Need feedback on SMS Neighborhood Program

Started by PavelK • 22 replies • 2059 views

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PavelK (Texas)
Posts: 5

Posted:

I am working on new service for neighborhoods - SMS Neighborhood - smsneighbors.com

Idea is very simple: you send message to 512-789-1557 and all your neighbors will receive it. Perfect for notifying your neighbors about lost or dangerous dog on a street, suspicious person, neighborhood event or asking for baby sitter recommendation, etc.

If you are first time user you need to go through registration process, to tell your name and address to find your neighbors. Once done - you can just save phone 512-789-1557 under "My Neighborhood" name in address book and text to it whenever you need to share something with your neighbors.

I am looking for a feedback. This is very early stage of development and minimal features implemented at this time. This will be free forever for end-users.

Please try it out and let me know what you all think about it.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

SPAM? Read the rules!!!

Former HOA President

PavelK (Texas)
Posts: 5

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 10/17/2013 10:17 AM
SPAM? Read the rules!!!

I am not trying to spam anyone. I am trying to get feedback from HOA community members for whom I am creating this service. It is free and I am not charging anyone with anything.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

It is spam and against the posting rules.

Former HOA President

PavelK (Texas)
Posts: 5

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 10/17/2013 10:56 AM
It is spam and against the posting rules.

I read this before posting - http://www.hoatalk.com/PostingRules/tabid/71/Default.aspx

SPAM usually associated with trying to sell something - I am not. I have an idea of instant community messaging platform in head based on SMS and mobile phones. I want to validate it and created very basic software to do just that. If you are talking about different rules - could you please point me to? I definitely did not intend to disturb peace here.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Pavel,

The reason why it's against the posting rules is that you are specifically advertising your service. The service may be free but you are still advertising it. (see rule #2 int he posting rules). I also suspect that the service you are developing may be free now but, since you will have expenses in maintaining hardware, a website and phone lines, that you will likely try to recoup those expenses with fees or advertising.

As for the idea you are proposing, I wouldn't use it. Privacy has become a big issue in this country. Heck, our Association quit publishing neighborhood directories because so many residents simply refused to participate. Personally, I would not voluntarily provide you with my personal information for something that can be accomplished through other means.

Associations maintain mailing address of all members. If the member is willing, e-mail addresses and/or phone numbers may also be maintained. The Association could simply send out e-mails without the need to use a third party service. All cell phone companies also allow SMS messages to be sent via e-mail. Again, eliminating the need for a third party. Heck, churches (well, at least my church) have been doing this for years.

Additionally, there is always old school with a flyer being printed and delivered to each resident. In fact, since you can't force individuals to provide phone numbers or e-mail addresses, the only way the Association can ensure residents and members are informed is through flyers and mailings.

As for individuals, they also have the capability you offer through their service providers. All they need is their friends and neighbors contact information. I know that I am more willing (and have done so) to provide my contact information to friends and neighbors than I would to some unknown company.

So, I will not be trying out the service you are advertising on this forum. Instead, I will simply talk to my neighbors on the front porch or over the phone. Perhaps I'll write a letter.

PavelK (Texas)
Posts: 5

Posted:

Thank you Tim, I really appreciate you detailed feedback!

As for original post - if moderators will see this post, could you please remove references to site/name/phone in first post, but keep it there? I would love to get more feedback without advertising if possible.

Quote:

Posted By TimB4 on 10/17/2013 3:33 PM
Pavel,

The reason why it's against the posting rules is that you are specifically advertising your service. The service may be free but you are still advertising it. (see rule #2 int he posting rules). I also suspect that the service you are developing may be free now but, since you will have expenses in maintaining hardware, a website and phone lines, that you will likely try to recoup those expenses with fees or advertising.

As for the idea you are proposing, I wouldn't use it. Privacy has become a big issue in this country. Heck, our Association quit publishing neighborhood directories because so many residents simply refused to participate. Personally, I would not voluntarily provide you with my personal information for something that can be accomplished through other means.

Associations maintain mailing address of all members. If the member is willing, e-mail addresses and/or phone numbers may also be maintained. The Association could simply send out e-mails without the need to use a third party service. All cell phone companies also allow SMS messages to be sent via e-mail. Again, eliminating the need for a third party. Heck, churches (well, at least my church) have been doing this for years.

Additionally, there is always old school with a flyer being printed and delivered to each resident. In fact, since you can't force individuals to provide phone numbers or e-mail addresses, the only way the Association can ensure residents and members are informed is through flyers and mailings.

As for individuals, they also have the capability you offer through their service providers. All they need is their friends and neighbors contact information. I know that I am more willing (and have done so) to provide my contact information to friends and neighbors than I would to some unknown company.

So, I will not be trying out the service you are advertising on this forum. Instead, I will simply talk to my neighbors on the front porch or over the phone. Perhaps I'll write a letter.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

BTW,

In reading the terms and agreement for your site you specify [emphasis added]:

By signing up for The Service, you agree to receive SMS text messages from other members, us and our affiliates and partners. This may include other members notifying about lost dog or garage sale, administrative messages from SMS Neighbors about changes in The Service, promotional messages from our partners or affiliates.

So it appears that all you are really doing is building a database of known good cell phone numbers to sell to "affiliates and partners".

I suspect that you have chosen to break this sites posting rules and advertise on this forum for three reasons:

1) you hope to increase traffic to site

2) you hope to increase searches about your site to try and increase your ranking in internet searches

3) you hope to sucker some individuals to signing up for your service. BTW, I use suckers because the only way it can work for the purpose you state (lost dog, garage sale, neighborhood picnic, etc.) is if those suckers can sucker their friends to sign up as well. Otherwise, texting that my dog is lost will never go to those in my neighborhood. Therefore, putting up posters will get more exposure of the issue to those in my neighborhood than your service would provide.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By PavelK on 10/17/2013 3:37 PM
Thank you Tim, I really appreciate you detailed feedback!

