topic Re: Re Community user's Personal Information in Broadband

Re Community user's Personal Information

Billx — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:32:30 GMT

For a long time, I have not been able to understand advice like the following:
'add a particular bit of information in the private notes field, which only you and the support staff can view.'
Does the 'private notes field' have a higher status than the other fields in personal information?
I.E. Do others, other than 'you and the support staff' have access to the other fields in personal information?

I thought I might ask this today, as it's not a busy time.

Bill

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

ferguson — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:41:25 GMT

No. See if you can find anybody else's profile details.

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Billx — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:17:25 GMT

Very good.

So there is no need to include 'which only you and the support staff can view', when advice is specifically given to enter something in the private notes field.

Because 'which only you and the support staff can view' applies to all the fields.

Bill

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Gliwmaeden2 — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:20:17 GMT

It's added to reassure people that it is not available to anyone else other than staff and the particular customer - some won't even begin to fill in their details without this assurance, @Billx.

It's been best to mention it rather than not, in order to prevent further delays in processing the actual issue that the customer is trying to deal with.

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Billx — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:36:27 GMT

But everything in Personal Information is Private Notes.

Perhaps Privates Notes is misnamed, perhaps it could be additional notes.

Otherwise why not include 'which only you and the support staff can view' whenever one is asked to complete Personal Information?

Bill

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Gliwmaeden2 — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:46:32 GMT

The core essentials are in Personal Information.

Private Notes is a subsection of Personal Information, for any added information - even more important to reassure people it's private when they are discussing matters for relatives etc.

It's important to keep that sort of stuff separate so it's not confused with the account holder's core information.

I put information in there when it's related to an issue with my service - save it for a while and remove it when it's no longer connected with the problem.

Anything in Personal Information, main section, is permanently connected with the account holder.

Anything in Private Notes, the subsection of Personal Information can be transient.

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Gliwmaeden2 — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:53:10 GMT

This is not a "help" issue, @Billx, and is just clogging up the system as it will have entered the workflow queue.

It's not really a valid topic for support message boards - perhaps use the lounge area?

Closing this to new posts.

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

ferguson — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 17:27:39 GMT

@Billx

No it isn't. There is a specific Signature field. And a Biography field where you can post general information about yourself if you wish. Both annotated as such.

Personally, I only give the reassurance that @Gliwmaeden2 has mentioned if a customer seems otherwise cagey about it having been asked to do so. Others prefer to pre-empt that. It's just a matter of choice amongst thos of use who are trying to help.

I have unlocked the topic if you wish to respond, mainly to stop you posting another one.

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Billx — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 17:35:07 GMT

Very good.

Thanks very much @Gliwmaeden2

Bill

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Billx — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 17:52:26 GMT

Thanks very much for unblocking @ferguson

Yes, I know there is a Signature field and a Biography field.

However, I didn't understand when you said 'No it isn't'. When what isn't?

EDIT: Did you mean all the fields are private, but Signature field and a Biography field are not?

Bill

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

ferguson — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 17:45:02 GMT

@Billx wrote:

But everything in Personal Information is Private Notes.

No it isn't. Do you understand now?

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Billx — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 18:11:45 GMT

So you meant all the fields are private, but Signature field and Biography field are not.

Bill

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

ferguson — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 18:03:19 GMT

I thought that was clear. Unlike what you said. So can we close this now, please?

Re: Re Community user's Personal Information

Billx — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 18:36:42 GMT

Off course. All done.

Thanks again.