Nov 10: Back 7 Cups/ Upgrade
Hello Everyone,
We have been conceptualizing and building an update to 7 Cups over the past few weeks. This update has been outlined by @GlenM here. If you have not already, I encourage you read this post to learn more about this update.
Please subscribe to this thread to be alerted with updates & delivery timelines!
Yay!
thank u so much
@Laura @GlenM
Any ETA on this being rolled out? :)
@RocketsMom looks like it'll be Monday morning. Thanks for hanging in there and sorry for delay!
@GlenM
No worries! Although we all know that there will be bumps and revisions along the way, if there are identified glitches, it's best to take care of those before it launches :).
@RocketsMom Actually, new update, looks like it'll be next week, but we are not exactly sure just yet. It won't be early in the week.
i appreciate being notified of this so much, that i'm not even going to go on my regular tirade about the graphical changes. :x'
which my listener was sad to see come to the app, which we were of course expecting. but as for whether they're, "better", well, you have the numbers, not me :P
aaanyway it's also that i think you're doing this the right way for your specific situation, as long as it isn't like thrust in one's face & constantly nagging.
We are still working on the complete app. I'll get you an update soon.
@kittypants
what you see in the app is a partial update related to the soon-to-be published 2.0 version of the Android app. It's not complete yet either way.
The app could really use an update lol, it's amazing you guys are working on it!
@Trencher
soon come
Thank you
Have upgraded my listener account, do I not get the perks on my member account too?
@mattyyc This is a very interesting question and possibly helpful for @KrinktheMellowUnicorn to see. It would seem to make sense that "linked" accounts (i.e. linked by email) would both benefit from a donation by the user, but I could also see some problems occuring with this. I do, on the other hand, see why you would want both your member and listener account to benefit from backing 7 Cups without needing to make two separate charges to your credit/debit card.
Hey. This has been copied from the LSR. I won't be able to make the discussion but if someone is able to pass this on for me, that would be fantastic. I like the idea of backing (note: donating) to the site to help keep it running and further improve -- and in return you get some perks such as access to new features before everyone else. I'm okay with that. My concern is purely if a user's experience is going to be hindered based on how much you pay/donate. I don't like the idea of paying for the privilege of being helped, or vice versa -- especially when we are not professionally trained to provide said help (unless you plan on introducing certified courses?) That's my two cents. Hopefully someone is able to pass it on as I can't get on until an hour after the discussion starts.
I don't want it to be "you can only get help on certain topics if you pay". Which, from Glens post, is what it sounds like. Though I could be getting the wrong end of the stick here.
The emphasis should be on donating for the sake of donating and not on donating because you'll be able to get that help you deserve only if you donate. I think it'd be more of a hindrance if worked in that manner.
I think 7cups should remain free with the option of donating if you want. A fancy title and new forum access as a thank you, perhaps.
I don't think 7cups should become paid with the option of not paying if you don't want to receive full support. Especially when a lot of our members are vulnerable and just need someone to talk to.
I hope that was coherent.
@BugInARug
As far as I know, every member has equal access to listeners, which makes it free. That won't change.
Paid member perks include monthly conference calls about various topics (which I am okay with because hosting conference calls costs money), the leaf sustainability badge, and specialized growth paths. I expect that the conference calls will be recorded and made accessible to all, although I do not know.
My only concern is that specialized growth paths do not cost anything to make available to non-paying members. I would really like to see all the growth paths be accessible to everyone.
I support a for-profit organization because it can show the world that mental health has a place in the marketplace in order to encourage more competition and companies to provide mental health at lower costs. All of this goes towards changing how we address mental health help and that's great. I just want to fight for open access for members who cannot afford to back 7 Cups as much as I can.
@AdVictoriam
Yes, every member has equal access to listeners and that aspect; that service is free. I agree with you there. What isn't free, ultimately, is the subscription. The monetization.
I want to start now by saying that I agree with 7Cups being monetized. I don't agree with the implementation. To put it simply, my issue does not lie with what is being offered. It is how it's being offered.
They're calling it a "donation" for "perks" -- making it sound like if you have the money, you are gaining the privilige to have full access to the site. This whole ordeal would have been far more received if they didn't try to sugar coat it and phrase it as badly as they have.
It should be:
"If you want to gain access to all the features 7 Cups of Tea have to offer, please subscribe." OR "Subscribe now to gain access to hundreds of professionally created self-help guides". Something like that. NOT "Gain benefits by donating your money every single month."
For a support site that relies on community and prides itself of togetherness and support, do not use terms like "benefit" and "perk".
If you're good at something, don't do it for free.
7 Cups is a fantastic support site -- and that's why it needs to be monetized. Just don't say a gem is a diamond when it's just cubic zirconia.
