rebecca@ebay I'll start with something positive. 😊 I have noticed a change in tone from the eBay Community staff to a more empathetic approach. I'm not sure if/how much your influence is responsible for that, but I want you to know it is appreciated and not unnoticed. 👍
Empathy is the start of a great customer service experience and phrases like "I agree" or "I don't disagree" can go a long way toward making someone feel heard and understood. That being said, too often here it seems like that winds up being the end of a conversation instead of the beginning of one.
I've lost track of the amount of times I've seen posts play out this way. Someone tags one of the eBay staff. When/if they get a reply it's usually polite, professional, and something like "we'll get this to the appropriate team." When we persist in asking for updates or pushing for answers, if we get a response at all it is inevitably some form of "I definitely agree", "I see where you're coming from", "I don't disagree" - and that's it. The thread usually dies off with no resolution.
It's disappointing when this happens and honestly demoralizing. If even eBay's own staff can't break through internally to get answers or have issues addressed, it doesn't offer us much hope. Often after one of these interactions I'm left thinking "ok great, you agreed with me - but that doesn't answer my question or solve my problem."
As someone who has spent many years in ecommerce and customer service related fields, I can tell you that it's probably demoralizing for your team as well. The worst position you can put your front line customer facing staff in is to make them be the designated punching bags who are there to take the heat but are not empowered to take meaningful action to provide positive results.
It seems you see your role as strictly confined to the community and don't believe it is within your purview to effect change across the broader platform. I would encourage you to consider that you are in a position to be the leader and advocate that your team and the community members need when it comes to the broader platform. You are our voice at the table. Take that opportunity and run with it - don't just let this fizzle out into another exercise in futility that many have expressed they think it will be.
I'll end with this excerpt from CEO Jamie Iannone's memo on ethics at eBay:
"Since I rejoined eBay earlier this year, and particularly over the last couple of months, the eBay Leadership Team has frequently discussed how openness, honesty, respect and doing business with integrity drives our success.... And, we've also emphasized these values - and our commitment to upholding them - with our seller community and our shareholders."
If your boss is to be taken at his word, he should welcome your leadership and advocacy for your team and the community members - on any subject that touches eBay and/or its users.
