dir="ltr">Consumers and businesses that have trouble reaching Facebook for customer support may be surprised to find out that a possible reason for the delay is because the customer service team is busy solving issues for priority customers—employees’ friends. CNBC reports, citing Facebook employees, that Facebook has a special internal email hotline and online form called "Oops@," that employees can use to submit support questions or requests on behalf of their friends and family to ensure that those support issues get tackled quickly.
The “oops” channels were developed as a means to keep employees focused on their work, instead of busy troubleshooting their friends’ and families’ problems. Now, these channels serve as routers for requests, ensuring they’re fulfilled faster than a query from Facebook standard customer-facing support options.
"It's good to know people in Facebook," a former Facebook employee told CNBC.
Employees can use the “oops” channels in a number of ways, including getting a friend reinstated after her account is suspended or she forgets her password. And, if the friend happens to be a business owner, a Facebook employee can also inquire as to why a certain ad was rejected for publication. Employees can even use “oops@” to prioritize the removal of any content deemed questionable or inappropriate by their friends, though the company insists that the best way to address this specific is to continue using the “report” button next to the content itself.
Though some Facebook employees say the “oops@” channels are not “that effective,” according to CNBC, advertisers and consumers are happy with the priority treatment. "It’s good for us, but bad for other folks," one advertiser told CNBC.
In addition to the customer service perks, Facebook also gives its employees the opportunity to offer $250 in ad credits to any business of their choice, assuming that that business doesn’t directly compete with Facebook. This news comes on the heels of the Trump administration charging Facebook with violating fair housing laws by allowing advertisers to avoid showing housing ads to people because of their race, religion, gender, and other traits.