StevePavlina.com Suggestion Box

[Max Power]

Can you answer these two questions for me please

1. Would you use a website that features suggestion boxes, where you can post, vote and comment ideas and suggestions to improve your favorite social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, even Stevepavlina.com??

2. What interests you more, the online communities you are part of (like here) or companies and products.

We built Zoowise - Your Suggestion Box as a site that offers online suggestion boxes for companies and products, but we think that market is either too broad or not very exciting for the main web audience.

We think the idea of offering a central place for web users to add ideas and suggestions for things they care about is solid, but we're having trouble identifying the right market. We don't want to steal anyone's audience but offer a solution for web users and community operators.

What's the most important thing to you? Where you work? The products you buy? or the communities you're part of?

As always, I'm grateful for your advice

Max

Zoowise - Your Suggestion Box is currently in company/product mode, but we're seriously thinking of changing the direction to support social networks.

[Brutha]

How about making some 1337 facebook plugin interaction?
Everytime someone makes some suggestion (or support an idea), his friends get noticed and asked to support his idea.
That way a popular idea could spread really fast. It also looks viral.

[Max Power]

Originally Posted by Brutha

How about making some 1337 facebook plugin interaction?
Everytime someone makes some suggestion (or support an idea), his friends get noticed and asked to support his idea.
That way a popular idea could spread really fast. It also looks viral.

Thanks Brutha, not sure I understand your references though, can you explain?

By 1337 do you mean elite? As in specialised facebook plugins?

So if we had a facebook section on zoowise then somone could leave a suggestion to improve facebook and somehow that person's friends are notified of the idea and asked to vote it up? Is that what you mean?

Max

[Iksander]

1337 = leet

Facebook plugins are pretty cool, that certainly is something to think about - they are basically 'external applications that can be used on a facebook profile by any user'. So, your site functionality could integrate very nicely with a facebook profile...

As in, people that have their places of work listed on their profile can rank it and it will be updated to the Zoowise webpage (and the other way around too).

[Savage]

For a high traffic web site, a greater quantity of feedback and suggestions may be totally undesirable. Over the years I've had to make changes to make it harder for people to offer up casual suggestions. No one would have time to read/process them, so more isn't helpful.

Better suggestions are indeed helpful, but the most popular suggestions aren't usually the best. The most popular suggestions I get are sometimes the most impractical to implement, at least in the near term.

In any event good quality feedback is in abundance. I have a lengthy list of to-dos based on visitor feedback that would take a few years to implement. Lengthening that list even more isn't too appealing.

I wouldn't be interested in a suggestion-rating tool that gave people the false impression that the top suggestions would actually be delivered soon.

IMO this tool attempts to solve a problem that high-traffic web sites simply do not have.

[Max Power]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

For a high traffic web site, a greater quantity of feedback and suggestions may be totally undesirable. Over the years I've had to make changes to make it harder for people to offer up casual suggestions. No one would have time to read/process them, so more isn't helpful.

Better suggestions are indeed helpful, but the most popular suggestions aren't usually the best. The most popular suggestions I get are sometimes the most impractical to implement, at least in the near term.

In any event good quality feedback is in abundance. I have a lengthy list of to-dos based on visitor feedback that would take a few years to implement. Lengthening that list even more isn't too appealing.

I wouldn't be interested in a suggestion-rating tool that gave people the false impression that the top suggestions would actually be delivered soon.

IMO this tool attempts to solve a problem that high-traffic web sites simply do not have.

Steve,

Thanks for your feedback, but I use Dell as an example. they started a suggestion box type service and it's very popular and has affected (even in a small way) the operation of their company. We built zoowise as a site for the communities around a product company and/or website, not specifically for the companies themselves.

I think you're looking at it from the owners POV, dreading the idea that you'll have to implement the suggestions. This fear is justifible and that's why companies and large traffic websites shy away from customer feedback. They don't want to know because they worry they'll be expected to implement the most popular suggestions.