As for original post - if moderators will see this post, could you please remove references to site/name/phone in first post, but keep it there? I would love to get more feedback without advertising if possible.

Actually, moderators are more likely to ban you and eliminate all of your posts for violating the posting rules.

PavelK (Texas)
Posts: 5

Posted:

Tim, i think you overestimate level of evilness i have and amount of visitors exposed to this post. I believe this is a place where I can get feedback from people deeply involved into HOA, but now I see I was wrong.

Few key points:
- I received two visitors so far - you and melissa
- my current user base is around 15 users and all from my own neighborhood, to be able to advertise anything i have to have way more than that
- terms and conditions text you highlighted also sent you during registration process over sms. and until you consent to it you will not receive any messages.

I understand that there is tons of scammers out there, but it doesn't mean that there is no place for truly useful service.

to you question about hardware - yes, this might become problem at some point where i will need to think about getting money to finance it, but there is tons of options for that and advertising is just one, least efficient, of these. I left this options in TC because well... it will be hard to go back and change it retroactively. And while I am not going to do advertising now, I want to make it clear that it is an option in future. (which might or might not happen)

I am sorry for rant, but I was deeply surprised by amount of unfair negativity right from the beginning.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Not a visitor of yours. I gave you a warning your violating the rules. I would never subscribe to such a business or service. You broke the rules and face the consequences. We have little tolerance for such approaches. I would suggest looking locally for your idea to work in your own HOA.

Former HOA President

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Pavel,

I believe the negativity was initiated because of the style of your initial posting. Simply put, it looks like SPAM, is certainly advertising and a violation of the posting rules. I've seen spam and advertising ruin forums. This site is fairly free of spam and the regular posters prefer to keep it that way.

I do apologize if I lept before I looked into the situation.

A better way to have asked for feedback would have been to simply ask what people thought about a service that provided sms messages. For previous examples of similar question on this site see:

Subject: Email, SMS, and Voice Broadcast Alerts to Owners

Subject: Voice & SMS services for HOA communication?

GlenL (Ohio)
Posts: 5,491

Posted:

Pavel not to be a wet blanket but most HOA CC&R's require notifications be made by US Mail. What do you see as the value of your service? Some of the stuff you indicate would annoy the hell out of me, lost dog - not my problem, baby sitter - if someone I didn't know disrupted my evening over something like that i would reply all night long with suggestions: Jack the Ripper, John Wayne Gacy, Jodi Arias, etc.

Studies show that 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Nextdoor.com fills this niche in large part if you have a smart phone.

SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699

Posted:

Pretty easy to set up a group list in google gmail, add everyone's cell phone email address and when you need to send out a message, just email the group list........ FREE

List:
http://www.emailtextmessages.com/

Sample:
AT&T (formerly Cingular)
[10-digit phone number]@txt.att.net

T-Mobile
[10-digit phone number]@tmomail.net

Verizon
[10-digit phone number]@vtext.com

ThadC2 (Florida)
Posts: 820

Posted:

whatever happened with this app? website is down.

PatJ1 (North Carolina)
Posts: 568

Posted:

The post is 8 years old. Please don't re-open old posts.

ThadC2 (Florida)
Posts: 820

Posted:

then change the forum rules or better yet get better forum software, otherwise , please refrain from telling others how to post based on your personal opinion of how you like things.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

It's not a matter of like or dislike, but the fact that things change rapidly in HOA land. What was relevant 8 years ago (or five or even one and sometimes less than that) doesn't hold true today. Reading old posts can give you some insight as to what issues you may need to consider, but if you want more updated information, it's better to start a new conversation.

In light of the website's recent clash with spam when someone came on and opened a number of old posts, I think the sponsors have been looking into ways to archive old conversations - you could still look, but comments would be closed. I don't know if that's still under discussion but if they decide to change it, I'm sure there'll be an announcement.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

MaxB4
Posts: 3,513

Posted:

I started using a SMS feature and it is one slick program and phone app. It will store documents, show meetings, has a calendar, send mail, handle violations, show amenities, allow for payments, and allow the input of vendors for resident use.

If a text message is sent, cost is .03 per text. People will respond 100% faster to text than email and easier to access than a website.

ThadC2 (Florida)
Posts: 820

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MaxB4 on 12/20/2021 5:05 PM
I started using a SMS feature and it is one slick program and phone app. It will store documents, show meetings, has a calendar, send mail, handle violations, show amenities, allow for payments, and allow the input of vendors for resident use.

If a text message is sent, cost is .03 per text. People will respond 100% faster to text than email and easier to access than a website.

Yep I found that app too. How did you get all the owners phone numbers? Did you have to get everyone to sign an opt in form? or do you just enroll them and remove the ones taht do not want to get the messages? Any advice on implementing this would be great.

ThadC2 (Florida)
Posts: 820

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 12/20/2021 4:17 PM
if you want more updated information, it's better to start a new conversation.

I did and put a link to an app I wanted feedback on and a bunch of Karen's complained I was actually a vendor without ANY PROOF AT ALL and the legitimate post was removed. Hmm kind of like my HOA used to be run.

MaxB4
Posts: 3,513

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ThadC2 on 12/21/2021 11:40 AM

For the one association I tested, I sent a letter out and 75% of the unit joined the app via their phone. Some have already opted in through a form required in California. I have three that haven't joined so far. For the price, this is great.

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