Suggestion: Email removal link in LCR email as a way to be excluded from LCR emails

Hello,

We have received a dozen or so requests for people who want their emails removed from Stake-wide emails sent from LCR. I've noticed that there are no unsubscribe links at the bottom of these emails but instead a message that the person has made their email address available to local leaders. This causes whoever sent the email to have to track down who can remove it, usually me, who then has to track down the ward clerk, who then deletes it from the member's record.

It would be much better if there was a unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email like there is on emails coming from Church HQ. I realize these are different things in that the user didn't subscribe to anything in this case but simply has their email on their member record (made available to local leadership as it says), but I feel we are shooting ourselves in the foot by forcing them to ask for their email to be removed in order to stop such messages. It would be better if there is a way to prohibit an email address on a member's record from being accessed via the "Send a message" application within LCR. That allows contact directly from the member's record by the local unit if needed, but keeps them from getting a bunch of perceived spam from Stake-wide or Ward-wide emails.

Thanks.

Or, the church could hand out guidelines on when/what is appropriate for LCR email broadcasts. If the leaders are using it to broadcast a regular newsletter, I can understand why some members want their emails removed.

@russellhltn, Guidelines are always a good idea. However, guidelines to not solve the problem if someone does not want to receive any bulk communications. It is not a lot of email, perhaps a couple per quarter. In this case, it was information about Stake Conference dates and locations to view via webcast. I do not believe anyone is using LCR for newsletters or that ilk, certainly not at the Stake level. Right now, when sending a Stake-wide email, we have to manually go find and remove those who have requested not to receive those emails, or contact the Ward clerk to remove their email address from their membership record. Neither seem ideal when there can be a elegant technology based solution.

But such a change has to be passed though the Priesthood Department in consolation with the legal department.

I'd imagine what they're going to look at is that members can't turn off all communication from their leaders and still be considered a member - yet leaders are not to abuse that. That's why I'm suggesting that what may happen is things will remain as they are and guidelines on how to handle this will be handed down.

I'd imagine the bulk of the complaints are going to come from hard-core inactives or from members tired of being spammed (in their view).

If you want to submit feedback, use the link in the LCR page. That does land in the inbox of someone who can put that on a list.

russellhltn wrote:But such a change has to be passed though the Priesthood Department in consolation with the legal department.

I guess there is red tape everywhere

russellhltn wrote:I'd imagine what they're going to look at is that members can't turn off all communication from their leaders and still be considered a member

I actually was not suggesting that they have the option to turn off all communications, just bulk communications via LCR. By disallowing LCR bulk emails but leaving the email in the member's record, we allow local leaders to directly control communications with a member who obviously still needs communications, but provided, perhaps, a bit more judiciously.

russellhltn wrote:If you want to submit feedback, use the link in the LCR page. That does land in the inbox of someone who can put that on a list.

That's a great idea. Thanks for suggesting this!

Best Regards,
Steve

sj3vans wrote:I guess there is red tape everywhere

The biggest issue people have is understanding the "top down" nature of who is in control of the church. Most people think of organizations as being "customer driven". The church is not. At least, not in the usual sense.

sj3vans wrote:I actually was not suggesting that they have the option to turn off all communications, just bulk communications via LCR. By disallowing LCR bulk emails but leaving the email in the member's record, we allow local leaders to directly control communications with a member who obviously still needs communications, but provided, perhaps, a bit more judiciously.

I'd make sure that's spelled out in the suggestion.

Just a tip for those who want a workaround:

1) Change their membership record email address to include an invalid character such as "(Test@gmail.com)" instead of "test@gmail.com". the system will error out but members can still search for and send them email manually.

2) IF YOU HAVE GMAIL: Use an alias and then setup a filter for messages sent to that address.

Just add "+anytexthere" to the email address before the @gmail.com. For instance. johnsmith+news@gmail.com will still be sent to johnsmith@gmail.com. Then the filter can check for messages sent to johnsmith+news@gmail.com and delete them automatically, mark as read, label them, etc.

It's not a perfect solution but it works...

adoga wrote:Just a tip for those who want a workaround:

1) Change their membership record email address to include an invalid character such as "(Test@gmail.com)" instead of "test@gmail.com". the system will error out but members can still search for and send them email manually.

As stake executive secretary, we use a similar mechanism... when a member replies back with a request for list removal, I reply with an apology, and cc: the bishop and ward clerk. The ward clerk will preface the members email with "DONOTUSE_lilburnboggs@gmail" or "PRIVATE_lilburnboggs@gmail". The ward leaders can still remove the prefix for personal emails, but the bulk emails via LCR will not be delivered to them.