Guidelines for Direct Messaging Users

Click this link for the full run-down of Kibin's messaging feature (how to message a user, what the user sees, etc.). The following are general guidelines for when to send (and not send) a direct message to a user. 

Do send a message to the user when...

• Verifying style guide requirements
  • It seems like the user has selected the wrong style guide (e.g., citations are clearly APA when they’ve selected MLA).
  • Verifying which version of Harvard style guide to use
• Verifying which version of English to use in the edit
  • It seems like the user has selected the wrong English type (e.g. they use single quotation marks throughout but chose American English)
  •  A regular DR customer always requests British English but chose American English this time and you think it was in error.
• Formatting or word/character count questions
  • You’re not sure whether a 1,000-character maximum includes spaces or not. 
  • You’re not sure if “1,500 word count” in a note means 1,500 maximum or 1,500 minimum. 
  • The user isn’t following a particular style guide and the document has major formatting inconsistencies (footnotes are all over the place, etc.) 
• General inquiries about supplemental documents 
  • The user mentioned a supplemental doc in their note but one was not included. 
  • Note that you can ask the user to include the supplemental document in their response if it's missing (e.g., "Your note asks me to check the paper against a rubric, but I'm afraid that file was not attached to the order. Could you attach the rubric to your response?")
• Other inquiries similar to those listed above (please use your best judgment!)

Notify a CHC or Admin to reach out to the user when...

• The issue fits any of the reasons listed on the Flag Document modal. (Use the flag feature to send a direct message to the Team Kibin inbox.)  
  • Duplicate order
  • File issue (can’t open, not in English)
  • Significant content writing request
  • Missing LB points (ESL, resume)
  • Plagiarism issue
• The result of the interaction would be that the order is deleted/cancelled.

Other things to keep in mind: 

• Turnaround time. Have a backup plan if you’re working with a shorter turnaround. 
  • Sometimes users don’t always respond, or they may not see the email in time depending on the turnaround. If you don't receive a response before the document is due, trust your editor gut. :) 
• ALWAYS be polite and professional. 
• When asking questions or using “technical” terms, keep in mind that some of our users are not as fluent in English or may not be familiar with what you’re asking about. Keep your language simple and consider your audience. 
• Try to keep inquiries to a minimum; we want to avoid this feature becoming a replacement for using your best editor judgment. :)