So your group just had their first meeting and somebody invariably suggests, why don’t we set up a Yahoogroup so we can communicate? For some situations, Yahoogroups (and others like it) is a useful tool that helps people send broadcast messages to each other without having to remember everyone’s email address.
But when group email is used for anything other than broadcasting messages to everyone, you quickly start seeing its limitations. The effect ranges from the mildly annoying to the comically bad.
One of our employee's on just started a new preschool this school year. Since starting preschool this August, this preschool's YahooGroup has become the biggest source of non-useful email (euphemism).
Why? Let us count the ways this YahooGroups has been comical and, increasingly, annoying...
1) COLLECTING INFORMATION: In efforts to create a class roster, the room parent blasted the whole group with a request for everyone's contact information. Seems harmless enough, until everyone replied back to the email and every family received 15 emails. (15 EXTRA EMAILS SHE DID NOT NEED)
2) COORDINATION: One parent asked if anyone wanted to plan a playgroup afterschool and sent the request over the email list. 4 parents volunteered their house and their dates, 6 others replied that they could attend, 3 others replied they could not attend. (13 EXTRA EMAILS SHE DID NOT NEED)
3) INFORMATION: Three parents sent an email asking when preschool picture day would be. Two people responded back. (6 EXTRA EMAILS SHE DID NOT NEED)
In the past 6 weeks, she has received over 30 emails from this one YahooGroups, of which only 3 have been useful, the other 31 have gone straight to the trashbin.
What is the problem? Email is a one-directional, broadcast vehicle that allows the message sender to "fire-and-forget". Because it is non-transactional and decentralized, there is no central place to keep the "master list" nor a place to collaborate/plan/organize.
At Qlubb, we do provide group emails for the activities that require broadcast but we are driven by our desire to provide a destination where groups can collaborate and organize. With tools like shared sign up sheets, web publishing of events, photos and resources Qlubb provides the needed centralized and transactional component critical to group collaboration.
Send us your email distribution list horror/humorous/annoying stories... We'll publish the best and send you a Qlubb gift pack.
0 comments:
Post a Comment