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Control of unsolicited TeamDesk messages to TeamDesk users

As the system owner, I regularly get messages from Teamdesk (top right "messages") telling me about Alert systems, Text Qery Language, requesting case study material and such like. As the "owner" and developer of applications this is fine, though I note I have no control to filter or opt out.

For me what is NOT fine, is that many of these messages are presented to my users, inluding those with "no access" to set up, and external users, to whom these messages are unwanted and a distraction, serving to weaken my case to them for using the system (my situation being one of persuasion rather then imposing use).

I have looked under both setup and personal information to see where these messages can be switched off, but could not find it.

TeamDesk Support advise that I can't switch it off and that the message system is used to inform customers about TeamDesk news and scheduled maintenance events.

My position is that notification of Scheduled Maintenance events to non-admin users is fine – as it materially effects the users direct use of the system.

However ”TeamDesk news” and “Requests for Customer reference information” is not acceptable for non-admin users – especially for external customers who consider it intrusive spam.

TeamDesk advise that I am the only person to raise this to date and suggest I raise this here, in Idea Exchange.

Any takers?

ID
417

Category
User Experience

Author

Desmond Beatty

Date Created
2/2/2011 9:01:47 AM

Date Updated
5/26/2011 6:00:45 AM

Status
New Idea

Score
40

Promoted By

	basenine		mcook		Scott Miller
	Desmond Beatty

Comments

	Scott Miller 2/2/2011 9:07:24 AM I could see this being an issue for external customers.
	mcook 2/2/2011 9:21:01 AM Wow - If it is true to that the same messages goes to our customers then this is definitely unacceptable. Sadly I assumed they did not go to customers. I see zero logic to support any teamdesk updates going to customers. At the same time I have never received feedback from customers that they are getting the emails mentioned.
	Sam Parish 2/2/2011 9:22:15 AM Make excellent case. In my experience, when I am persuading others to embrace the application, this is least of my obstacles. I focus on usability of forms and easy logic. Consensus is King get feedback from users.
	Kirill Bondar Staff 2/2/2011 10:24:43 AM Alert system is much more sophisticated that you may think. It is controlled by number of parameters - alert priority, timeframe, whether it is sent to all users or to admins only and many more. For example, maintenance alerts are displayed few days before the maintenance events and disappear immediately after. As we perform updates on Saturday when noone is usually working, and downtime does not last longer than few minutes, we typically send such types of alert to admins only. The only alert of such kind we sent to all users was about lengthy database maintenance procedure where we expected 2hrs downtime. Oh, forgot New Year alert :) From all others messages, regular users see two: first explaining what alert system is for, and another explaning the changes we've made to text query language as it affected their TeamDesk user experience. No recently introduced features were announced to regular users as they all are accessible from setup section and thus relevant to administrators only.
	Desmond Beatty 2/2/2011 10:39:58 AM for clarity - it's not emails. its the "message" option that appears in the top left. I accept that usability and easy logic are more important. Junk/unsolicited messaging is simply unhelpful and weak.
	basenine 2/2/2011 3:21:10 PM I'm with Desmond on this one. I don't mind the maintenance alerts but the other tech stuff isn't necessary for the average Joe. In my case, where I'm selling my application under a different name, a customer might start looking through all the blogs and get onto TD via a "backdoor" (?). This may cause confusion for pricing structure... SO yes - I'd like to manage access for these messages. Maybe something simple like all users get maintenance alerts - only app owners/or app resellers get other alerts...
	Kirill Bondar Staff 2/2/2011 6:14:28 PM @Brett - its all about sophisticated control. Being a dbFLEX user you won't receive any - so far :)
	Kirill Bondar Staff 2/2/2011 6:18:43 PM @Desmond: we have tried emails at the beginning - we were asking for message categories, however soon we realized this way of news publishing was a kind of unsolicited messages in many cases. We replaced this with alerts after all - we display if there is something new for you, though if you don't want it, don't read it.
	Desmond Beatty 5/26/2011 6:00:45 AM Dear Val and Kirill In the past day or so ALL my users - including my external customer users had the following message posted via the "1 message!" link in the top right of the screen "TeamDesk on Facebook If you are on Facebook and would like to follow TeamDesk news, alerts and polls, you may want to visit our page on FB. TeamDesk on Facebook" For my customers, this is unsolicited JUNK! and diminishes both my customers user experience and the image both of my service and of TeamDesk. It is very unsophisticated! When logged in as the Admin, I tolerate such messages and as Kirill says "If I don't want it, I don't read it" (though I have to read it to decide). Please either cease sending such messages to all users, confining its use to user relevant maintenance alerts or provide a means for the admin to control or filter what messages go to customers.

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