We Tried and Failed . . . Chat is Dead

We Tried and Failed . . . Chat is Dead

Joshua D.Pro Member
BiggerPockets Founder · HI · Member since 2008 · 16k+ posts · 5k+ votes

Hey Guys - 

One of the most challenging parts of running an online company is figuring out the kinds of features that your users want and will use.  Unfortunately, you'll often hear from your vocal users about a feature and assume that it is something that everyone wants or will use.  Sometimes you even decide that those features make for a better product.

Many times through the history of BiggerPockets, we've launched features that we've ultimately killed off and today marks the day we do it once again.

We launched a live chat feature on the site thinking that it would improve the interactivity of BP.  We assumed that people would be excited to connect in real time with their colleagues and we expected this feature to be a big hit.  Over the years, we've had countless requests for user to user chat and eventually launched the feature.

I believe we did a pretty solid job with it and I ended up using it daily to interact with the community.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for the community at large. Our adoption was pretty terrible and in the end, the cost of keeping the feature for the small handful of people that actually used it was too high.

As such, I'm sorry to announce to those few people that actually found the tool handy, that we have killed off our chat feature.

We aren't chucking the code in the trash and may decide to bring it back in some other capacity in the future, but for now, we bid adieu to chat.

Thanks for the understanding, and hopefully next time we get it right!

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Most Popular Reply

Investor · Leominster, MA · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 589 votes
11y

On a similar note @Joshua D.

 what about an Android app? Any plans?

See this reply in the discussion

55 Replies

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  • Investor · Leominster, MA · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 589 votes
    11y

    On a similar note @Joshua D.

     what about an Android app? Any plans?

  • Bay Shore, NY · Member since 2015 · 15 posts · 0 votes
    11y

    It was a solid idea anyway Josh.  It's unfortunate that it met such a quick demise but as you said, do not throw that code out.  Maybe a bigger or more elaborate marketing campaign to the users of BP regarding the chat feature can be used in the future prior to another rollout?  I'm fairly new to BP so maybe I missed the initial buildup to the release and enough information was given initially.

    I can see the chat feature playing a huge role on a site like this so hopefully this is only a temporary good bye.

  • Real Estate Broker · Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH · Member since 2013 · 30k+ posts · 20k+ votes
    11y

    I was not a big user of the chat feature. I prefer the private message system.

  • Real Estate Broker · Bowie, MD · Member since 2014 · 242 posts · 44 votes
    11y

    I did use the feature occassionally, and the funny thing is I was considering using it a moment ago, then realized the button for it was not there :(...then I seen this post. Either way, BP overall is awesome, so I'm sure the few users (such as myself) will adapt to the site without it.

    Stephanie

  • Investor · Camp Springs, MD · Member since 2015 · 39 posts · 6 votes
    11y

    RIP to the Chat, great work anyway though @Joshua Dorkin !

  • Guy with Great Hair · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    11y

    I didn't really use it at all, I was still sending private messages the old way. I don't need BP to be another social media platform for me to stay connected. 

    I come here to learn and kill time at work while dreaming of real estate deals. 

  • Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2014 · 38 posts · 11 votes
    11y

    At least you tried it... hopefully it rises from the dead in the future, bigger and better!

  • Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11y

    Agreed...it was a solid idea.  But, it was a pain.  I think, if I could have chosen who to allow to chat with me, it would have been good.  However, what it turned into was a bunch of popups on my screen from people I don't really know asking ridiculous questions, because they didn't want to use the search feature.

    Now...about that Android app???????????

  • Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 24 posts · 14 votes
    11y
    It sounded like a good idea! Maybe in the future it could be an invite only function? If you want to chat with someone you have to ask them for access? Sone people might want to chat for a short period of time while working on a deal, but don't necessarily want to open the door to receiving chat messages all the time from anyone.
  • Investor · PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 602 votes
    11y

    What technology were you using to implement chat?  I would think socket.io with Node.js on the server end would be pretty simple and cheap to implement.  I've created a couple 1-pager examples of a chat app and a simple game using the technology.

  • Folsom, CA · Member since 2015 · 94 posts · 19 votes
    11y

    I didn't even know it was there. Hmm, wonder what else I don't know about?

