Who the Heck is Frank Bauer anyway?

Bill Connelly - aka: Cash Flow Dude says:

Frank,

Thanks for all the information and direction.
I am sure that like most products, this has
it’s good and bad points.

People must really understand that they would not like to be blasted all the time with spam. So, do unto others. Give value and friendship.

People buy people, not spam!

So, once again – thanks for being you – REAL!

It is a honor calling you a freind!

Bill Connelly
aka: Cash Flow Dude
www.GiveMeSuccessOnline.com
skype: chilly41

Janet Legere says:

Frank,

I couldn’t agree more!

When I first saw SkypeAssist, I was concerned about the same things.

Personally, I am a marketer with a conscience and would only use the system to connect with people who want to connect with me.

The bulk send feature is going to be very dangerous as we both know that most online marketers are really unaware of spamming laws and can abuse systems quite easily.

I believe honest marketers will use the system honestly and it’s our responsibility to help others do the same.

I expect we’ll see some changes to Skype Assist before too long.

Thanks for this post … I hope those who need it read it 🙂

Regards,

Janet Legere

Dwayne Lumax says:

I see both sides being brought up , both reflecting the “good”, the “bad” and the “ugly”.

I for one see it as being no different than other tools presently being utilized by all kinds of internet marketers.

Take things like AdLandPro,safelists, Wowzza, APsense, etc. These are similiar in nature to SKYPE ASSIST.

Here ..let me explain: My point being is ultimately you have all these tools eventually turning into an arena where marketers spend the majority of their time “showcasing the goods” to other marketers!
And we all seem to readily accept that and embrace it with open arms.

As the owner of the SKYPE ASSIST addressed this potential situation originally being discussed here …he simply stated the one has the option to adjust their privacy settings to gain back some control as to by who and how many incoming messages they receive!

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out after JULY 15th. I don’t know about you, but i for one …will have my SKYPE open and ready to see and be part of this avalanche of action on that date!!!

Cindy Battye says:

Hey Frank,

I pretty much agree. I don’t think it will be long before people will be spamming skype – it’s inevitable. The only saving grace is that it’s a paid service – so we wont get absolutely every muppet and his dog going nuts with it.

I think any tool which automates list building is fantastic – the more targeted the better! But… with automation (especially on the internet), combined with people’s desire to get rich in a nice easy way – and the ability to stay pretty much anonymous in doing this, it all adds up to a very real risk of abuse.

On a side note though – today, i was sent a skype message from a random skyper which contained a link to a virus. I don’t know if this happens a lot, but it has never happened to me before today – wondering if they are related…

Jason Lamure says:

Hi Frank,

I agree with Donna, I’m afraid
women will be hitting on me all day
long with skype pick up lines!

DOH…for us guys that would be
a good thing… :o)

But to be serious….I’ve been
hit by at least a dozen requests
to look at this since yesterday…

Most in my skype, some by email.

It’s has not bothered me yet and
like most things after the initial
hoopla the offers will slow down.

Can’t say much about the service
yet, having not bought in at this
time.

Seems to have gotten a few people
over here to your blog so looks like
it is effective if used as you are
applying it Frank.

Best Regards,

Jason Lamure
skype = jason.lamure
1-613-673-4828
my-easy-promoter.com

David Smith says:

Hi Frank,

I have mixed feelings about Skype Assist. At first glance I thought there was great potential, yet another opportunity to list-build and increase contacts etc. Then like the rest of you, I also saw the possibility of receiving more junk mail without having to go to my inbox.

I do hope that it will evolve into something beneficial to all who use it properly. As a newbie to online marketing I have learnt quickly that when your list trusts you first then and only the will you succeed. Spamming might catch the odd prospect but your loyal list will serve you better.

I have yet to be convinced about the software itself as I can still not get it to work correctly and when I do it closes with errors. So will just have to wait and see.

Thanks Frank for asking me to comment and keep up the great work mate!

God bless you,

David Smith

Richard Wing says:

Frank when you contacted me through skype asking if I seen the SA tool. I messaged you back and told you I was hit by everyone on the net it seemed.

I indicated to you that it was destined to fail…

Everyone that messaged me when I responded to them wouldn’t respond back.

Whats going to happen is that my clients of whom I give out my skype contact info are going to try and reach me for support and I am going to get to the point where I assume they are spammers.

Its very impersonal and a time waster for the recipient. And if I were interested in what they had to say and I had questions and they didnt respond they have wasted my time. I don’t just go to any website just because a link shows up in a message.

