Contacting customer support should be simple.

You have a problem, you explain what happened, support looks into it, and hopefully the issue gets resolved.

In practice, however, the quality of the information in the first message can make a huge difference to how quickly a problem can be understood.

A good support request does not need to be long.

It just needs to be useful.

Start a New Support Request for a New Problem

If you are contacting Customer Care about a new issue, please use the support form.

Each support case is given its own reference number, usually included in the subject line of the emails relating to that case.

That reference helps keep the conversation organised and connected to the correct problem.

If you reply to an old support email about something completely unrelated, two different issues can become mixed together.

For example, a support conversation that originally started about a payment problem should not later become a discussion about a photo upload issue.

If it is the same problem, reply to the existing conversation.

If it is a new problem, start a new support request.

Simple separation makes everything much easier to follow.

Tell Us What You Were Trying to Do

One of the least useful support messages is:

"It doesn't work."

The obvious next question is:

What doesn't work?

A much better message explains what you were trying to do.

For example:

"I was trying to upload a profile photo, but after selecting the image and pressing upload, the page returned an error."

That immediately gives support something to investigate.

Tell Us What Actually Happened

Try to describe what happened rather than only saying that something is broken.

Useful details might include:

  • What page you were using.
  • What button or link you pressed.
  • What happened next.
  • Whether the page refreshed.
  • Whether anything disappeared.
  • Whether an error message appeared.
  • Whether the problem happens every time.

The more clearly the issue can be reproduced, the easier it is to investigate.

Include the Exact Error Message

If you receive an error message, please include the exact wording.

There is a big difference between:

"I got an error."

and:

"The page says 'Upload failed. Please try again later.'"

Exact wording can point directly towards the cause of a problem.

If copying the message is difficult, a screenshot is usually even better.

Screenshots Are Extremely Helpful

Screenshots can save several rounds of questions.

They can show:

  • Error messages.
  • Missing buttons.
  • Unexpected page layouts.
  • Incorrect information.
  • Upload problems.
  • Display problems.
  • What you were seeing when the issue occurred.

You do not need to annotate the screenshot or make it look professional.

A clear image of the problem is usually enough.

Before sending one, check that it does not accidentally include passwords, payment card details or other information you would not normally send by email.

Tell Us What Device and Browser You Are Using

Some problems only happen on certain devices or browsers.

If your issue appears technical, it can help to include something like:

"I'm using an iPhone with Safari."

or:

"I'm using Windows 11 and Chrome."

You do not need to know complicated technical information.

Basic details are usually enough.

Say When the Problem Happened

Timing can be useful, particularly with temporary technical problems.

If something happened at approximately 8:30pm, saying so can help match your report against server logs or other technical information.

Keep the Same Issue in the Same Conversation

If Customer Care has already replied about the issue, reply to that same email thread.

The case reference in the subject line helps keep the history together so it is clear what has already been discussed, what has been tried and what still needs to be resolved.

Opening several separate requests about the same problem can make the history harder to follow rather than speeding things up.

Do Not Reuse an Old Case for a Different Problem

The opposite is also important.

An old support conversation should not become a permanent general-purpose contact thread.

If the original case was about billing and your new question is about a profile photo, use the support form to open a new case.

This ensures the new issue receives its own reference and can be handled separately.

Choose the Most Appropriate Subject

If the support form asks you to choose a topic, select the option that most closely matches your issue.

This helps identify what kind of problem you are reporting and keeps support requests properly organised.

If none of the available options fit, choose the general or miscellaneous option and explain the issue clearly in your message.

One Clear Message Is Better Than Several Short Ones

Try to include the important information in your first message rather than sending it across several separate emails.

For example, instead of sending:

"My photo won't upload."

followed by:

"I'm on my phone."

and then:

"It gives an error."

it is much more useful to send:

"I'm trying to upload a profile photo on my iPhone using Safari. After I select the image and press upload, I receive the message 'Upload failed'. It has happened three times today."

That gives Customer Care most of what is needed in one go.

Be Clear About What You Want Help With

Sometimes a message contains a long description but never actually says what help is being requested.

If possible, finish with a clear question or request.

For example:

"Could you please check why the upload is failing?"

or:

"Can you confirm whether my payment was received?"

This makes the purpose of the support request immediately clear.

What Customer Care Is There For

Customer Care can help with genuine questions and problems involving your account, technical issues, payments, site features, reports and other matters relating to your use of the service.

Customer Care is not, however, a forum for extended debates about internal business decisions, staffing, operational methods, commercial decisions or how the service should be run.

You are welcome to raise genuine concerns or provide feedback, but not every internal decision or process is open for individual discussion.

Some information may also be kept private for security, privacy, abuse-prevention or operational reasons.

Being Frustrated Is Fine. Being Abusive Is Not.

We understand that technical problems, account issues and payment problems can be frustrating.

You do not need to pretend that you are happy about a problem.

But offensive, abusive or threatening messages do not help resolve the issue and may result in communication being ended.

A clear explanation of what went wrong is far more useful than an angry message with no information.

A Good Support Request Might Look Like This

Subject: Photo upload problem

Hi,

I'm trying to upload a new profile photo from my iPhone using Safari.

After selecting the image and pressing upload, I receive the message "Upload failed. Please try again later."

This started at around 8:30pm today and has happened three times.

Could you please check what might be causing it?

Thanks.

That does not take long to write, but it provides enough information to begin investigating immediately.

Help Us Help You

Customer Care wants to resolve genuine problems as efficiently as possible.

You can help by:

  • Using the support form for each new issue.
  • Keeping replies about the same problem in the existing case.
  • Explaining exactly what you were trying to do.
  • Describing what actually happened.
  • Including exact error messages.
  • Sending screenshots where useful.
  • Telling us what device and browser you are using.
  • Providing an approximate time when technical problems occurred.
  • Keeping messages clear, relevant and respectful.

A little extra information at the beginning can save several emails later.

And that means your problem can usually be understood — and hopefully resolved — much faster.