Request: Member email preference management from LCR

[MCardoza]

Hopefully this is the right forum, couldn't locate anything specifically for feature requests.

It would be very helpful for clerks to manage subscription settings (at least, opt-out?) for members, possibly adding the following fields located at https://ldsaccount.lds.org/subscriptions into a tab on a member's record.


Since the email broadcast system doesn't implement a dynamic opt-out link in the footer, when we send a blast, we receive responses ranging from "Please unsubscribe," "Remove me from list AGAIN" or "Why am I still getting these stop sending them!" and so on. It's worth noting that our stake is very responsible with the broadcast system and in this case it was to announce a stake-wide fast for an ill child. Anyhow, the only way we can "unsubscribe" a user is by removing the email address entirely from the record which is kind of a nuclear option in 2016.

Furthermore, the current system of removing an email from a member record as an unsubscribe is susceptible to a reintroduction loop because here's what tends to happen:
1) Broadcast email goes out
2) Recipient opt-out request (nice escalating to angry over time)
3) Ward clerk tasked with and completes email address removal
4) ...time passes
5) Helpful auxiliary member notices missing email, makes request to ward or membership to update field with email address collected from a class contact list or something, which re-ads them back into the mass-blast email system. Goto #1

Anyhow, it's something that I think would be very helpful (and I'm sure adding a request to an already very tall pile of requests).
Thanks!

[russellhltn]

First off, there is no opt-out for mass emails from the ward/stake leadership. The options the member has doesn't control that. So that selection would have to be created along with making that setting available to the clerk. But that creates a problem because there may be times that leaders need to override that to get important information out. Where is the dividing line/policy for the override? Features are added as requested/approved by the Priesthood Department. So I'm sure a lot of thought would have to go into any such change.

That kind of feature (opt out of mass emails) has been requested, but you can go ahead and make another via the feedback link in the LCR page.

At this time, it appears to fall on the local leadership to limit mass mailings to what is essential. The amount of feedback you get from the members will give you an idea how well the leadership's view aligns with the member's view. There is a Newsletter feature that could be used for more general things, but it has various issues that limits it's usefulness. Mostly the lack of any kind of email notifications.

Just as a point of comparison, I can't remember the last time my ward/stake leaders sent out a mass email. I think it was because of a significant youth event that was canceled with less then 24 hours notice. But that was years ago. I'd add that it's also been a long time since a stake-wide fast was requested. I realize different stakes do things differently, and we're probably on the extreme end of things. But you may want to evaluate where your stake falls in the use of mass-email.

[sbradshaw]

"Official Church Announcements" refers to periodic emails from the Church (Headquarters), not the ward or stake. There's no way set up for a member to opt out of emails from their ward or stake leaders.

[MCardoza]

Yea, we did some testing yesterday and I learned what you guys already know: That you can't opt-out from that system at all. That's really unfortunate, since the wording on "Official Church Announcements" is "Important Church announcements, initiatives and messages from General Authorities and Church auxiliary leaders." I think many would (incorrectly like I did) assume that Church Auxiliary leaders included emails sent from the stake using the church email messaging system.

That said, having zero method of opt-out aside from deleting an email address entirely doesn't seem right does it?

Also, per Russell's comment, it seems like the dividing line is pretty easy to delineate. The user doesn't want to receive mass-email messaging, so the broadcast system does not deliver to them. Wouldn't that offer a better user experience, since the email address is retained in the user's record, allowing relief society/eqp/other members to contact those individuals without using the broadcast system.

Anyhow, I get that the development teams have a lot of plates to spin, and this is probably ranking lower than the need for other functionality (developing an LCR alternative to MLS Custom Reports). Probably even more so since it would require effort from multiple teams, but I'll go ahead and submit a request through the feedback link regardless of the implied result

[sbradshaw]

Thanks! Using the feedback link is the way to go. If multiple people send feedback about the same issue (and I'm sure this issue has been reported before), it may be put higher on the list of things for those who make decisions to consider.

[scottkins]

I also encountered the same thing this week. I submitted feedback through the website. Thanks for starting this post!

[thomascolleen]

Add my vote for an "unsubscribe" button.

[mevans]

What I'd really like is if members could subscribe to categories of messages. With the soon-do-be-discontinued Newsletter feature, we were hoping for push notifications. I would have loved it if the Email Subscriptions page showed all the Newsletter categories and you could choose the categories of messages for which you wanted to receive push notifications.

[EllisME]

We also really need this feature....

[wbnielson]

I'm having the same problem as well. Has anyone figured out a short term solution to this issue? I don't want to delete the person's email address. So for now, I've been just selecting all ward members and manually removing the ones I know have had issue with email communications.