Yahoo and Dell run systems like this and there is an expectation for the companies to implement, but we think that because zoowise doesn't openly represent a company or website, most of that expectation wouldn't be implied.

If I ran a stevepavlina.com suggestion box on zoowise, people then have a place to extend the SP community, same with any company of website. Wether you implement ideas from zoowise doesn't matter.

As your own website here is very community driven (I myself come here everyday and try to help out) the community feels they have a stake in the site. When communities and social networks are people driven and the people who drive them feel a part of them, they seem to desire the ability to offer ideas and suggestions to improve them.

The owners and operators of the communities may not like the idea of customer feedback for fear of an expectation of implementation, but you can't expect people to help built a community into something good and then not be interested in what they have to say about improving the community.

I appreciate your time to offer your opinion, I suppose it means the stevepavlina.com suggestion box on zoowise wouldn't receive any ideas from you but I would like to offer some helpful suggestions and ideas, I care enough about stevepavlina.com to want to contribute my opinion to help improve the site, where should I place my ideas and suggestions? Sounds like zoowise is just the ticket

Thanks for your time.

Max

[OnionJack]

Hey Max,

It's my first post but I have a few thoughts on your website and idea. They are unrefined, so please take them with a grain of salt.

I really like the idea of a community of independent users posting their thoughts on how a website can improve it's interactiveness and design/offerings. As a side note I'm having a website developed that needs user input significantly if it is to succeed(social network). And so am interested in finding the concepts which balance too much or not enough input, and making it too hard to implement.

What you may want to look to do is have independent users that you can rely on. And also anonymous users give their critique of the site and offerings as they use it. At the same time you want to be a partner and integrated with the third party sites.

Possibly by creating easy to use modules that your customers can drop onto your site. Where you have a community to help contribute, or possibly sort through feedback from customers. I haven't researched so cannot comment accurately on specifics.


Many sites wish they had access to the thoughts that their users could offer them in a constructive manner. That is your niche. If you made it your business to become a specialist at gathering customer sentiment in a non-intrusive way. It would be a win-win.

Your expertise would be in gathering customer feedback, across a spectrum of industries. The sites would benefit by the increased awareness that they are offered. And many people have no problem offering their input on what they think could be better.

I would try to find a way to monetize integrating yourself with the website. And at the same time overall benefitting everyone by making the product/concept they are trying to offer more effective. Maybe offer prizes to contributing members? Just a random concept.

If you had a community of users for instance that like to get a sneak-peek and give their feedback it may be valuable. Now for businesses these may not be the key customers. So you will also want to find a way to reach those core customers.

[Max Power]

Originally Posted by OnionJack

Many sites wish they had access to the thoughts that their users could offer them in a constructive manner. That is your niche. If you made it your business to become a specialist at gathering customer sentiment in a non-intrusive way. It would be a win-win.

OJ, Thanks for the detailed feedback. There is no central place for community users to offer feedback, suggestions and advice to improve the communities they use, so we built zoowise.

The community operators do, we believe want to know what their users want to improve, but they are fearful of responsiblity to implement, hence the need for a neutral central place for users to post at, which we think will remove the percieved responsibility to implement any ideas.

We're going to dump the business/company angle and go after online communities and social networks, that's where the users are and they are passionate about the sites they use. We consider a person who works at Walmart isn't probably as motivated as a Facebook or MySpace user to contribute ideas and suggestions. People are passionate about their online tools to communicate with others and express themselves, so we'll go where the passion is.

Thanks again for the comments.

Max

[OnionJack]

Originally Posted by Max Power

OJ, Thanks for the detailed feedback. There is no central place for community users to offer feedback, suggestions and advice to improve the communities they use, so we built zoowise.

The community operators do, we believe want to know what their users want to improve, but they are fearful of responsiblity to implement, hence the need for a neutral central place for users to post at, which we think will remove the percieved responsibility to implement any ideas.

We're going to dump the business/company angle and go after online communities and social networks, that's where the users are and they are passionate about the sites they use. We consider a person who works at Walmart isn't probably as motivated as a Facebook or MySpace user to contribute ideas and suggestions. People are passionate about their online tools to communicate with others and express themselves, so we'll go where the passion is.

