It takes more than just a good idea to create a great business – you need the proper tools that are easy to understand and easy to use. iGrOOps currently has 17 top quality applications included in addition to the three modules ("modules" are really just another name for very advanced applications). These applications were designed to aid communication, productivity, and marketing.
Since we developed iGrOOps software in October of 2006, thousands of customers have benefited from the power and simplicity of this revolutionary tool. Prior to iGrOOps, people wanting to run an online group would either have to build the software themselves, or use a combination of many different software packages which made integration and support a logistical nightmare. iGrOOps provides a complete integrated software solution with applications such as
These applications make iGrOOps unique. Many groups that charge a membership fee use these applications to add value and justify their membership fee.
Twitter Tools. The Twitter tools application is a tool designed for administrators to completely integrate their Twitter account with their membership site. It allows for easy management of your Twitter account through your iGrOOps interface, including features such as, send tweets, send direct messages, reply to tweets, reply to direct messages, one click favorites, one click retweets, include FAQs in tweets, direct message notification by e-mail (within 5 minutes), automatic URL shortening in long tweets, schedule tweets (accurate as 5 min intervals), recurring tweets (day, week, weekdays, month, 3 month), keyword notify via e-mail - up to 5 queries, keyword auto follow - up to 5 queries, auto unfollow based on time following and follow back status, automated direct message for new followers, @mentions notification via e-mail, and much more!
Audio/Video Postcard. The audio/video postcard allows the recipients to both read and listen to/watch your message. Unlike conventional e-mails or web pages, the audio/video postcard stands out and gets attention.
The postcard resembles a postal postcard with your custom text on the left-hand side and a “stamp” in the upper right corner. The stamp can be your iGrOOp image or your member photo.
Creating the postcard is done 100% through your web browser, including the recording of your message. This makes creating these postcards simple and fun.
Upon creation, you have the option of sending the postcard to one, or many e-mail addresses. The audio/video postcard can even be used as audio or video e-mail!
See Example (audio postcard)See Example (video postcard)
Audio / Visual Presentations. People learn in different ways. Some learn best by reading, some by images, and others by sounds. The audio visual (or a/v) presentations provides a way for you to create presentations using all words, pictures, and/or voice.
Unlike complex desktop software, these a/v presentations are viewable on the web, directly through the web-browser with no software to download, or no files needed to be opened.
The creation of the a/v presentations is intuitive – easy enough for just about anyone to create a powerful presentation that captures attention and gets a message across.
See Example A/V Presentation.
Multimedia Blog / Podcasting / Article Application. A blog is like a on-line "diary" or journal. An iGrOOp blog incorporates audio and video for a truly unique experience! It can be used for many purposes. From a personal perspective, blogs are used by individuals to share their ideas, thoughts, and feelings with others. From a professional perspective, blogs have many more uses such as meeting minutes, software updates, corporate updates, and more.
This application can also serve as a Podcasting tool, with live RSS feeds! Podcasting has never before been so simple!
iGrOOps allows iGrOOp administrators to choose whether or not they want to allow their members to create their own blogs. This adds great value to the iGrOOp from the member perspective. And unlike other blogs, iGrOOp blogs can be restricted to the members and select visitors, so blog information is more private.
See Example Blog
Calendar. The calendar application for iGrOOps can be used to publish events common to the group. The calendar can be displayed in month view, list view, or day view – showing all events on a particular day.
Each event has a reminder option where members can choose to be sent an e-mail and/or SMS reminder for the event at a specified time. The use of SMS (the sending of a short text message directly to your cell phone) allows this calendar to function much like popular desktop calendar software applications today.
See Example Calendar.
Communication System. The communication system is the core of iGrOOps communication. This application has four basic functionalities.
The mailing list acts as a “list-serve”, where members of the group can send e-mail to the list address, and the message will be distributed to all the members in the group. At the same time, the message is posted on the discussion board, or forum. This is the web-based interface to this mailing list. Members can also post directly on the forum utilizing some advanced options and formatting.
Then there is the private messaging. Private conversations can go on between members with e-mail (and optional SMS notification) going out only to the two parties involved in the conversation.
Let's not forget polls! With each post, the member can create an optional poll as part of this post. This poll collects multiple-choice responses from the members and tallies the data. Polls can also be displayed on the iGrOOp homepage for even more exposure.
See Example (forum with categories)See Example (post with poll)
Documentation Creator. The online documentation creator is a tool used to create on-line documentation much like the help files used by desktop applications. This tool makes creating documentation easy while automatically creating expanding menus and searchable documents.
See Example (this document is an example)
File Sharing. The file sharing application is the gateway into the iGrOOps server, where administrators and/or members can upload just about any kind of file from their local computer to the server. Members can then download the files from the iGrOOps server to their local computer.
