Blue poster professionalism

Let me be clear. I'm not trashing the Blue posters or their work. By and large we're very happy to see feedback here, whether or not we agree with that.

That said, I've noticed something here that's odd. On most forums, company representatives are tightly controlled. Here's what I mean:

- They don't make jokes.
- They don't use sarcasm.
- They don't point out contradictions from their customers.
- They write using a conciliatory tone of voice, regardless of whether the problem is the company's fault

What you have to understand is that all of this is done for several reasons:

- It keeps customers happy by showing that the company cares
- It reduces conflicts between users
- It avoids the possibility of humor or sarcasm being construed as flippant

Every time a Blue poster makes some sarcastic comment, it comes off as flippant. You can't make jokes without seeming like you're trivializing the issues that we're describing.

There are some very real issues with WoW right now. The two things we want most are acknowledgment and evidence of action. Specifically, a good Blue post (in response to an issue):

- Acknowledges that there is an issue OR explains in detail why there is not
- Indicates empathy for the customer, regardless of whether there is an issue or not
- Is written in a serious tone, indicating that Blizzard takes any issue report seriously (valid or invalid)
- Indicates that Blizzard will correct the issue, if it's valid
- Provides an estimated timetable for correcting the issue

Moreover, good Blue posts dealing with code of conduct violations:

- Are not combative
- State which part of the code of conduct was violated

Basically, what I'm saying is that Blue posters should act more like GMs and less like regular WoW forum posters. Keeping a serious, non-combative, and professional tone avoids conflicts and results in a more effective dialogue.