Thanks again for the comments.

Max

Hey Max,

I just want to do a quick disclaimer. I, by nature, prefer the adversial/thought provoking responses. It's what I appreciate, and like to offer. So, please take my comments as you will.

As far as contributing to social/viral sites, I rarely do. But one thing I appreciate is certificates/secure logos on site. At the same time you're going for those social sites and such, your requiring users to leave that site and go to yours to comment.

That's the point I was trying to make by integrating. When my site is up and running, I would be glad to outsource the customer feedback for a nominal fee. And I mean nominal. Your company is still gaining valuable insight into customer habits. That you can span across entire markets.

People like a neutral source. I know they won't mess with my account if I give a negative feedback on something. What I was trying to suggest was be the middle man between B2B and B2C.

And yet, it still is in the flow of the web site. The consumer doesn't have to leave the site. Their comments are left, and interpretted by a neutral party, and the purchase/action is completed.

The devil is in, getting enough customer feedback, to show your value to the larger and more mainstream sites.

[Michael Chui]

I haven't really parsed the above comments, but here are some suggestions:

1. The word "widget" is worth looking up, in reference to website design and business. See Fred Wilson. See if you can integrate into the client's website, rather than directing users to yours.

2. As Steve pointed out, quantity doesn't matter when no one reads them. Your clients should have the available manpower to get lots of people reading suggestions. So, big companies (like Dell) are a good fit.

3. Is mimicking an analog device--a suggestion box--the best way to deal with suggestions?

4. Differentiate between popularity and quality. There's a distinction between "I want that" and "I think that's a good idea". You see this a lot in online game forums: there's a class of users who can say, "This will really hurt me, but it's good for the game." (There are other classes, obviously, but the existence of this class is a really encouraging one.)

[Max Power]

Originally Posted by OnionJack

Hey Max,

I just want to do a quick disclaimer. I, by nature, prefer the adversial/thought provoking responses. It's what I appreciate, and like to offer. So, please take my comments as you will.

As far as contributing to social/viral sites, I rarely do. But one thing I appreciate is certificates/secure logos on site. At the same time you're going for those social sites and such, your requiring users to leave that site and go to yours to comment.

That's the point I was trying to make by integrating. When my site is up and running, I would be glad to outsource the customer feedback for a nominal fee. And I mean nominal. Your company is still gaining valuable insight into customer habits. That you can span across entire markets.

People like a neutral source. I know they won't mess with my account if I give a negative feedback on something. What I was trying to suggest was be the middle man between B2B and B2C.

And yet, it still is in the flow of the web site. The consumer doesn't have to leave the site. Their comments are left, and interpretted by a neutral party, and the purchase/action is completed.

The devil is in, getting enough customer feedback, to show your value to the larger and more mainstream sites.

OJ, Thanks again, you're right, the devil is in the detail and which market we go after, some people are saying stick with companies, some are saying go after the social network angle, but I'm starting to think we can do both if we present well.

Yes our intention was to offer a paid version where we'd list your site for a small fee and store all the suggestions and ideas and then send them to you.
We would provide the sugestion box, you'd get all the suggestions without any of the work.

Thanks again for your comments, much apreicated.

Max

[Max Power]

Originally Posted by Michael Chui

I haven't really parsed the above comments, but here are some suggestions:

1. The word "widget" is worth looking up, in reference to website design and business. See Fred Wilson. See if you can integrate into the client's website, rather than directing users to yours.

2. As Steve pointed out, quantity doesn't matter when no one reads them. Your clients should have the available manpower to get lots of people reading suggestions. So, big companies (like Dell) are a good fit.

3. Is mimicking an analog device--a suggestion box--the best way to deal with suggestions?

4. Differentiate between popularity and quality. There's a distinction between "I want that" and "I think that's a good idea". You see this a lot in online game forums: there's a class of users who can say, "This will really hurt me, but it's good for the game." (There are other classes, obviously, but the existence of this class is a really encouraging one.)