Options can be set to allow the creation of folders, renaming of files, and deletion of files where the file sharing application can also be setup to limit members to download files only.
See Example File Sharing Application. (download permission only)
FAQs. One of the greatest benefits of the Web is the ability for users to find the answers to their questions immediately. Just about every good site that provides content has a section for the most frequently asked questions, the problem generally is maintaining this area. iGrOOps uses the FAQ Manager which allows the admin team, even the members (at the administrator’s option) to create and maintain FAQs for the group using a convenient web interface.
Members can also comment on the FAQs giving other members even more insight and helpful advice. The user interface allows for easy browsing and searching for entered FAQs.
See Example FAQ.
Live Broadcaster. The live broadcaster is a flash-based application that allows the broadcaster to conduct live audio and/or video events, where others (participants) could watch/listen live and give feedback and comments in real-time using a built-in text-based chat client. This is the ideal tool for webinars, podcasts, and other live events.
You can try out the live broadcaster and see it in action M-F at 1:00pm at EVcast.com.
Custom Member Webpages. Each member can create their own custom webpage. These webpages are created with the online webpage creator - a tool that is very similar to popular word processing editors, making the creation of webpages both intuitive and fun.
(no example available - most member webpages are private to the group)
Gallery. No group site would be complete without photographs. iGrOOps is no different. iGrOOps includes a powerful and flexible gallery application that will display uploaded photographs or images in several different layouts, including an auto-forwarding “slide show” that allows viewers to just sit back and enjoy.
The uploading feature of this application allows you to select and upload unlimited images at one time, while automatically resizing your images to your choice of several sizes ideal for web viewing. Once the images are uploaded on the server, captions can be entered for each image.
See Example Photo Gallery.
Reviews. The reviews application is like the phone book for your group, but with many more features. The reviews application allows administrators and/or members to enter businesses, products, vendors – “listings”. These listings can include an image, a description, contact information, and more. Each member can then add comments to, and rate the listings just like popular e-commerce sites with one major difference – the listings are specific to the group and the ratings are from members of your own group.
Members can also leave private notes on each listing that are visible only to the owner of the notes.
With the reviews application, you can list and rate businesses, vendors, movies, books, restaurants, hiking trails, foods, places, ... just about anything.
(no example available - reviews private to groups)
Task Manager. The iGrOOps task manager organizes and details “tasks” or “things to do” for administrators and/or the members of the group. Using this tool, one can organize the tasks common to the group and assign tasks to different members, while monitoring the status of the tasks. The members can also enter their own tasks while choosing to share the task status with the group, or keep the task private. Each task that is not made private can be commented on by other members. This way, members can offer advice or information that can be used to complete the task.
Members can choose to be sent reminders of tasks when action is due. This is done daily by e-mail.
(no example available - tasks private to groups)
Teleconferencing. We offer reliable secure reservationless conferencing, using state of the art digital technology. Features include dedicated dial-in-number and access codes, free recording, up to 150 callers per conference, no reservations needed, one number and multiple access codes to group and organize conferences, and more!
Video/MP3 Gallery. Videos are one of the most effective ways to communicate a message to an audience. With today’s high-speed Internet access and advanced web browsers, viewing good-quality videos on a web page is not only possible, but common practice for many content providers. The iGrOOps video/MP3 gallery is a tool that allows members and/or just administration team members to easily upload videos and/or MP3 sound files using the provided web-based uploader. From there, the server converts just about any video format into the very efficient and universal Flash format for web display, and converts audio formats to the universal MP3 format. In addition to uploading, this application also allows the embedding of videos from other popular video websites. Once a media file is uploaded and converted, members can rate and leave comments on the video or audio file.
See Example Video.
Web Video Chat. iGrOOps uses a flash-based chat client for real-time voice and video chat. This means, there is no software to download and you have a chat client that is not limited to HTML or scripting languages.
The web video chat works much like other chat clients, where you can chat in real-time with one or many users anywhere in the world by typing text messages. However, the iGrOOps web video chat application takes this basic functionality steps further. You can have a voice conversations, just as if you were talking on the telephone – but without the need to give out phone numbers and without those long-distance charges! With the added benefit of live video.
If that weren’t enough, the iGrOOps web video chat allows for users to hold and participate in conferences – just like a teleconference -- but with video. One member can do all the talking while many others listen in and send questions/comments to the speaker via text chat, or the listeners can talk in the conference as well.
(no example available - chat private to groups)
All these applications use "permissions" meaning you can set the access level for each application. For example, you can allow guests to view your posts on the communication system, but only allow paying members the ability to post. Or you can allow free members the ability to view your videos, but only paying members the right to upload. It is a very flexible system!