For the same reason I don’t go to websites in emails that come from someone I don’t know.

Also what happens is that people will end up creating throw away skype usernames so they can spam anonymously so they don’t get their real account closed down. Therefore they are acting like email spammers who send from bogus email addresses.

I can see the good benefits if the broadcasting is done from your legit skype account and if everyone actually responds at the other end if questions are asked.

Anything short of that is BAD!

Richard Wing
www.RAPAddons.com

Kevin Riley says:

I already get enough invites from the Ghanian scammers (seems they are taking over the Nigerian letter scam), hot Italian girls who want to rape my credit card, and people who want to “speak Engrish” with me. All I need is a bunch of bozos auto inviting me.

I’m looking for the auto blocker software. Anybody who invites me and is not a friend or business associate is getting blasted to hell.

Wincer Song says:

Hi Frank,

I got message from skype friend about Skype Assist 3 days ago. I am afraid many people will use it for spamming.
Smart tool should be used smartly!

Colin Klinkert says:

Bad News for us who share info in our profiles, without it maybe they cant search.

If i get spammed i will block the contact

Shafir Ahmad says:

Great as a “spam” tool i suppose.

I think this is worse than email spam, it ranks somewhere below “Telephone Spam”, since the whole nature of Skype is as an Instant Messenger, so the info is sorta sent and received instantly.

To me, skype is a very personal tool and so I won’t be adding anyone so easily. In fact I do get unknown jokers who try to contact me thru skype, who promptly get blocked.

But then, you do get spam on MSN messenger, Yahoo, so it’s a natural progression to Skype also. So whats the greatest and hottest thing since sliced bread now?

Cliff Teo says:

Frank,
Like Aurelius, I also just heard about this tool.
Thank you for this information.
Same here, my concern is the spamming issue. I like the tool as it is very convenient for marketers like us to find like-minded people but once it become another spamming tool, we would be in trouble. The key is in the control. How can the service provider, Skype make sure this tool will never be abused? They should have the answer somewhere somehow..

Cheers!
Cliff Teo

Kenneth McPherson says:

Another new tool to add to the armoury of “weapons” in the ever increasingly packed world of contacting and finding new business associates. Like all new pieces of software that find their way onto our desktops it will have a function that serves while certain users will abuse it’s ease of use to intrude on our personal space. I like to think I will fall into the camp that makes it a friendly gesture as opposed to the one that makes people shy away.

Continued business success is always a matter of discretion in the face of many obstacles that are designed to maintain the equilibrium.

Some will, some won’t – thanks for reading, next.

Parvis Parvizi says:

Hey Frank,

I could not have said it better.

It is a good job we still have lots of ethical people in our industry, however there will be a lot of un-ethical people who will abuse this tool, so pleased to see your post on your blog.

Keep up the great work you are doing, and I may see you over in OZ soon as I have a great group developing over your part of the world, so a good excuse of travelling there.

keep well,

your friend
Parvis Parvizi

Richard Mckell says:

Giday Frank, thanks for the input from you and all the folks.
I can only presume that Skype is getting on the social bandwagon.
People are people, and hopefully the spammers will get fed up if no one replies to their invites.
You would have to think twice before using the Skype me mode.Keep invisible, i think.

Simon Ussher says:

I agree frank. This could unfortunately hurt Skype, if too many people abuse it to the point that people avoid skype altogether.

Phil says:

Thanks Frank, I hadn’t heard of this tool and I can see your concern.

I’m sure it will be abused, but the guilty will soon loose a lot of Skype contacts.

I’ve never bought anything from anyone that “spammed” me!

Phil

Andrew Cavanagh says:

It’s a neat tool simply because skype is such a closed channel…meaning most of your skype contacts will be people you know very well.

You read their skype messages.

But if you’re promoting something it better be something really special.

Most smart Skype users keep their Skype a closed channel by blocking any user who contacts them without first asking to communicate by Skype (as I do).

And if people start wasting my time with inane Skype messages or promotions (or asking me repeatedly to comment on their blog using a program like Skype assist) then I will just block them as a user so they can’t contact me at all.

So it is a handy communication tool but don’t expect it to be a mass marketing tool.

Having said all that I can see how you could hypothetically educate people to join up with Skype, add you as a contact and accept your regular notifications, links to free content etc.

But they’d have to know 100% that’s why they were adding you as a contact.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

Bj says:

Update.
The Abuse has already started.
A friend of mine informed me just now he received a spam ad from someone using this spam bot.