  • Real Estate Broker · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    11y

    'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

    Alfred Lord Tennyson

  • Investor in the making · Orlando, FL · Member since 2014 · 201 posts · 49 votes
    11y

    I think most people like the idea of correspondence more so than live chat, for the same reason many prefer to text instead of talk on the phone. With busy schedules, it allows a person to write back at at their own free time. It also gives a person time to think about what they are going to say, how they will word it, and possibly research a topic before responding.

  • Kalamazoo, MI · Member since 2014 · 224 posts · 129 votes
    11y
    Sorry to hear that. The one thing I do wish you guys would fix though LOL is the app only shows the first three paragraphs that a poster puts up. So if somebody is long winded it usually cuts them off about the time they get to what I want to read. It also does not show pictures. So I read countless posts that look like this. I just did an amazing flip but here's the one lesson I learned that is so valuable I really need to share it here. When you.
  • Investor · Woonsocket, RI · Member since 2008 · 46 posts · 24 votes
    11y

    Keep on trying new things. Not everything can be a home run.

    I am sure the Android app will be a huge success (hint number 5 or so in this thread).

  • Realtor/Investor · Ft Lauderdale/ Miami Florida · Member since 2015 · 311 posts · 104 votes
    11y

    I loved chat, hopefully it will work in the future. Great idea anyway, thanks for keeping us users a priority!

  • Professional · Milwaukie, OR · Member since 2014 · 20 posts · 4 votes
    11y

    Still trying to learn all the cool features available now!  At least BP tried it out, got real data / feedback and was able to make a solid choice for immediate need and think about a more suitable future version.

  • Rental Property Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2013 · 486 posts · 170 votes
    11y

    @Joshua D.  Killing a feature is harder than creating one. Most people don't have the guts to do so. As a result their entire platform suffers because the dead blooms are masking the true beauty of the fresh blooms. 

    I don't know if you saw me last week, I was at your grocery store's parking lot, I had a sign, it read, " Will work for BP Android App."

  • Joshua D.Pro Member
    OP
    BiggerPockets Founder · HI · Member since 2008 · 16k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    11y

    @Hattie Dizmond - It sounds like you're connecting to people that perhaps you don't want to be connecting to. The only way someone could have reached out to you is if you agreed to be colleagues with them.

    @Jordan Thibodeau - Yep.  It is definitely a tough decision, but those need to be made.

  • Investor · Shawnee Mission, KS · Member since 2015 · 423 posts · 114 votes
    11y
    Was chat available via BP app? If it was available on mobile phones I do not see any reason why BP people would not use it as it looks easier than waiting for PM, establishing phone and email communication. If chat was not available via mobile phones - it did not exist for a lot of PM people.
  • Rental Property Investor · Manteno, IL · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    11y

    If people want to chat, they can share their facebook or IM links or whatever and use that. You're a real estate company first and foremost. I know I don't like people pinging me when I'm on anyway.  Then I feel like I have to respond even if I don't really have the time.

    My wish list of features:

    1) A better way to organize the messages in our inbox.  Try finding anything in history on here. Not going to happen.

    2) A contractor's recommendation feature that allows investors to post the names of good contractors they'd recommend along with their pricing.

    I'm still struggling with why people think this would be such a liability.  It would provide more value than anything else that I've seen pushed out since I've been a member.

    You don't need to do reviews so you could eliminate any liability of having negative info on here. Just allow investors to "nominate" contractors that they've used and did good work. And maybe add pricing ($2/sq ft to do floors, etc).  

    If the contractor's work went bad, the investor could remove their nomination and if the contractor didn't have any other recommendations, they'd be remove from the list. EZ Peasy. :-)

  • Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11y

    @Joshua D.

    I'll accept a colleague request and respond to PM's from almost anyone who is not spamming and will take the time to actually write a not with the request.  However, that doesn't mean I want them popping up in front of my face!  :-)

  • Engineer · Portland, OR · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11y
    the chat feature was ok but I still had better luck on Tinder. Seemed like a more receptive audience
  • Professional · Houston, TX · Member since 2012 · 68 posts · 11 votes
    11y

    I never used the chat but was very happy when it first came on. I'm glad its gone because I never use it and I don't like that it makes me feel anti-social

  • Investor · Peachtree Corners, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11y

    @Joshua D.

    We understand it is a business after all, even though it seems more like a very economical Real Estate University!

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