Scaling Refund Operations for Large FiveM Communities
From 10 refunds to 1,000 without chaos
Small servers handle refunds as they come. Large communities need systems. When you're processing hundreds of requests daily across multiple time zones, ad-hoc workflows collapse. This guide shares battle-tested strategies from networks running 500+ concurrent players.
Implement tiered automation
Not every refund needs human review. Categorize requests by risk and automate the safe ones. Low-value item refunds under $1,000 with valid evidence can auto-approve. High-value or repeated requests queue for manual review.
- Tier 1 (Auto-approve): Items under $1k, first request in 30 days, valid screenshot attached
- Tier 2 (Single review): Items $1k-$10k, or second request in 30 days
- Tier 3 (Dual approval): Anything over $10k, weapons, vehicles, or flagged accounts
Build a dedicated refund team
Generalist moderators juggling refunds, reports, and chat moderation get overwhelmed. Create a specialist refund team with clear shifts. Even two dedicated staff members outperform five generalists.
Team Structure Example
For a 500-player server: 2 Refund Specialists (handle queue), 1 Refund Lead (escalations and policy), 1 Audit Reviewer (weekly log checks). Rotate shifts to cover peak hours.
Queue management strategies
A visible queue prevents duplicate requests and sets expectations. Display estimated wait times in the refund channel. Process oldest requests first unless urgency tags apply. Clear the queue completely at least once per day.
- Use Discord threads—one thread per request keeps context contained
- Tag requests by urgency: 🟢 Normal, 🟡 Priority (VIP), 🔴 Critical (server error)
- Set SLA targets: Normal within 24h, Priority within 4h, Critical within 1h
- Auto-close stale requests after 7 days of no player response
Metrics that matter
Track these weekly: requests received, requests completed, average time to resolution, rejection rate, and staff member throughput. Identify bottlenecks before they become crises.
“We went from 6-hour average resolution to under 45 minutes by implementing tiers and hiring two dedicated refund staff. Player satisfaction scores jumped 40%.”
Preventing burnout
Refund work is repetitive and emotionally draining. Rotate staff regularly, celebrate wins, and invest in tooling that reduces clicks. Automation isn't about replacing staff—it's about freeing them to handle the cases that actually need human judgment.
Scaling refunds is about systems, not heroics. Build the right structure and your team handles 10x volume without 10x stress.
Need a smarter refund flow?
LD Refund System automates Discord approvals, in-game claims, and audit logging so your staff stay focused on players.