That person has been reported for spamming needless to say.

If you claim to be an ethical marketer then join us in getting this piece fo garbage banned.

Start by registering a complain with Skype.
Report anyone spamming you with it.
Stop this abuse before it gets as bad as the spam abuse there is with our email addresses being harvested.

Lets see just who really does have ethics.

Bj

Leda Grace Rasmussen says:

You are so right – my first thought was this is SPAM and no one will want it after a few weeks.

Skype will of course not tolerate it and that will be the end of that.

No matter what the contacts we have are treasures and we all have to treat each other with great respect. Networking is all about giving!!!

Thank you Frank for bringing this to everyone’s attention.

Best Regards Leda Grace Rasmussen

Skype: netventures

Bj says:

Hi Frank

I have just seen a video on aol where the moron that made it actually shows everyone as he spams 69 people.

Come on lets get real here.

The only way to stop a spam bot tool is to stop it at the source.

Bj says:

Hi Frank,

not a problem. I didnt post it out of respect and i was nnot sure on your posting rules but as you request it here it is.

video.aol.com/video-detail/how-to-use-skype-assist-a-video-tutorial-skypeassist/2736719707

Bj says:

Hi Frank

My Skype is open so that potential new clients can contact me.
WHY should I jepordise the growth of my business simply because morons create spam bots???

Bj

Grant Andrews says:

Hi Frank and all his avid readers, my name is Grant Andrews and I am the owner of what is currently named SkypeAssist.

First of all, I want to thank you Frank (and others) for putting in print a fairly a balanced view which points out, quite rightly, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Secondly, let me share with you why I called the product SkypeAssist. It is because, for the most part the features we provide in our software Skype already gives to us except we remove the restrictions we don’t like.

Skype allows you to search for one pattern at a time. We allow more.

Skype allows you to add one contact with a custom message. We allow more.

Skype allows you to broadcast one message to strangers. We allow more.

Skype allows you to broadcast to many contacts at once but to do so ALL contacts see all other contacts participating in the conversation… and we don’t believe all contacts should be aware of the other recipients of the message so removed that “contact sharing” feature they impose on users of the free version.

While there is no doubt the temptation will be there for some people to use the tool I’ve provided in a way that will leave many plugging their nose, going “whew!” what a smell, but I think those folks will learn pretty fast that certainly isn’t the way to go. After all Skype will not hesitate to shut abusers down pretty fast, no different than an ISP would.

Here are some Skype terms passed along to me by the Skype legal team located in the USA:

www.skype.com/legal/eula/#we_expect
www.skype.com/legal/terms/voip/#business_control_panel
www.skype.com/legal/terms/web
www.skype.com/legal/terms/callserviceprovider

But at the same time others will use it responsibly, in the overall fashion it is intended, which I thought had been pretty clear, but will certainly be directed longer term. After all it would be a simple change to allow people to only broadcast to existing contacts.

Like your blog here, and other blogs pointed out to me, not to mention forum posts in numberous venues, and also the recently created facebook group, the features offered are creating a stir. Hey, we are having a good talk. GREAT!

One of the things that cause me to create this tool was so we could generate dialogue. You know, improve communications. Not you and me, but all of us in general. I personally think the state of email stinks. Why? Because I’ve got my ISP re OUTbound and your ISP for the now INbound (and who really knows what goes on in the middle…) deciding whether or not to pass along that single little email. I can’t tell you how many times messages simply disappear. I’m sure you’ve experienced the same.

Not so with Instant Messaging. It is delivered every single time in a heartbeat (except with a standard rate of exceptions due to software glitches, but certainly not at all the same problems emails face).

So the bottom line is this. Instant Messaging is powerful and it is quick. It creates dialogue. And most importantly it gives us an opportunity to build relationships in a way we’ve not had before. One of the most well know Skype enthusiasts on the planet, Julie Wolf, contacted me straight away when she heard about how far along we’d come with the product. Her statement to me was she wanted to align herself with my organization. Why? Because her specialty is relationship building using Skype as a means to an end… and what we do is multiply results if done correctly.

That is what technology is supposed to do, multiply results.

To those of you reading this, take note of 3 general thought I have here after midnight, and I am tired but wanted to reply before my busy schdule prevented me from doing so for another day.

1) PayPal will not be involved in any way. It was used as a means to an end in the prelaunch rollout while we get ready to offer friendly payment processors.

2) When person A strangles person B with a rope, does the rope get blamed? No of course not. Responsible people know they should not take a rope and strangle someone just because they can.