Thanks Michael for your comments, your point about the term suggestion box is a valid one, we may change it to idea bank or something like that.

Thanks again

Max

[Savage]

@Max: Last time I checked, Yahoo and Dell weren't in great shape -- both have been in a long-term downward spiral, competitively speaking. Yahoo has been getting trounced by Google, and Dell lost its #1 market position to HP. I'm not suggesting their feedback mechanisms contributed to this decline, but I don't find these examples too encouraging. I don't think Yahoo's and Dell's problems will be solved by more and louder feedback.

As for visitor feedback on StevePavlina.com, there are multiple mechanisms in place for that: the contact form, the forums, blog trackbacks, phone calls, letters in the mail, etc. When people send me suggestions, I process and prioritize them. The forums you're using right now are one of those results in fact. Adding yet another channel would be overkill at best. Down the road it might become helpful to add more channels, but for now it's certainly not a sensible priority.

[Max Power]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

@Max: Last time I checked, Yahoo and Dell weren't in great shape -- both have been in a long-term downward spiral, competitively speaking. Yahoo has been getting trounced by Google, and Dell lost its #1 market position to HP. I'm not suggesting their feedback mechanisms contributed to this decline, but I don't find these examples too encouraging. I don't think Yahoo's and Dell's problems will be solved by more and louder feedback.

Zoowise would never represent Dell or Yahoo or SP.com, it's not about fixing problems or fixing companies, it's about allowing communities to have a voice. Would your site here be as popular or as profitable without the forums? People want to feel a part of something, it's human nature.

As for visitor feedback on StevePavlina.com, there are multiple mechanisms in place for that: the contact form, the forums, blog trackbacks, phone calls, letters in the mail, etc. When people send me suggestions, I process and prioritize them. The forums you're using right now are one of those results in fact. Adding yet another channel would be overkill at best. Down the road it might become helpful to add more channels, but for now it's certainly not a sensible priority.

Steve, I appreciate that you having to handle suggestions and feedback, while important surely it must be time consuming, that's kind of the point of zoowise, to unburden the operator, unburden the company, the business, so they can focus on running the show, while people with suggestions and ideas can use a site like zoowise to voice their contribution for improvment.

I think you may be thinking that zoowise would be an official representative of your site here, but that's not our intention. if every suggestion, feedback, feature request was added and voted on so you could see what people wanted from your site and all of that was hosted somewhere else and you didn't have to do anything except maybe visit us and see what was being suggested, then isn't that beneficial to you, your site and you community.

I think your resistance to the concept could stem from thinking incorrectly that we would represent you or be a representitve of any company we listed, but that's not the case, we wouldn't be an add-on for your site, we would be a community of users and customers that have an opinion and wish to voice it and even further promote your site.

Zoowise isn't for complaints or negativity, it's for enhancing and improving what people find important, their favorite products, websites, communities etc.

Thanks for your input, it helps me focus.

Max

[Savage]

Originally Posted by Max Power

Would your site here be as popular or as profitable without the forums?

Yes, I'm certain it would, probably moreso. It's a common misperception that community building contributes significantly to traffic and revenue for a blog. This simply isn't true in my experience.

[ZHereford]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

Yes, I'm certain it would, probably moreso. It's a common misperception that community building contributes significantly to traffic and revenue for a blog. This simply isn't true in my experience.

I think this is very true!

Steve is very generous to host/support this forum. It's more of a venue for others to express their ideas than a traffic or revenue generating vehicle.

p.s. I just got back from Vegas with my family. We had a great time! I can't believe regular people actually live in Vegas year round.

[Max Power]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

Yes, I'm certain it would, probably moreso. It's a common misperception that community building contributes significantly to traffic and revenue for a blog. This simply isn't true in my experience.

Well ok then. I suppose a blog doesn't need a forum, still needs a suggestion box or customer feedback section though, but at zoowsie all that's done for you, we provide the suggestion box, you get all the suggestions, you don't have to do anything

Max