are not a member of the CS team. Our player characters have no authority whatsoever, and are essentially another customer. Consequently while on our player character, we should never approach a customer in an official capacity, nor should we ever imply they have more power or authority than that of a normal customer. Likewise, our player characters should not call on other members of the CS team for any special considerations-the rules apply to all characters and there will be no favoritism within the Program. This means off duty CS team members do not identify themselves, in any way, shape or form, as such on their play server, particularly when requesting assistance via the petition system or direct tells to the CS team on the server. Off duty = normal customer.
CS team members that find their play characters embroiled in the middle of a questionable situation should extricate their selves from it as quickly and quietly as possible to avoid any potential issues arising from their presence. Members of the CS team that allow their player characters to initiate questionable situations will find themselves subject to discipline, as we are held to the highest standard of behavior, on or off duty.
No Hunting/Questing/Crafting/Shopping/Begging/etc. The CS Avatars are provided to make sure we have the resources we need to perform our duties. They are not toys nor are they for play. Consequently, unless it is explicitly covered by another procedure, Guides do not kill NPCs in any other manner but /kill. They do not use spells, pets, weapons, skills, their hands, or in any other way interact with a NPC in any manner that produces a corpse or an item. We do not fight players, no matter the circumstances, outside of scripted quests and may only fight other CS team members inside the Arena of the Sunset Home.
Note: This does not include Exploring. Guides need to know their way around, the lay out of the zones, and in general where things are. With the exception of the Apprentice restriction to higher level zones (see Section 1.30.15, 1.30.15.0 and 2.15). Guides can and should go everywhere possible and be comfortable navigating any zone in the game.
Guides do not have money, as everything they require will be provided to them. Any money a Guide possesses on his/her Guide Avatar must be destroyed. The Guide vendors in the Sunset Home will provide most approved items to Guides who have submitted a Guide Note to the Quartermaster. If a Guide feels he/she needs a tool or resource he/she does not posses, then he/she should contact his/her Senior and ask for it. If it's already been approved for use in the Guide Program, the Senior will provide it. If it's not, and the Guide can convince the Senior it's required, the Senior will submit the request to the Communications Team.
The Communications Team collects such requests and processes them with SOE and the Elder Guide to prevent every Guide in the Guide Program from asking every CSR they see for things they feel they need. This allows the Guide Program to work most efficiently with SOE. Unless there are special circumstances involved, when the Guide Program requests things from SOE, the Communications Team will batch these requests and schedule them.
Requests for names, items, levels will be given to the Senior Guides on the server, and then will be handled uniformly across the Guide Program, according to the procedures mentioned above or those outlined elsewhere in this document.
Hazing: One of the goals of the Guide Program is to foster a feeling of family amongst all the Guides on a server. To this end, there are some basic guidelines, which must be followed. One of the best ways to foster the family atmosphere is to give attention to the all the Guides on a server. There are good ways and bad ways to do this.
Unfortunately, some of the Guides and CSR's resort to one of the bad ways: hazing. Hazing is when one (or more) members of the CS team subjects another to abusive tricks and ridicule and this is strictly forbidden. This can include (but is not limited to): drowning, summoning into lava, summoning to a height and allowing the person to fall to their deaths, and summoning and attacking against their will. Note that this does not include SMT-approved server ceremonies (such as promotion) where all members go through a similar set of trials. Also, this does not include consensual combat in the Sunset Home arena when the queue conditions permit it.
While in most cases the person doing this has no ill will towards the victim, the victim can sometimes feel singled-out. This can be even worse when the perpetrator is a Senior or CSR, as now the victim feels that they have no one to turn to. The program has lost many good Guides of all levels due to hazing and it can ill-afford to do so. It is not in the best interests of the Guide Program to tolerate such behavior and, as such, any CS team member caught hazing can be subject to disciplinary action, up to removal from the program.
1.0.10 On Server Interaction
Players are to be addressed via /say and /tell. CS Representatives may use /shout and /ooc to address a zone when pertaining to official duties as directed by your SMT or SOE Management but we do not answer questions by utilizing /shout or /ooc. The more populated zones are currently overrun with this chatter, and we will not contribute to it. CS Representatives will ask the player to use a more appropriate method for communicating with them.
To avoid the illusion of favoritism, joining chat channels with players or inviting players into chat channels is not permitted. CS Representatives are allowed to use chat channels to communicate with other CS Representatives as long as the chat channel is password protected to prevent player entry. Exceptions: CS Representatives are allowed to invite players into single purpose chat channels created for the officiating of player weddings (See Section 3.10.0.0) and when specifically allowed in a quest script, in an approved event, or as directed by SOE Management.
