Sometimes, when a researcher answers a question, the researcher will
ask, “please let me know if the information was helpful”.
It may be weeks before the questioner knows if the information was
helpful or not.
How can the researcher be contacted, several weeks after the question
has been answered?
Do researchers monitor past answered questions?
If they do, how do they do it?

Greetings Clicker5:

Many of us do invite customers to let us know when information is
helpful, especially when the answer requires follow-up by the customer
of outside sources cited in the answer.  And you're correct about the
"weeks" reference but, believe it or not, sometimes it's months!

I certainly monitor past answered questions and I'm able to easily do
so because of the design of the Researcher Center program.  By being a
Researcher, I have expanded account settings that include a list of
all questions I've ever answered and they stay always on my "answered"
list regardless of whether or not they've been rated.  The way the
Researcher Center is managed, I can clearly see whenever there has
been any activity (a comment or clarification) on any answered
question.

To illustrate, whenever a customer uses the Clarification feature of
their question *after* a Researcher has answered it, the title of that
question jumps to the top of the Researcher's question list and is
also highlighted in bold.  So right away, I see when I log on that
there is a customer requesting additional information.

Then, if anyone leaves a comment on the Answered question, the title
of the question again jumps to the top of the list but this time it's
*not* highlighted in bold.  This is the way I can tell when a comment
has been left as opposed to a clarification.  I always return and
review my answered questions when they appear at the top of the list.
The list criteria includes status of question, the title, the last
time it was modified by a comment or clarification, customer nickname
and the question price.

Responsible Researchers check their accounts regularly to monitor
Clarification requests and invoices among other things.  There is also
email notification available for when a Clarification has been
requested by the customer.  So, there are numerous ways for us to
effectively monitor and manage customer needs.

Like me, many of my colleagues spend considerable time researching for
a customer and we want to be certain they are assisted by our efforts.
 It's always a thrill to log on and find a high rating but most
fulfilling for me is to find a Ratings comment about how pleased a
customer is with the service.

I also monitor questions on which I have only commented and I
accomplish this by using my browser bookmarks.  The Researcher Center
is focused as an invoicing tool so only answered questions are stored
there.

So, that's how a Researcher may be contacted by a customer and how we
monitor our answers.  :)

Best regards,
journalist-ga

Hello again journalist:
Thank you for the quick, clear and concise answer.
Clicker5

And thank *you* for the rating and comments!  :)

A most interesting look at the inner workings of Google Answers from
the researcher viewpoint! Thank you, Journalist!

You're welcome Magnesium.  Since outside contact from Researcher to
customer is prohibited, the GA editors have made it easy for
Researchers to be updated when there is activity on any answered
question.  Also, whenever a Researcher makes use of the Clarification
feature *before* a question is answered, an email is sent to the
Researcher when the customer responds.