Conclusion

Customer service is an ongoing commitment to provide quality assistance and build customer loyalty. The best game can lose money by failing to focus on quality service. As a study done by the Rockefeller Foundation and quoted in [Griffin97] shows, almost 7 out of 10 customers who leave a regular service provider go to the competition because of poor customer service. Quality customer service requires good planning, effective policies, smart management, effective tools, relevant training, and dedicated people. By taking control of these measures in your game, you are taking control of your customers' satisfaction.

Using volunteers in a massive multiplayer game can be a very effective tool, but it is not without costs in time, energy, resources, and management. While many game companies have recently shied away from the volunteer customer service model due to legal concerns, no legal action has been successful yet. The top MMOGs in terms of customer service are continuing to recruit volunteers and do so not only for monetary reasons, but because it's what the customers have asked for.