To avoid potential CS Personnel Abuse as well as the the illusion of favoritism, grouping with players is not permitted. CS Representatives are required to communicate with players only via the approved channels listed in paragraph 1. Exceptions: Grouping is allowed when specifically allowed in a quest script.
In-game Character Services. We are not in Norrath to interfere with the economy in any way. That means we do not provide services that can be provided by other customers. These services include, but are not limited to: Binding, Curing, Healing, Enchanting, Tailoring, Smithing, or Scribing. Any service that can be provided by a customer should be, even if that customer is charging a fee for that service.
In-game Character Protection. No matter what degree of danger customers may find themselves in, members of the CS team are not to intervene. We watch, but do not act. Should players come to us for aid, we should immediately remove ourselves from the situation. This means "question and answer sessions" should be formed in safe areas such as around guards, not in public adventure zones.
This includes PvP combat in all its myriad forms. If a customer we are speaking with is suddenly attacked by another customer, we must not intervene, no matter the situation. If the attacker is utilizing an exploit or abuse in the attack, then use the Exploitation or Abuse Incident procedures documented in the P&P Petitions document. The best solution, for both the player and the CS team member, is to only do "question and answer sessions" in a guarded area.
Pseudo-Nepotism. Some guilds have branches on multiple servers. It is also possible that real life friends have player characters on the CS team member's Guide server. We should, at all costs, avoid any interaction with guildmates or real life friends while on duty. This includes, but is not limited to:
· Answering /petitions from guildmates or real life friends
· Escalating issues to guildmates that are also part of the Customer Service program.
· Referencing or speaking of the guild or guild references while on duty.
· Having the guild advertise that a CS Representative is a member.
Essentially, if our player character is a member of a guild, we should have nothing to do with anyone anywhere, while we are on duty that is also a member of that guild, even if that person is also in the program. This prevents the perception that, because a guild has a member of the Guide Program within it, members of that guild gets preferential treatment.
No d3wDzP3aK (Doodspeak). As Guides, we communicate with the customers 100% via the written word. As such, it is very important that we deliver our responses in a professional and literate fashion. There is no quicker way to offend or "put off" a customer than communicating in a manner that sounds ignorant or overly informal. Few people will complain or notice if our communications are concise, clean, and professional, but MANY will notice should they be sloppy, erroneous, and illiterate. Consequently, Guides will not use the style of communication generally referred to as Doodspeak. This includes, but is not limited to, words such as:
· ‘u' instead of you
· 'ur' instead of you're/your
· 'sup' as a greeting
Role-playing. Communicating in a "role playing" manner is acceptable, as long as it's consistent with EverQuest's genre, so "thee" and "thou" are allowed. However you choose to communicate, remember the primary goal is to communicate effectively. Once you're doing that, the role playing can be added for color.
1.5 Interacting with Other CS Reps
1.5.0 Website
Communications Among the Customer Support Team
The official method of communication for the customer support team is the EverQuest Guide web site, located at
https://guide.everquest.com. Email communications may also be used less formally, or for communications between subsets of the program (all CS team members on one server, all Senior CS team members, all new team members, etc.)
The EverQuest Guide website consists of several message areas. Personal play issues should not be addressed on any of these boards; however, general play issues and game mechanics may be addressed on the Laboratory.
Those who post to these areas should be mindful of the others reading them; there must be:
· No ranting
· No non-constructive criticism or personal attacks
· No profanity
· No grandstanding
Additionally, those posting links to other web sites should make sure that the material contained in the referenced web site does not violate any of the rules listed above. If the material would not be appropriate for posting directly on the boards, then it should not be linked to, either.
The following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team:
1.5.5 Server Boards
Each server has its own message section, divided into several different boards for commentary and issues pertaining to that server. Members of the Guide Program that are not members of SWAT can only see the boards for their own server; SWAT Guides, Seniors, and above can see all servers. All Guides should post a report here for each shift they work (see Section1.25.20).
The following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team:
· News. This is where the Customer Service Management and major CS Teams will post important announcements. All Guides should check this area on a regular basis.
· CSR/Swat Help. Place all requests for the System Wide Assistance Team (SWAT) and for emergency CSR assistance on this message board. Permitted postings are detailed in the Moderator's Message in the CSR/SWAT Help Forum
· The Common Hall. This is an open area for Guides to discuss any topics of interest. Newly discovered bugs and player issues are usually posted here.
· The Arena. This area is used for the discussion of quests and server events.
· Laboratory. This area is for discussing game mechanics, game balance, and technical problems.
· The Rumpus Room. This area is for Guide humor and general fooling around.
· The Library. This area is for role playing and stories.
· Technical Support. This area is for discussing technical issues and problems with other, technically-minded Guides.
