Should dooyoo use its private messaging system?

Ok, the title doesn't make much sense, but we need your opinions on something. Right now we're working towards fixing a few issues...one of which creating a community page that'll pretty much be a blog with me telling you what's going on with us and the current contests.

While we were working through the suggestion expiration problem (some of you know what I'm talking about) it was put forth that we send emails to people when their suggestion was going to expire. I was against this because I could see it as getting annoying and..well that's another issue.

The question is would you appreciate it if dooyoo used its own private messaging system to spread information, including when your suggestion is going to expire, if there's a current scammer issue going on, and emergency technical implosion reports (like all of last february). Basically I'm NOT talking about advertisements...just stuff that would be useful for our regular users to know. The community page is going to be a hub for this, but sometimes we think it'll be best if we actually contacted our users. Our current policy is to only email our people when it is absolutely necessary as we hate company spam as much as you do.

Hopefully I'm making some sense here. In short:
What do you think about dooyoo sending you pertinent Private Messages from time to time?
-jared

Yep, I think that would be good.
If you are worried that people would find it annoying just make it and opt in/opt out function.

And I LOVE the idea of a Jared Blog - the big problem with Ciao has always been that they don't communicate and staff their office with Ciaobots and inanimate objects. Those of us that use the RWF get the benefit of your open and honest reports of what's going on and I think that if all members could see that it would get a much more 'warm and fuzzy' feel about Dooyoo - give a human face (or eye) to the site.

I would not have a problem with this either, though I wouldn't necessarily need any notifications about expiring suggestions as I've always kept the e-mail alerts even after the new system was introduced. But as a general information notification thingy I wouldn't have any objections. Why not.

May I just ask why do the suggestions expire? And after how long?

I've just posted on a category that I requested months ago - would I be right in assuming they expire from your list but may stay on the dooyoo database?

Dare I say it, but if the same system was put in place using email that I might prefer that and that it might be better for the business?

I agree that it would be fab to get the information you're talking about, Jared, but I think I'd prefer getting the information via email instead.

For email users, there could be an option to opt in for a daily digest of Dooyoo news (because I'm assuming that none of this stuff is time critical).

I think using private messgaing is a very good idea. It will seem more personal to the user and will probably reach a lot more users as plenty do not look at the community page but will check their messages if they see it has one in there.

Ciao's Favourite Member wrote:

Dare I say it, but if the same system was put in place using email that I might prefer that and that it might be better for the business?

I would prefer a PM to an email, simply so the info is all in one place - i.e dooyoo.

All the info would be in one place... in one email as a daily digest and in your email inbox.

I'm assuming that the same "news bulletins" would also be displayed on the new and improved Commnity Page aka Jared's Blog, so central storage in PM/email inboxes isn't an issue. The PM/email is just a news flash and therefore disposable.

In fact, I'd perhaps suggest that it could be appended to the current email bulletin that informs members of rates, new CoT additions etc. which means if you're signed up for alerts, you still only get one email per day.

P.S. Jared, I sent you an email on Tuesday night, did you get it?

I too would prefer an e-mail. I don't always get time to check messages and would prefer the options of selecting what alerts I receive via an e-mail

Like the idea of PM more than email. If you're logging into Dooyoo why would you want to check email too?

Also, from Dooyoo's perspective, they get more site hits, which is always good business, as opposed to the email provider.

koshkha wrote:

Yep, I think that would be good.
If you are worried that people would find it annoying just make it and opt in/opt out function.

And I LOVE the idea of a Jared Blog - the big problem with Ciao has always been that they don't communicate and staff their office with Ciaobots and inanimate objects. Those of us that use the RWF get the benefit of your open and honest reports of what's going on and I think that if all members could see that it would get a much more 'warm and fuzzy' feel about Dooyoo - give a human face (or eye) to the site.

I agree totally with all that koshkha has written!

plipplop wrote:

Like the idea of PM more than email. If you're logging into Dooyoo why would you want to check email too?

Also, from Dooyoo's perspective, they get more site hits, which is always good business, as opposed to the email provider.

Phil, my logic was that a system implemented through email could entice people back to the site if they'd opted in. News about competitions etc. might pull in a few lapsed members whereas a PM wouldn't as it would only be available to active members.

I think it's a great idea.

I wouldn't mind PMs or Email, perhaps you could let members choose between both?

I like the idea of PM rather than email as once logged into the site, I can immediately see what's going on. Lisa x

I have no problem with bulk messages concerning the site, downtime or whatever to be delivered straight into the PM inbox, even if it says something like "check email for important news" like today's prescription medicines.

Not everyone's opted in to all the different email options on dooyoo (I only recently opted into the newsletter) so wouldn't necessarily get important information delivered straight away.

I have no problem with pm messages regarding dooyoo. I think it is a great idea.

I just don't want the ones offering viagra and the like

Awesome feedback guys. The suggestions vanishing act is still be sorted out.

On the topic of doing this via email, here's a weird for me to let you in on. Every month, when the newsletter goes out I get a fair amount of people asking to have their accounts deleted. Users who were super active years ago that still get the newsletter.....and the newsletter reminds them that they're inactive and should delete their account. Obviously we don't like this so much as we HAVE to delete accounts when it's request...even though most users would probably be happy just being unsubscribed to the newsletter. So over here we totally understand how important it is for us to not spam our members...a flaw when we have to make announcements.

Sort of a tangent, but that's the logic behind why PM > Email for dooyoo updates.

-jared

PS: I got your email, you'll hear back from me today

PS2: By the way, the "Jared Blog" is in the works, but my Tech Guru wants me to make sure you know that it might not launch for a little while. Don't want to get anyone's hopes up..but I'm excited about it too.

PM would be my preferred option and certainly before Jared posted I was going to question whether e-mail could lose members rather than gain so pleased to see my business knowledge on retention theory is still valid. anything that avoids ading to the e-mails I need to read is good.

Also while we using thsi thread to raise e-mail issues to Jared any news yet on my missing Amazon voucher that I e-mailed about earlier this week.

Jared, is there any chance that the email alerts (the ones that tell us who's written what) could also be done as PMs? I would be much more likely to read those reviews if I could access the list when I'm already signed on in dooyoo - instead I just feel guilty ever day when I file that day's new reviews list in my little dooyoo folder and don't get round to reading them.

Jared wrote:

On the topic of doing this via email, here's a weird for me to let you in on. Every month, when the newsletter goes out I get a fair amount of people asking to have their accounts deleted.

You need a better newsletter, then. May I suggest one that lets people know how much I rock?

Ciao's Favourite Member wrote:

You need a better newsletter, then. May I suggest one that lets people know how much I rock?

With a newsletter like that, nobody would come to the site anymore.

I think you underestimate how much I rock, Bernard.

Everybody rocks and sways when they are drunk. It is no qualification, Aaron.

koshkha wrote:

Jared, is there any chance that the email alerts (the ones that tell us who's written what) could also be done as PMs? I would be much more likely to read those reviews if I could access the list when I'm already signed on in dooyoo - instead I just feel guilty ever day when I file that day's new reviews list in my little dooyoo folder and don't get round to reading them.

I second this!