404 Error Change

[#1]

Replying to agent messages is still directing to a 404 not found error page.

We are told giffgaff are fixing this but until they have fixed this I have a idea to clarify this to customers who dont know about the issue and should be very simple to implement.

Solution:

Have giffgaff customise the 404 error page to a simple, thanks for your reply well get back to you... message

Customising the error pages is very simple to do and can be done in seconds by someone who has root access to the servers.

Kudos the idea if you agree and giffgaff may look at it.

[#2]

Changing the 404 error page is not a quick fix, it is a potentially more disasterous bodge.

There are numerous reasons why a 404 page my be generated, and only one of those is due to the error in this particular page.

Whilst  you could put conditional code in the custom error page so the modified page is only shown if the calling page is the submisiion page, that effort would be better spent in fixing the underlying problem (assuming the problem isn't a fundamental design flaw in the website logic  or supporting databases).

[#3]

Hi bloodycat, showing the 404 page happens either if its shows its current message or a more reassuring customer friendly message so it wont make a difference.

The server accepting agent submissions is different to the transaction and community servers so conditional coding is not required.

[#4]

They do need to solve this

[#5]

The 404 page is common to all pages within a directory and is there to show some sort of error has occurred, hence the conditional coding as the message you are proposing is only relevant for the one particular case,

Also, whilst most of the time for this particular page despite the error the request has been submitted , there will be occassions when it may not have been, therefore you do not want to blindly be telling people that their request has been submitted, agent responses can be too slow as it is when you have a problem without adding an extra delay if the initial request hasn't actually gone through.

The solution is not a quick bodge, it needs fixing properly, along with all the other bugs in the site that cause intermittent problems for some people such as missing agent  links or missing agents messages when accessed from some pages.Agents and educators have enough to do as it is without having to deal with issues due to such bugs in the website.

[#6]

A great idea, however, we intend to fully resolve the agent link/message issue in one of our imminent web-site updates