· EQGSR Forum. This area is for discussing issues regarding the EverQuest Guide Shift Reporter program. This area is not for posting shift reports generated with this program.
The following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team with the rank of Guide or higher:
· Backstage. This area is for discussing dynamic quests, from design through post-quest reports.
The following message boards are visible to all members of the CS team with the rank of Senior Guide or higher.
· The Senate. This is an area set aside for the Server Management Teams to discuss and provide a focal point for issues that need to be directed to Customer Service Management.
· Board Forum. This area is for discussing issues with the design and operation of the Guide web site itself
Additionally, members of specific groups or teams (Quest Coordinators, or members of the Communications Team, for example) will be able to view and post on forums dedicated to those teams.
The EverQuest Guide web site also contains tools for scheduling Guide shifts and dynamic quests, submitting quest ideas, and filing abuse reports.
In addition, the Guides on a particular server may hold meetings on a regular basis to provide a forum for handling pressing issues and airing concerns. These meetings will either occur on an IRC server in a channel designated by the meeting chairperson, on the game server, or in a private EverQuest chatroom. IRC meetings should be set to +private to prevent unwanted eavesdroppers in the proceedings. Meeting announcements will be placed within the appropriate message area.
Insider information, which includes but is not limited to, information disseminated and subjects discussed on the EverQuest Guide web site, CS Program e-mail, and private CS Program meetings, is NOT to be relayed to the general player population. Disclosing this information to unauthorized parties can result in dismissal from the Program and banning from EverQuest.
1.5.10 Server Guilds
In game communication among the Customer Service team is provided via the /private channel. To augment that, a Guild may be created for all members of the CS team of a rank of Guide+ on the server.
The name of the Guild must be chosen by the SMT. It must be professional in nature and be fitting for both our role and the game environment.
Leadership of the Guild should be shared by all members of the SMT. Guild officers may be chosen by the SMT from the ranks of Guide+ on the server as the SMT deems necessary.
Apprentice Guides may not be a part of any guild using their Apprentice Guide Avatar. Being a part of a CS Guild is an earned privilege of becoming a Guide.
No member of the Guide Program can be a part of a player guild with his/her Guide Avatar at any time. At no time must a player be permitted to join a CS Guild.
1.10 Coming, Going, and Transferring
1.10.0 Choosing your name
New Apprentice Guides must choose a first name they have not used previously either as an EverQuest character or in any public association with EverQuest. The first name must conform to the Naming Policy (ref. The EverQuest Naming Policy)
Having a surname is a privilege reserved for those who have attained the level of Guide. Apprentice Guides are not permitted to use the /surname command to set their surname, nor are servers permitted to assign any surname to an Apprentice (including "the Apprentice").
Guide+ and CSR's are bound by the following rules when choosing a surname. Guides may assume surnames of their choice upon approval of the SMT. These surnames might depict the role they have chosen for their guide character and may:
· Contain the word 'the' or similar connector (such as 'of' or 'D` ')
· Be more than one word (such as Kindred Spirit)
· Contain titles within the surname (such as Dragonlord)
· Contain double capitals (such as NightStalker)
Utilize any combination of the above four bullets
It should be stressed, however, that the gist of the names should still be high-fantasy oriented, professional in appearance, and must not otherwise violate the Naming Policy (ref. The EverQuest Naming Policy).
If any members of the CS team have an issue with the name or surname of another CS team member, normal escalation procedures should be followed for reporting. The final arbiter of names (for Apprentice+) and surnames (for Guide+) are the Elder Guides. The final arbiter of names and surnames for CSR's is the Head CSR.
1.10.5 New Apprentice
Getting Equipped
Once a Guide is accepted into the Guide Program as an Apprentice, they must be outfitted for their duties. When they are promoted to full Guide, further outfitting is required. If a Guide should lose their tools, usually due to a corpse loss, they need a way to re-acquire their tools.
The procedure for a new Apprentice is as follows:
· The Apprentice attends the training meeting in IRC, as arranged by the SMT of the assigned server.
· He/she then goes to the server assigned to them by the Guide Liaison/Guide Coordinator at the time indicated in the buffing schedule received from the SMT of their assigned server.
· They do a /who all GM, locate a member of the Server Management Team or their trainer and send them a /tell, indicating they are present to be buffed and trained.
· The Apprentice is summoned to Sunset Home (Cshome).
· A CSR will turn on their Guide flag, buff him/her to 20th level, and give him/her a Staff of Guidance.
.
1.10.10 Promotion to Guide
When an Apprentice is promoted to full Guide, their powers are generally given to them before their tools or trappings. The process is as follows:
· A member of the SMT will make arrangements for a CSR to be online for buffing
· A CSR arrives on the server, buffs the Apprentice to 50th level, and gives him/her a Guide Note.