As a businessperson, I agree with the direction @Laura, @GlenM, et al. are taking with 7 Cups and I will support it wholly. What I don't agree with is HOW they are implementing this.
In a website like this, transparency is key.
Show the members who are giving their money (it may just be $5, but to some that is a lot of money) to -- and where it is going. I can promise you members won't mind if the admins scrape a bit off the top. I can assure you if you say, "We're taking 10% to support ourselves to help develop 7 cups, whilst injecting 90% back into 7 Cups" will be more received than "We are making money out of 7 Cups".
If any of the admin team can provide insight or talk to me about this (even privately), I'd be eternally thankful.
@BugInARug
So more of a rephrasing? Position the backing dollars as "if you believe in our core values at 7 Cups and you have some spare money, please help fund us" - would that be better? Then this way the "perks" are thank you gifts for backing 7 Cups.
Glen covered the reason why the financial aspect can't be fully disclosed due to competition. I'm wondering if any information should be disclosed on this because I can see this easily turning ugly with people saying "I don't want my money to go here or there and I'm paying 7 Cups so I can be loud about it" :\
I'm not sure where the middle ground on this would be.
@AdVictoriam
So more of a rephrasing? Position the backing dollars as "if you believe in our core values at 7 Cups and you have some spare money, please help fund us" - would that be better? Then this way the "perks" are thank you gifts for backing 7 Cups.
In essence, I think that'd be more beneficial than the terms that are being used now. I know it's a small thing but it can and does make a big difference.
Glen covered the reason why the financial aspect can't be fully disclosed due to competition.
No, I understand the entirely. It's the same reason my Company won't disclose financial information.
I'm wondering if any information should be disclosed on this because I can see this easily turning ugly with people saying "I don't want my money to go here or there and I'm paying 7 Cups so I can be loud about it" :\
I'm not sure where the middle ground on this would be.
Exactly, and currently; this is exactly what is being promoted.
I think a good solution would be to release periodic (or, perhaps, not even that) updates explaining what the money will achieve. Or even, "Next year... We'll do this."
Road Aheads are great ways of doing this. No financial information needs to be disclosed as, if worded right, i.e. "subscribing" instead of "donating", it's a given that this is what money is being used for. A prime example of this is MMOs (and the Free to Play tiered model).
Basically, the idea is simple: admins outline their plans for the coming year and update members when each 'road' is taken.
That's it. I think that's a suitable middle ground.
Also, give members to donate without perks and to subscribe for perks. Not both.
I like all of that!
@GlenM I think this is a really good alternative way of describing the backing 7 Cups model!
@AdVictoriam I've outlined a lot of what appears to be the issues in this post -- and have been talking with Krink. It might be worth a read. :)
@AdVictoriam To continue on from prior post:
You don't need to incentivize members on a website like this.
@BugInARug
They are running the "opportunity to support 7 Cups" thing several ways. One way is with the focus being on the perks (more of an upgrade). The other way is with the focus being on supporting the site: "please back us...by the way, as a thank you, let us give you something." The team plans to see which draws more traffic and go from there.
@RocketsMom I get that completely, Rockets. It's been discussed in depth between me and Krink, as well as in PMs. I know what they're doing and I support it 110% though as I've said, Transparency and Method are the two biggest issues through everything today.
Though please don't take that as a negative; I love what the team are doing.
With regard to the supporting and benefits (the two main reasons of giving money in this business model), there is a distinct blur between the two formulas which are inevitably causing an issue.
I've gone into detail on it in the above linked post but I am happy to discuss in PM if you want me to. <3
I'm wondering if one day the private chatroom with listeners will keep all messages sent... Is that possible ?
@OmniscientPingouin
No. The main reason I say this is because part of the core mission statement of 7 Cups is the value of an anonymous chat platform for people to feel safe about sharing their fears and secrets.
@AdVictoriam
yes, you're correct that there is no real technical challenge to storing transcripts (maybe a limit on resources eventually) and the reason we don't keep chat logs is a deliberate policy choice to provide a climate of privacy and confidentiality.
@KrinkTheMellowUnicorn Oh alright, I understand that ! But sometimes, my listener and I exchange many very long text so when I have to reply and I see that some things are gone it's pretty hard to understand what we were talking about.. :/ But I understand your security policy :)
@OmniscientPingouin
I understand.
I think one common workaround for that is to make a notebook for that person in your notes and copy and paste critical messages, at least temporarily - while you need to refer to them
I can't find anywhere how much it cost?? What am I overlooking:-) :-)
This site is being promoted as being international.
When I go to the donation link it does not state the type of dollars that I am donating. For an international site, this is a problem.
When I see my credit card statement, is it going to match what I choose to donate, or is there going to be a currency converter? One shouldn't have to guess as to the currency they are donating in.
