"Alert a moderator" is one of the vBulletin functions needing improvement, IMHO. It provides no convenient way for a moderator to respond to the originator. Such a response would be useful when the moderator decides not to take any public action. Currently the originator has no way to know that the Alert was ever read.

I'm pretty sure that this problem has been mentioned to IB more than once, but I will be sure to include it in any discussions of software modifications for a "Helpful" button.