· The new Guide takes the Guide note and gives it to the Quartermaster. The Quartermaster explains to the Guide that he is there to serve them, providing them the tools they need to do their job.
· The Guide right clicks on the Quartermaster, buys the items available to them, and equips them
.
In addition, he/she needs to obtain at least one item for each item slot from the vast assortment of armor available at the Guide Vendors in Sunset Home (Cshome). Without a full set of gear, some of the Guides tool/abilities might not be available.
The NPCs in Sunset Home (Cshome) only respond to the appropriate level of Guide, and only when they have given the Quartermaster their note. Once they are trading with the NPC, the Guide is free to return and obtain their tools at any time. This is particularly important when the tools are lost due to corpse loss or other such anomalies.
Apprentices, Guides, and Senior Guides may not make use of any spells or equipment from normal vendors or the CSR vendors, and may not accept gifts of such items from players.
Due to the special abilities of some of the races and classes, members of the CS team may find themselves able to speak with Sunset Home (Cshome) vendors they might not otherwise be able to. These vendors are meant to only be accessed by Avatars of a specific level. Any team member that attempts to view and/or purchase from a vendor not normally accessible to him or her without permission from a CSR+ will be subject to disciplinary action.
A new Guide will be assigned a separate Guide account shortly after being promoted. This account will be used for guiding and is where the new Guide's Avatar and tools will reside. Play characters are not to be created on this account. The only characters allowed to reside upon the Guide account other than a Guide's Avatar are characters specifically created and copied to the account by a CSR+ for SOE approved quests and events, or a character specifically created for the purpose of contacting a CSR of another server in the case of emergencies that arise when guiding.
While on this account, a Guide's name will show up in blue when logged into EverQuest Chat. As soon as the Guide account is assigned, the new Guide must change his/her chat name on the Guide account so it is identical, or as close as possible to, the name of his/her Guide Avatar. The chat name may include server, rank, or team affiliations, but the name of the Guide Avatar must be included. Names may NOT include notations that would make it seem that the Guide is in "alliance" with player Guilds or other players in the Chat room. Further, as RED is the designated color for a CSR, no Guide may change their name or text color in Chat to anything that would be considered "red" or commonly mistaken for "red".
Additionally, the new Guide will no longer have to pay to use his/her play account as long as he/she is active in the Guide Program, providing the play account is non-Legends. To ensure the account has been flagged as free, a new Guide must log into EverQuest Chat on the play account and type the #priv command. If the response returned states "Privilege level is FREE USER", then the new Guide may cancel his/her play account to stop billing. Should the account not be flagged as free after promotion, a Guide should contact his/her SMT to inform them of the problem. Note: This only applies to one non-legends play account: the one used by the Guide to sign up for the Guide Program. If the Guide's play account is on a Legends server, the account will not become free nor will it have a reduced rate.
As SOE provides a free play account to Guides in the Guide Program as a courtesy, refunds will not be issued to Guides for any charges incurred on their play accounts.
1.10.15 Revealing your Guide Persona
All customers should be treated alike, regardless of whether they happen to also be Guides. The following rules are designed to avoid as much as possible the chance of guides showing favoritism to one another or using their Guide status to get favorable treatment from other customers.
Guides are prohibited from having a play character on the server to which they are assigned to Guide. SWAT members and other Guide Program participants who are SWAT flagged are the only exception to this, since SWAT flagged Guides+ sometimes have to respond to an immediate need or other request on a server where they have one or more play characters.
When you are logged in as a Guide, do not tell anyone (players or other guides) who your non-Guide characters are.
When you are logged in as your player characters, do not tell anyone (players or other guides) that you are a Guide or who your EverQuest CS Avatar characters are.
The only exception to the above is if a CSR specifically asks you if you are a member of the Guide Program (since he/she could look it up anyway).
Out in the real world, you can identify yourself with any of your characters. However, any time you identify yourself as a Guide, you are bound by the same rules as if you were Guiding in game. You should present yourself courteously and professionally. Remember also that confidential information (such as bug, exploit, or quest details) should never be revealed or discussed outside the Guide Program (ref section 1.25.15 [CS Team Members Posting to Public Boards] and 1.25.10 [Questions regarding other CS representatives]).
1.15 Absences
1.15.0 Guide Absences and Returns to the Program
All periods of absence from the Guide Program will be tracked in each person's record on the Guide website. Entries will be made for Apprentice Guides and Guides by the server's Senior Guides; entries for Senior Guides will be made by an Elder Guide or his/her designee.
