Blocking / Reporting Vs Letting it go

Hello Everyone

(@Fristo thank you for your help in creating this post)

­­­I feel, somehow blocking & reporting option is used very generously by lot of members as well as listeners.

I am of the opinion that we can use it very conservatively only when there is absolutely no other option but to block or report. I will try to share my perspective & will like to hear from you all what you think on this

· I feel getting blocked or receiving coaching emails (standard template emails, where listeners don’t even get to know what exactly written against them) are very discouraging for all listeners. Specially for volunteer only place, when someone is devoting their time with the intention of helping someone, getting blocked or receiving standard coaching emails can work negatively & I know lot of listeners being moved out of 7cups because of this.

· Some of the reasons why member choose to report or write negative reviews, they gave advice, they took time to reply, they didn’t show empathy, I felt like talking to bot, they were asking too many questions, they asked my age or sex etc. I feel for such reason, moving out of the chat by expressing your concern directly & politely with listener can help listeners to understand your concern better & they will definitely consider working on that. Also, we cannot connect well with all listeners, but that listener can be a good connection for lot of other members. I feel negative reviews or reporting can be used conservatively for only some unavoidable instances like abuse, or stalking etc. I feel if we all can follow that it will significantly increase the happiness index of our 7cup community.

· Some of the reasons for which listeners choose reporting option like member was rude (I think we can definitely try to calm them down; I know it’s not justified but we can consider giving them chances of improvement), they asked me personal information or they shared their personal information. I feel we can try our best not to report someone till the time it’s absolutely necessary like when we have tried explaining them, we have tried ending chat option. I feel some times just discouraging someone by not answering them can work better than reporting them, as reporting is taken very offensively & then someone can try to take revenge (though it’s not justified).

· I feel, at times there is sort of competition between listener & member about who clicks block option first, because they fear that if they don’t do it other person will do & they will get in trouble. So, I feel both listeners & members can be very conservative in choosing blocking & reporting as option & we can just let it go. If at all we are unhappy about something, we can directly let the other person know in the chat & we can end the chat or stop replying that itself will give a strong message to the other person.

I know even guidelines say we should choose blocking or reporting as last resort but I feel we all can take it more seriously & it will definitely increase happiness index of our community.