3) We are going to boldly go where no man has gone before… Instant Messaging is growing, as will the features it supports and the abilities you will have at your fingertips via our product, all in a flash! We all know the features on the table so far with our product. But you haven’t seen anything yet… we have considerable plans on the table and our goal is to be the single most important “assistant” to Instant Messaging unveiled. I could go over the various components we will be adding but hey, I can’t tell competitors what we’re up to via a public forum like this now can I.

Take care everyone. Perhaps I’ll drop by after we launch on the 15th. For sure I will if I keep getting reminded I said I would but got sidetracked…

Your internet friend, yes really, Grant.

Blessings to you all.

BVrad West says:

Hi Frank,

Re your Quote
Hi Bj,

Thanks for sharing that video.

If you have your Skype settings set as I have shown in the screenshot above… those kind of spam messages will never reach you.

Best regards,

Frank Bauer

My Responce:

This is all well and good but say that I do use my SKYPE contact ID (and I do) But now I need to change my settings and jeopardize acquiring customers. You are making my ligament customers who want information jump through hoops to make contact with me.

Can you honestly give me a ligament reason to have to change the way I use this tool just to accommodate Skype assist.

If you are using the name SKYPE in your business you must have permission from them to use their trademarked name.

Last but not least by any means. When my minor child receives inappropriate messages through Skype Assist. To Whom do I report these infringements?

Brad West ~ onomoney

Hyla Weimann says:

Hi Frank,

Like anything else, this tool is whatever you make of it.

I screen all my Skype requests to be added, and if someone bad slips through the cracks, I simply ban them from my contact list. I always check their profiles, and if it is not complete enough for my liking, I ask them to give me more information.

If you get to know your contacts you will soon know if they are ot be trusted or not.

Hyla Weimann

Dave Gilbert says:

Hi Frank i would like to bring the obvious deception the creators of SA have imposed upon an unsuspecting public.

on the 16th of july i recieved an email from grant andrews if that is really his name stating that skype assist would now be called message magic as he did not have nor will recieve permission from skype to use their trademark name.

i believe everyone that signed up for the pre-launch would have recieved the same email so i will not re-publish it unless asked.

Apart from illegally trading on skypes trademark in order to increase interest in his program there is also the question of are you breaking the law using this tool which mines Skypes databases for information not readily made public by Skype, is there a breach of the privacy act occurring where a user is able to harvest users skype identities.
As the owner/creator of a new web search engine we looked at various ways to promote our site, we too could have used a well established brand name to kickstart our marketing campaigns but this would have both been dishonest and very foolish as Mr Andrews is bound to find out.
How can you expect people to trust your product or your company when you use mis-representation as your main marketing tool, is Mr andrews just out to collect as many $15 amounts as possible in the next month or 2 while skypes legal team prepare their briefs and then dissappear into the mist with billions of ill gotten gains.
We put this question to Mr Andrews asking if he deliberately mis-represented his products alliance with skype in order to maximise sales post launch.
His response was to sidestep the question re-iterating what he had placed in that cleverly worded email he sent to all pre-launch members.
Frank I think spam will be the least of user problems i feel that the legal repercussions levelled against users of this system will be far more worrying.

Dave Gilbert says:

Hi Frank we once again posed the question regarding the use of skypes trademark here is the transcript of that conversation

US. Do you admit going with Skype Assist was a mistake?

Grant.Yes it was a mistake. I had encountered other skype add-on product type sites that contained the word skype in their name and assumed it was ok to do and just went with it. I didn’t bother asking skype about it ahead of time because I thought they were so huge they’d take forever to get back to me and I wanted to move fast. It was sloppy on my part and caused a bunch of grief to make the switch.

the main problem with this response is that there is only one or two addons that actually mention skype and these are portrayed as ICQ for skype, pamela for skype etc,
these companies using skype in their product name are fairly large also however, the rest do not include skype in their name but are allowed to be promoted through the Skype site as “Authorised” or “Supported” plugins.
From Grants reply he obviously has done some research into the Skype system so his defence of his miss-use of the Skype trademark is flimsy at best, there is a set proceedure for developers that Skype insists upon in order to maintain both quality control but also to prevent users from inadvertantly breaking laws or exposing others to risk including spam.
MSN allowed un-controlled development of plugins for it’s software and paid the penalty with unscrupulous users sending all manner of spam and malware through it’s service severely affecting msn messengers reputation as an effective communication system.