WhatsApp Groups made for projects- what are my rights? 4

[sfat]

Now a days, i am facing this problem that architect/ PM makes a group on whatsApp and add us in it. Since you don't need to ask anyone for making a group, that if they wish to join or not, its becoming very common that people do it. They add you in that group with Client, and other consultants and expect you to be a part of it.

These group and discussions are a total distraction for me, and i dont want to be part of it. I tried to tell a few people so, but they insisted on it. I feel frustrated that first, i am not being asked whether i want to be part of it, and second, if i exit from the group, it sends a harsh image of mine.

I want to know what are my rights? how do i put it nicely in words to tell everyone, that i shouldnt be expected to attend and respond to all those several conversations on whatsapp group, in which i am being added without my consent.

 

[MIStructE_IRE]

Wow.. I havent come across that one - yet! Can’t say i’d be keen to get involved either. They will expect that you’ve nothing better to do than be on call for them 24/7 working on nothing else but their job!

You could send them a fee for participating in this as an additional service and see how much they really want it!!

Alternatively, join, mute, and forget about it! Respond to emails only.

I’m not sure about “rights” but you may be perceiieved as not willing to engage and not be a good boy! It is however absolute horsesh1t!

 

[ThomasH]

Interesting question. So far I have not been asked to participate in that type of activity.

But what is the major difference between this and the exchange of information using mail? A steady flow of mails can also be a distraction .

But I can't see the big advantage from the PM's side. Have they replaced mail with WhatsApp? That would be unconventional.

Thomas

 

[MIStructE_IRE]

I would say the major difference is the expectation that you’re at the client’s/PM’s beckon call 24/7! Email is bad enough at the moment:

“I sent you the drawing last night, why did you not respond yet?!”

“When did you send it?”

“10pm...”

 

[ThomasH]

I have both email and WhatsApp om my smartphone. But it is still my choice if I reply on a work related email "after hours".
The company's email policy does not require me to be available 24/7. It actually encourages me to not be available 24/7.

Thomas

 

[Lomarandil]

Yep, sounds like a discussion of expectations and professional standards is in order.

"I saw the WhatsApp group. Happy to be a part, but so you know, I will be treating this with the same priority as an email or phone call to my desk. Appreciate your understanding."

If needed, reinforce by billing lawyer style, rounded up in 15 minute intervals.

----
just call me Lo.

 

[sfat]

The difference on email and whatsApp are big. like, On email, one try to be formal and careful in writing, whereas i found out that whatsApp allow you to chat and reply instantly, making it casual/informal and sometimes unreasonable. Having everyone on board, you come across discussion not related to you and if you miss something on that flooded conversation which might be of your concern, you get the blame.
Second it gets into your personal space. whenever you check your phone, and there are unread messages lying in your inbox, you are tempted to check whats written. Its a distraction.

 

[drbrainsol]

Not sure why this is a problem really - if you don't want to be involved just ignore the discussions (you can mute the group) and tell your PM that you expect to be contacted via email / telephone if your input is required. WhatsApp is meant to be an informal path of communication anyways (unless your contract with the client says otherwise).

I personally find WhatsApp groups to be very useful for large construction projects where there are multiple teams on site trying to share resources / share information (photos for example) with the design team directly. I have never been in a situation where anyone was blamed for not reading a WhatsApp message in their spare time.

 

[Mad Mike]

Agree with the general consensus - mute the group notifications and only respond to formal e-mailed requests...WhatsApp is bad news as it leads to speculation being passed around without the analysis to back it...especially after a beer or two!

I would refuse to participate outright- tell the Client that it's your company policy to only interact via e-mail, during work hours, so that all correspondence is systematically recorded on your internal server in case of litigation...

All the best,
Mike

 

[JoelTXCive]

I have not used WhatsApp in this format, but our office does use Microsoft Teams on some projects. It's similar in the sense that a large "informal" forum is created.

These type services are nice in that messages can be transmitted to large groups of people rapidly, but I'm always left wondering what is an official notification of a problem or a task instruction that I need to start work on.

 

[KootK]

I think that this an old fashioned "the customer is always right" thing. Your client wants WhatsApp participation and you don't. So two choices:

1) give the client what they want and keep them.

2) don't give the client what they want and risk losing them.

I get the frustration, particularly of possibly having to monitor multiple platforms for multiple projects. I use Basecamp extensively but that too is just one of many alternatives.

HELP! I'd like your help with a thread that I was forced to move to the business issues section where it will surely be seen by next to nobody that matters to me:

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=456235

 

[Aesur]

I haven't used WhatsApp, but would question if everything discussed in there is logged and saved somewhere. If you answer an RFI or other question in there, where is the record, is it kept indefinitely, etc.. could see this as being some kind of liability.

 

[ThomasH]

The difference on email and whatsApp are big.

I have to , at least, slightly disagree . Isn't the difference more in how you use it rather then how they work. Both can be used for text messages, both work on smartphone and computer. I have seen more than one casula/informal discussion in e-mail format. And I can see the possibility to archive chats. I see differences but I don't consider them big. What I don't understand is why, what is wrong with e-mail?

Can you easily forward information to somebody outside the group? Can you have a more private conversation? Those differences, if they exist, would be more important for me.

WhatsApp, it is another platform to monitor so I would probably not be very positive to have it in a project. But I remember when e-mail wasn't considered as reliably either. Important information was sent by "real" mail. Things change, but not always for the better.

Thomas

 

[Brad805]

Have you read the terms and conditions of the Whatsapp and where the data you share resides?

 

[NorthCivil]

I'm working at an outfit now that doesn't provide employees with cell phones, and does not give out the personal cell phone #s of employees. If a client/contractor want to speak to somebody, they have to call the front desk and get transferred. If the engineer is not around, they can leave a message. They can also send an email if they like.

98% of clients/contractors understand and appreciate this system. There is the 2% that this policy sets right off - some will really blow a gasket! They may even seek services elsewhere. But these types of people are usually difficult in more ways than one, and it really is a blessing if they go elsewhere (at least for now, there is plenty of work)

What we are left with are reasonable clients that understand nothing is going to happen instantly, engineers that can stage, forward plan, and focus on their work without constant interruptions. In the end, I would say that everybody wins.

 

[IDS]

Perhaps you should just let them know what your WhatsApp time charge out rate is.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[IRstuff]

Should be kind of like getting emergency plumbing services; they bill at 2x-3x normal rates. Of course, whatever number you put out there, someone might bite...

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[spieng89]

What's stopping you from muting the group during non work hours?

 

[dhengr]

Sfat:
Do they have sleep-overs too? Do you get extra points for holding hands during discussions? It seems that those apps just give them the chance to change things twice as fast and three times as often. They are looking for lots of free engineering, on the spur-of-the-moment, if you want to be listed as a team player. Then maybe you’ll get some paying work out of it. We really ought to slow down a little and try doing things right, the first time, for a change of pace, rather than pretending we are doing twice as much, twice as fast, and having 75% of it be crappy engineering and architecture, for lack of time to actually think through the problem. It’s good to be able to get in touch with the other design/build team members with an emergency problem, but every one of their problems isn’t an emergency, and many of them aren’t worth bothering others with, if they would just do some of their own thinking, without bothering others. Just because you can notify someone twice as fast, or at any hour, does not make the issue (their problem) twice as important too. Teamwork is way overrated when one person can waste 10 other people’s time, just because he’s to lazy or dumb to figure it out himself.

 

[XR250]

I vote to not worry about losing this customer. He/she will either respect you or not and, if not, you have opened yourself up to calling in an even better customer. Let your competitors race to the bottom participating in this sort of nonsense.