Apprentice Guides should at least make an attempt to guide 5 days a week and do their best to put in 6 hours or more on their server. As it requires time to learn how to become a Guide, an Apprentice Guide who has not put in at least 6 hours in a two week period is considered to be inactive and will be removed from the Guide Program. He/she will need to contact
personnel-verant@soe.sony.com to re-join the Guide Program.
Guides are required to schedule their shifts. 6 hours per week is recommended. Should a Guide need to miss a scheduled shift, the Guide needs to relay a message to his/her Senior(s) stating the reason for the absence.
Some reasons a Guide will lose his/her access to the tools and avatar provided by SOE and the Guide Program:
· If a Guide is absent more than two weeks with no communication with his SMT and does not respond to inquiry emails from his SMT, his/her access will be removed and he/she will be marked inactive.
· If a Guide is absent for more than 3 weeks, regardless of the reason, the Guide will be marked inactive.
Note: When a Guide loses access to the tools and avatar provided, this includes the free status on his/her play account.
1.15.5 Returns After An Absence
Prior to requesting reinstatement, any former Apprentice Guide, Guide, or Senior Guide must have either:
· The same active EverQuest account that was in use when he/she was originally in the Guide Program.
or
· An active EverQuest account containing registration information identical to that of the original account used to sign up for the Guide Program.
No allowances for restoring characters lost on a play account, levels, items, and so on will be made.
1.15.5.0 Returns From Absences With a Definite Date of Return
If an Apprentice Guide or Guide needs to be inactive for more than three weeks but less than 3 months and has a definite date of return, the return may be handled through the server's Senior Guides rather than the Personnel Team.
The following procedure will then be used:
· The server's Senior Guides will add a note to the Apprentice Guide's or Guide's record on the Guide website stating that the absence is occurring, the reason for the absence, and the date that the Apprentice Guide or Guide plans to return.
· The server's Senior Guides will set the Apprentice Guide or Guide to inactive status.
· When the Apprentice Guide or Guide returns, he/she will need to contact a member of his/her server's Senior Guides to return to active status. The server's Senior Guides may reactivate him/her with an action on the PR report.
· If the Apprentice Guide or Guide does not make contact with his/her server's Senior Guides by his/her stated return date, or if there is no note in the person's record, then the reinstatement must go through normal channels via the Personnel Team as described in the next section (1.15.5.5).
1.15.5.5 Returns From Absences Without a Definite Date of Return
Apprentice Guides or Guides who went on inactive status without a definite return date, those scheduled to be absent for more than 3 months, and those that failed to return prior to their return date, and returning Senior Guides must follow this procedure:
A request for reinstatement should be sent to the Personnel Team at
personnel-verant@soe.sony.com.
The Apprentice Guide, Guide or Senior Guide seeking reinstatement should send an email with the subject of "Returning [Apprentice Guide/Guide/Senior Guide] - Guide Name - Server Name."
This email should contain all of the following information:
· Your Guide Name
· Your server name
· A brief explanation of why you resigned (or were removed) and why you wish to rejoin.
The Personnel Team will check records (resignation email and the person's record on the Guide website) and speak with the server's current Senior Guides about the former Apprentice Guide's or Guide's return request. SOE will also check the status of his/her play accounts to verify continued eligibility for the program. The Personnel Team will reach a decision based upon the information gathered and will notify the requestor and the server's Senior Guides of the decision. If approved for return, the SMT may choose to have an Apprentice return at one level lower and attend IRC training for a refresher. The SMT may also request that a returning Guide be returned as an Apprentice in order to become acquainted with changes that may have occurred during the absence, with the request for temporary demotion of a returning Guide to be reviewed and approved by the Personnel Team Chair.
If the person requesting reinstatement is a former Senior Guide or if there are questionable notes in the person's record, an Elder Guide must additionally approve this person's return. The Elder guide may require the former Senior to return to the program at a lower level and/or to another server.
No person requesting a return to the Guide Program after an absence can be guaranteed reinstatement to the same server from which they left, except under section 1.15.5.0 above. The Personnel Team will try to accommodate a return to the same server, but the needs of the Guide Program may mandate that he/she be reinstated to a different server.
1.15.5.10 Returns From an Absence of 6 Months or More
If the returning Apprentice Guide, Guide or Senior Guide has been absent for 6 months or more, the person, if approved, will return to the Guide Program one rank lower.
· Candidates who passed the Guide Application over six months ago who now request entrance to the Guide Program will have to resubmit the Guide Application (1.45.20).
· Returning Apprentice Guides will have to attend IRC Training and start over.
· Returning Guides will return as an Apprentice Guide, but will not have to attend IRC Training again. Instead, they will be reviewed by their server's Senior Guides and returned to Guide status based on their knowledge of the P&P and their performance on the server.
