Direct Messaging Feature Update

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

I am very pleased to announce a major update to the Direct Messaging feature here in our Community Center. As a result of the feedback we received since its launch back in April, our team has been working hard to improve the experience.

Direct Messages are a great way for hosts to communicate with each other, and with the Community Managers in a more personal way. We are presently rolling out the new DM system globally, and we hope you enjoy it. We are still working through some kinks so do bear with us! 🙂

One of the main differences with the new system is that there is a 'Community Inbox', which is in your Community Center account. So you have an overview of all your messages in the CC and can manage them easily. Please note, this only shows you direct messages from other members in the Community Center.

Along with these improvements, there is a revised 'Community Profile' page that allows you to get a better overview of your own community center activity. To access your Community Profile and Inbox, hover over your name in the top right-hand corner and select from the drop down options.

You will still receive a notification to your own personal email accounts letting you know that another CC member has sent you direct message, which will then direct you to your Community Inbox. Alternatively, if you are like me you can go straight to your Community Profile and Inbox when you arrive in the CC! 🙂

We are continuing to work on improving our Community Center tools here. Therefore, as always, we would love to hear your feedback. What do you think of these changes? 

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Annette33]

@Lizzie , I like the new features, thank you! It makes for more transparency, more contact abilities, all good! Especially to be able to easily  reach you moderators here is nice 🙂

One thing I am curious about though - we shall see - is that it could be a blessing in disguise: there will probably be people who will abuse this in order to send not so nice personal messages to another host. I have been on some word games centers where they had this feature, then took it away, probably becuse of such harrassment from other members. Facebook has the blocking ability, sad if it were necessary to come to that. As of now, I see that there is an "ignore" button, is that like blocking someone? 

[Andrew90]

I think the new feature is great. Now I don't have to send a dummy inquiry to a fellow host to start a discussion.  I'd really like to see a similar feature for hosts not yet registered in the community.  It would be great to be able to reach out my neighbors to coordinate a meetup, share inquiries if dates can't be accommodated, etc.  

I don't think there will be much abuse. And I'm assuming we can still flag/report abuse. 

[Lawrene0]

Hey, @Andrew90, you don't have to send dummy inquiries to fellow hosts. Just below the "About this listing" paragraph on a listing is "Contact host". It works. I have had people contact me that way. 

But I agree that any upgrade to communications is welcome. Thanks for the heads up, @Lizzie!

[Annette33]

@Lawrene0 , but when you fill out the contact form, it asks you to fill in dates, otherwise it will not send - I think that is what @Andrew90 meant with dummy inquiry. So now that is not necessary any longer - nice improvement!

[Lawrene0]

Somehow I had an inquirer earlier this summer get around the dates thing, since there were none attached to his message to me. I just checked my inbox to see whether I dreamed it, and, no, that one is unlike the others. No dates. I assumed he had used "Contact host". Now I'm perplexed. Thanks, @Annette33. Not keen on initiating contact again with that particular fellow, so I will ask the next one. Or just rejoice that it is possible and move on 🙂

[Annette33]

@Lawrene0 , yes, come to think of it, that is how it used to be. another thing that got changed somewhere along the lines, probably just recently....

[Lizzie]

Thanks @Annette33, @Lawrene0 and @Andrew90. I am very pleased to hear we preventing you from having to go through all those hoops to speak with one another. It sounds quite an adventure! hehe 🙂

In terms of your point Annette, I hope you won't need to worry about this, however yes you should see if you click into a message within your Community Center Inbox a button to report a message. 

 

As I mention in my post, we are still smoothing out everything, so let me know if you spot anything out of place. 🙂 

Exciting times!