The Human Phonebook

[sm1]

Hi all - hope you're enjoying the sunshine

As far as I can see there is no such thing as a human phonebook is there?

I have seen the 118 118 people search but obviously that excludes people.

What I am thinking is the most basic form of a social networking site, where you just add the basic details - name, address and phone numbers. Then you have a 'profile' as such and to view others details it sends an invite. Auto reminders etc. can mean detials are updated frequently.

This also has scope for mobile web.

Cheers

 

[danmaull]

Are you wanting this online as in local areas you have your yellow pages with most peoples details in, It could work on the web however i think many people will not enter there details and it will be hard to get a large percentage of the country to sign up as we have an ageing population.
I might have got the wrong end of the stick but these are my thoughts

 

[sm1]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for your views. I was looking at this as more of a national/international view. I think that it would be targetted like the social networking sites such as myspace and facebook.

I guess it would be sort of viral.

Cheers.

 

[sm1]

Just to add I think the priniciple could be added to businesses as well(although that would be similar to Yell, which is not making it unique, whereas the humans is).

Cheers

 

[Courir]

Hi Stefan,

Not so sure this is a viable business opportunity for you - I would not add my details to the web for fear of receiving who knows what in terms of inbound sales calls. I am sure there are bots out there harvesting phone numbers as well as email's for subsequent use by auto-diallers. This view is probably held by many others too.

At the same time as a parent I would ban our kids from adding such details as, I am sure, would many more so this rules out the under 14-16's.

Business users fine although there are loads of sites doing this already.

Best of luck but I would head back to the drawing board I am afraid.

Mike

 

[Snapper]

Hi Stefan

I'd have to agree with Mike. You are almost handing sales people your crown jewels for safe-keeping. Marketing firms have enough information about us already without making it much easier for them to target us.

Granted, if you really want to find out where someone lives you probably will, but a complete listing of everyone's address! Want to find the addresses of the jury members of a drugs trial, or the receptionist of the local family-planning clinic?

Step too far methinks.

 

[sm1]

Hi guys!

I see what you are saying however as mentioned above:

Then you have a 'profile' as such and to view others details it sends an invite.

It would be an invitation system so that not everyone can get to your details. In the society we live in I understand that it is not suitable to have your details just freely available.

Let me know what you think!

Cheers

 

[Officebird]

When trying to find someones address or phone number why not use http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/publisha.content/en/index.publisha ??

The only people not on there are those that are ex directory. Am I getting the wrong end of the stick?:|

 

[Tim R-T-C]

So I am Mr Joe Average - what makes me want to sign up? What is the point?

How can you sell it to the people who will actually make it work?

 

[capsule01]

I think this service would be to easy to abuse and therefor I wouldn't put any personal data on it.

 

[Ashley_Price]

This sounds like what Bigfoot have been doing for years.

 

[sm1]

Cheers guys - It seems I am not putting my ideas across very well. Imagine your phonebook (paper version) but online. Everyone that you have in their would have a profile and they way you can search for them and link with them is by sending an invite (like social networking sites)

Sara - Similar to that, but it would include email addresses, mobile numbers etc.

Tim - The site would enable you to have the latest details of all of the people you know. It would be mobile so you can access it from any internet connection including from a mobile device. Details would need verifying every so often so that they are correct and up to date.

Capsule01 - How do you think it's easy to abuse?

Cheers

 

[sm1]

Cheers Ashley, however it would be UK based and involve a 'profile' so that people have to have a mutual agreement to share contact details.

Cheers

 

[Ashley_Price]

But what's the point of it being a directory only for people to invite each other? Why should I email to invite you to a site so you can see my details, why don't I just give you my details?

 

[Tim R-T-C]

I see, it is something like your mobile phone contact book, but accessible online, and if people play along, it will update automatically (will be a lot easier than having to e-mail/text everyone your new mobile number).

It could be a good idea, but with any site like this the big crux is 'critical mass' - how are you going to get enough people to sign up that it becomes a 'must sign-up site'?

Since the revenue will presumably be based on advertising - my main thought is that users will probably only visit the site to sign up and select their friends, and then occasionally to 'allow people' or look up a number. Not too much advertising exposure there. The big social networking sites try and get their users to visit every single day.

 

[sm1]

Cheers -

Ashley - The whole invite idea is like a social networking site - you click 'add' and then an invite is sent so the recipient chooses accept or reject, depending on if they know you. The idea then is that you have updated details.

Tim - Cheers, yes that's the best way of explaining it really! Ummmm with regards to making it a 'must sign-up site' - it would be viral as such and like the current social networks it would rely on referrals etc. I think it's something that could be promoted quite well through the press and spread around current social networking sites. With regards to money, yes it would mainly be through advertising. If it were to include businesses it could be free for a standard listing, but pay for a 'special listing'. Also this platform could be rolled out to companies, so they can have a 'dynamic phonebook' for their employees. I totally understand the moneymaking side is extremely important, however I have not thought it through 100%. Thanks for the help

Cheers all