· Returning Senior Guides will return as a Guide. After one month, they may request a review for reinstatement to Senior Guide by emailing the Personnel Team at
personnel-verant@soe.sony.com. The decision to reinstate the person to the rank of Senior Guide will be made by an Elder Guide with input from the server's current Senior Guides.
1.15.10 Involuntary Releases
The Guide Program has constant exposure to the EverQuest customer base and our actions are under constant scrutiny. We must exhibit the highest standards of behavior and avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
Reports on the performance of the Guide Program participants are expected to come from many sources, not all of which are reliable. It is to be expected that some unhappy customers will file reports simply for not giving them what they want. Conversely, it is expected that some people who are not good candidates for the program will join the team.
Any Guide Program member who cannot follow the policies and procedures, or who are found to not be a "good fit" for the program will be released from the Everquest Guide program. It is much preferred that we keep our own house clean than allowing the customer to do this for us.
All members of the Guide Program are responsible for actions not only on their Guide account, but also on their play account(s). Any member of the Guide Program who commits a serious violation of the P&P or EverQuest Users Agreement and Software License on any account can be subject to dismissal from the Guide program. Additionally, disciplinary action may be taken against the play account(s) of the dismissed. This disciplinary action can take the form of suspension or banning, but only the most severe of infractions will result in banning of the play account(s). Examples of serious violations include, but are not limited to: divulging Historic Quest information; posting all or part of the P&P on any public site; extreme abusiveness towards a customer, another member of the Guide Program, or an SOE employee; creation of a character with a name which violates rule 1 or 2 of the Naming Policy; and attempting to defraud a Guide or a CSR
1.15.15 Guide Program Personnel Procedures
Members of the Guide Program deserve at least as much consideration as an average player when an incident report is filed against them. All such reports are handled privately involving only the reporting party and the party that is investigating the complaint. The following procedures are used to ensure a fair review.
A report of misconduct may occur in a public forum or as part of a private conversation with a customer. Reports may also be generated directly by Guide Program members or by SOE employees. These reports will not be posted to the message boards or disseminated to anyone other than the appropriate escalation point.
The person who receives the report should try to ensure that basic information is included. (Char name of the Guide Program member involved, server, date and time, and incident details) This information should then be forwarded privately to the appropriate escalation point:
· Complaints about a Guide or Apprentice should be taken to that Guide or Apprentice's Senior, who will evaluate the issue with Elder Guides.
· Complaints about a Senior Guide should be taken to Elder Guides, who will then coordinate efforts with the Guide Liaison.
· Complaints about Elder Guides should be taken directly to the Guide Liaison. The Guide Liaison will coordinate any action with the Head CSR.
· Complaints about CSR's should be taken to a Senior on the server, who will then take it to the Guide Liaison for coordination with SOE Management.
The investigator will look into the incident as thoroughly as possible, involving the subject of the report in their investigation. In the case of reports against Guides or Apprentices, the Senior Guide will then inform the Elder Guides with the results of their investigation. The Elder Guides will take whatever actions are appropriate, whether this involves counseling the Guide or removing the Guide from the program.
In cases where the program releases a team member, either the Seniors or Elders will notify SOE, copying the investigator. SOE will then have the character removed. After the character is removed, the individual's SMT will inform them of their removal from the program. It is imperative that the released member not be communicated with prior to the removal, as they represent a threat to the program. It is also important that they be communicated with as soon after their removal as possible, and as discretely as possible, to ensure a clean removal with as few hard feelings as possible. SOE will be notified of routine (e.g. resignations, MIA) releases via the weekly Personnel Reports.
To reiterate, once SOE has removed the team member, it is the responsibility of that member's immediate superior (The Senior for dismissed Apprentices and Guides, the Elders for dismissed Seniors) to locate the person and communicate their change in status as quickly and professionally as possible to reduce the shock and potential hard feelings.
1.15.20 Appealing an Involuntary Release
Sometimes circumstances arise that require the removal of a guide from the program. Should it be felt that this removal is unjust and unwarranted, the following procedures should be followed to make an appeal:
An email with the subject of "Appeal of Involuntary Release - GuideName" should be emailed to the Personnel Team. This email should contain all of the following information:
· Your Guide Name
· Your Station Name
· A brief explanation of the event(s) which led to the removal. Only the facts should be concentrated on this should include dates (if possible) and names.
· An explanation why it is felt this is an unjust removal. (Phrases like "a guide friend told me" or "a senior friend told me" are unacceptable.)
The Personnel Team Chair(s) will check records (removal emails and the Guide database entries) and discuss the appeal from the removed Guide with the SMT. They will also gather any further information about the events that led to the removal, if any exists. All information gathered will then be forwarded to the Elder Guides and the Guide Liaison for review.
