Response Time

How prompt and attentive are you with the member? 

We want our members to feel listened to and cared for. One important way to do this is by being timely with our responses. 

Awful:

Member: I'm feeling kind of down today (1:00pm) 

Listener: Sorry to hear, what's got you down? (1:04pm) 

A 4-minute response time is a lot to wait for, especially right after the member shares an important feeling. Moreover, the listener's response was simple and standard, so should not take so long before sending to the member. 

Mediocre:

Member: I'm feeling kind of down today (1:00pm) 

Listener: I'm sorry to hear that, what is making you feel that way right now? (1:02pm) 

A 2-minute response time is okay, but not great, if the response is simple and standard. We can improve it perhaps by breaking it up into multiple smaller responses, so that the member knows you are following along, or we can add some shorter statements or even emoticons, in addition. 

Good:

Member: I'm feeling kind of down today (1:00pm) 

Listener: I'm sorry to hear that :( (1:01pm) 

Listener: What is making you feel that way right now? (1:02pm) 

This response is very similar to the one above, only it is broken into smaller pieces, thus decreasing each response time. If you find it's taking you a long time to write your messages, sending smaller messages is a good way to improve your response time without drastically altering your content. 

Exemplary:

Member: I'm feeling kind of down today (1:00pm) 

Listener: I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling down. (1:00pm) 

Listener: Sometimes when we have those moments, it can feel distressful. (1:01pm) 

Listener: Did anything happen in particular, recently, to make you feel down? (1:01pm) 

This set of responses is very prompt, as well as attentive. The listener sent multiple messages that each built upon the previous message, shortly after one another, so that the member could feel like the listener is very actively engaged. 

I hope that we can all help each other grow and strive towards the exemplary answers, so that we can best support our wonderful members. <3