Communication is at the heart of the GroupSpot experience. It’s one of the big differentiators between GroupSpot and other platforms you might consider running your group. On GroupSpot, admins have the ability to tailor their communication type to match the nature of the communication.
From your group menu, select Communications and you will find different ways to communicate: Push Notification, In-AppAlert, Email, and Group Chat. Let’s explore each.
Push Notifications are the most commonly used notification. They’re visible banners that fly in from the top of your screen. They’re commonly used for more immediate situations when you need to get your member’s attention quickly. For example, practice is ending early due to lightning. Or get your RSVPs ASAP for the end-of-season BBQ tomorrow night.
When a push notification is sent, a numbered badge on your notification bell icon in your lower navigation appears. This lets members know there’s a notification waiting to open.
In-App Alerts are similar to push notifications, however they do not register a banner. They only register the numbered badge on your notification bell icon in your lower navigation. Think of in-app alerts as soft reminders. For example, the team store is closing in one week, don’t forget to place your order. Or don’t forget to check out this week’s tailgate signup on the game post to volunteer.
Then, of course, there is Email. Email is another nice option because you can reach every member on the app in the group without having their personal information in your contacts. It can also be helpful in elevating important posts since email is a common denominator. We’ve found email is especially effective when a group is transitioning from email-only-communications to GroupSpot. The transition is not as stark and email can be used to push people to GroupSpot.
The final communications option in your list is Group Chat. Once selected, you’re able to launch group chat. Group chat is a great forum for members to ask questions and it’s also a fun place for the light banter amongst the members. Everyone can participate in group chat.
One final item to point out from your Communications screen is History. Once selected, History is a repository of all your sent communications. It’s like your sent box in email, but instead of just emails, it also includes your push notifications and in-app alerts as well. This helps you keep a record of your communications. This is especially important when managing a large, organized group.
GroupSpot also lets you chat 1:1 or multi-person chat as well. To start a chat, return to your home screen with your list of groups. Choose the chat icon in your lower navigation. You will notice two tabs up top, Personal and Group. Personal chats are 1:1 or small group chats while Chat Groups are great for large, multi-person chat groups. To get started, hit the + button on the top right of your screen to launch a chat. If you belong to more than one group, select the group you want to chat with to access a full list of members. Select who you want to chat with and then press CHAT.
GroupSpot allows you to tailor your communications to match the nature of your communication.