An Elder and the Guide Liaison will reach a decision based on the facts presented and inform both the removed and server management teams of their decision.
1.20 Transfers
Situations may arise where Candidates, Apprentices, Guides, or Senior Guides transfer to another server. Examples can include but are not limited to: new servers opening, an established server being under-teamed, or a personal request. These transfers can be either voluntary or involuntary, based on the needs of the Guide Program as determined by the Guide Liaison and the Elder Guides.
1.20.0 Candidate Transfer Requests
Candidate transfers sometimes are required because the Candidate plays on the server where he/she is first assigned or does not want to guide on a PvP server. If the Candidate needs to be transferred for these reasons, his/her Senior should post a message on the Senate board announcing the Candidate's availability. After a response from another interested server's SMT is obtained, both servers will process the Personnel Report actions necessary to allow the transfer to occur. The SMT losing the Candidate must make a notation in the Candidate's database record on the Guide website regarding the transfer, which can include information such as the date, reason, and the server to which he/she was transferred.
If the Candidate desires a transfer for another reason (an example could be a desire to guide with a friend), these requests should be sent to the Personnel Team. These will be forwarded to the Elder Guides and Guide Liaison for review and evaluated on a case by case basis. If approved, both servers will process the Personnel Report actions necessary, with the SMT losing the Candidate making the appropriate notations in the Candidate's database record on the Guide website as described above.
1.20.5 Apprentice and Guide Transfer Requests
Apprentice and Guide transfers sometimes occur as a result of a call for volunteers, such as when a new server is being brought up, or as a result of a personal request.
When a situation arises where volunteers for a new server are sought, a post will be made to the News board on the Guide website by the Elder Guides, Guide Liaison, or the Personnel Team requesting volunteers or to the Senate board asking Seniors to request volunteers from their respective servers. Apprentices, Guides and Senior Guides volunteering for transfers should email the Personnel Team and also inform their SMT of their desire to transfer.
Apprentices or Guides who desire a transfer to a specific server for any other reason should contact their SMT. The SMT will then contact the SMT from the server the Apprentice or Guide requested.
If the Apprentice or Guide desires a transfer but does not have a specific server in mind, his/her Senior should email the Personnel Team. The Apprentice or Guide may also send the email but must cc: his/her SMT on all correspondence relating to the request.
The email should have the subject of: "TRANSFER REQUEST - Guide Name" and contain the following information:
· Guide Name:
· Current Server Guiding On:
· Reason for Requesting Transfer:
The Personnel Team will look for a suitable server or a choice of servers, if possible, for the Apprentice or Guide. Once a selection has been made, the Apprentice or Guide's Senior will notify the chosen server's SMT about the transfer request.
Once notified of the situation, both SMT's must agree on the transfer. It is the responsibility of SMT members from both servers to disclose and consider the following before agreeing to a transfer request:
· The gaining SMT should be informed of any on-going or recent attendance, DSR posting, attitude problems, or other issues regarding the Apprentice or Guide's performance as a member of his/her current server team.
· Apprentices and Guides should be encouraged to solve problems on their own or with mediation from SMT members when possible. If there are conflicts within the team, the Apprentice or Guide is encouraged to contact the Personnel Team or the Elder Guides for mediation before a transfer is decided upon.
· If a member of either SMT involved in the transfer has reservations, he/she is encouraged to communicate them with the other involved SMT or the Personnel Team.
After both SMT's agree upon the transfer, each server will process the Personnel Report actions necessary for the transfer to occur. The SMT losing the Apprentice or Guide will then make the appropriate notations in his/her database record to verify that the transfer is mutually agreed upon and will send an email to the Personnel Team. If the note verifying the agreement is not made in the database record, the transfer will not be processed.
Every effort will be made to accommodate Apprentices or Guides requesting specific servers, though as the best interests of the entire program must be served, there is no guarantee. Should any concerns be raised throughout the process, by a member of either SMT, the Personnel Team, or SOE, the transfer request will be forwarded to the Elder Guides and Guide Liaison for further review. In these cases, the transferring Apprentice or Guide will then be informed by his/her Senior regarding approval or disapproval of the transfer.
1.20.10 Senior Transfer Requests
Any Senior Guide desiring a transfer outside of the reason mentioned here should send an email detailing the request to the Personnel Team. In the event of any Senior transfer situation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the Guide Liaison and the Elder Guides will have final approval, through the Personnel Team.
1.25 Program Obligations
1.25.0 Account Security
Account Sharing Members of the Guide Program are prohibited from sharing their Guide account with others, including other members of the Guide Program. NOTE: During your Apprenticeship, your play account is considered your Guide account.
