The Red Cross will allow those wishing to donate to receive text messages when it is time again to donate. When blood levels are down potential donators will be sent a reminder message. BD 
The Red Cross Blood Services, South Central Division has implemented a mobile media program offering people the opportunity to sign up for text alerts on blood inventory levels, receive educational information about donating blood, make their next donation appointment or locate the nearest blood drive.
Donors can subscribe to Red Cross texting simply by sending redcross to 42227 or registering at bloodisneeded.org.
Linda Montgomery, a counselor for 37 years at the VA Regional Office and a regular Red Cross blood donor, gave the program a thumbs-up.
Where I live they have already started texting - WITHOUT my permission. I have given blood for many years. I receive a paper solicitation in the mail. not a problem. Then I gave them my email as part the registration process. They starting soliciting me to give blood via email. I didn't like it but... I didn't stop it.
ReplyDeleteThe next thing I know, I get a text message asking me to donate. Now this made me angry. I did not give them permission to text me and due to my plan, I was charged for the message. I called Red Cross and politely asked them to not text me anymore. They weren't gracious but they agreed to it. Two days later I got a phone call on my cell phone asking me to give blood. Again, NO permission. When I explained my experience to the person on the phone, I got back a very rude, "sorry you don't want to help save lives anymore..." and a hang up.
This is social media gone awry. Using multiple channels to contact is person can be ok. But the point of social media is attraction NOT promotion. When I follow red cross on twitter that's attraction. I only hope that somehow, someone at red cross will hear this plea and think about their strategy. thanks.
Thanks for adding your input. This is a big issue today and I talk about it quite a bit, implementation is the key for technology to work correctly, rather than just throwing it out there
ReplyDeletehttp://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/06/are-cell-phones-enabling-anyone-to-be.html
I agree that good intentions can go awry if not done properly and we should have the opportunity to change our preferences too without repercussion as things in our lives change too. It is unfortunate that you were trying to do a good thing, and yet it ended up being a nightmare far from what the messages were supposed to accomplish. I call it "eating our own dogfood", which means every one at the Red Cross should be enrolled at a pilot and work wit the program too, so shortfalls and improvements can be made and adjusted to work the way it was initiated in a proof of concept idea.