Members of the Guide program are also bound by the EULA in regards to account sharing.
Passwords As all CS accounts are privileged, it is strongly recommended that you change your password periodically; at least every 90 days, and keeping the "strong" password model in mind when creating them. Do not share your password with ANYONE.
Passwords are considered strong if they fit the following criteria:
· Minimum of six characters in length, eight characters recommended
· Alpha-numeric
· Contains at least one special character (e.g. @#$?%^&*)
· Varying case (if the system is case-sensitive)
Compromised Accounts If for any reason you believe your CS account has been accessed by anyone other than yourself, do the following steps immediately:
1. Change your password.
2. Notify the appropriate authorities:
a. Apprentice Guides and Guides must notify at least one of their Senior Guides, then send an email message to the Guide Coordinator with a copy to their entire SMT, the Guide Liaison, and Elder Guide(s).
b. Senior Guides must send an email message to the Guide Coordinator with a copy to the Guide Liaison and Elder Guide(s).
· In addition to the above, members of SWAT must notify the SWAT Team Chair.
1. 25.5 Information Dissemination
Rules and Regulations
Questions regarding material available in the manual/.TXT file. The EverQuest Manual and EQNews.TXT file contain a great deal of information. CS Personnel should encourage people to read it by not answering questions that are answered in these documents. Should a significant number of questions be generated about something that is not in the documentation, effort should be made to have the files updated with the additional information.
1.25.10 Communications between Sony Online Entertainment and Customers
The official communication channels between SOE and EverQuest customers are the EverQuest web site at
http://www.everquest.com, and the eqnews.txt file which is resident on every customer's PC in the EQ directory and is also accessible by pressing the News button on the Server Select Screen or below the EverQuest chat screen. Additions to the eqnews.txt file may also be seen on the patch screen. Customers should be told to check these sources on a regular basis for any information that the SOE team wishes to communicate to the entire user base.
Questions about game specific information. In their travels, CS Personnel learn a lot of details and gain insight about Norrath. They see spells and items that will only be accessible through the most difficult quests in the game. They see the bottoms of dungeons and the loot of monsters that may not be generally accessible yet in the game. And they tell NO ONE. This information is part of the mystery of the game. We do not divulge information of this nature to any player for any reason anywhere. If the customer wishes to know, they can go find out on their own. Divulging this information to anyone other than a Guide or SOE employee is a violation of policy and one of the more serious offenses a CS member can commit.
Questions regarding other CS representatives. CS representatives are not always on duty. When they are off duty, they should continue to play as much as possible on servers where they are not representing the program to ensure that they don’t lose contact with the player’s perspective of the game. At no time does any CS representative. reveal the identity of one of these player characters to anyone outside the program. Additionally, a CS representative will not identify his player character(s) on any message board in which he speaks in an official capacity. This protects the CS Representative in question from many things (accusations of favoritism, excessive /tells from people that know they are a CS representative, etc) as well as allows us to travel the zones with impunity to investigate exploit reports or evaluate potential CS Representative candidates. The primary reason for this regulation is to allow us some peace and quiet to enjoy the game when they are not on duty. (ref section 1.25.15 Posting to Public Boards)
1.25.15 Posting to Public Boards
Members of the Customer Service Team Posting to Public Boards
As members of the CS team travel about outside the game, they can frequent news groups, bulletin boards, and other messaging media where customers congregate and discuss the game. Members of the CS team are free to post to these boards as they wish with a few restrictions: (ref section 1.10.15 [Revealing Your Guide Identity] and 1.25.10 [Questions regarding other CS representatives]).
· They may not indicate they are members of the Guide Program.
· They may not answer questions specific to CS policy.
· They must adhere to the Policies and Procedures of the Guides when discussing in-game material.
In short, we do not speak of things out of game that they can not speak of in-game. we maintain the mystery always.
Members of the CS team are prohibited from posting information, stories, background, announcements, or anything else related to a Quest. (ref section 1.10.15 [Revealing Your Guide Identity] and 1.25.10 [Questions regarding other CS representatives]).
1.25.20 DSR's
The Daily Shift Report
All members of the Guide Program will post a DSR (Daily Shift Report) covering highlights of their shift (including quests) and any other duties performed for the Guide Program (quest administration, Coordinator duties, etc.). In the DSR, there should be a section dedicated to that evening's incidents, including such things as Abuse and Exploitation (detailed below). Each entry should contain all pertinent information to the incident, particularly the character names and PID's of the customers involved. Once completed, the DSR should be posted on the Guide's home server message board in the appropriate area outlined for these reports.
The EverQuest Guide web site is located at
https://guide.everquest.com.
1.25.25 WSR's
The Weekly Server Report
Every week, a Senior