Milwaukee-based Brevient Technologies Inc. recently launched a member-based Web site that combines social networking and real-time communication. Jyngle.com operates on a similar model as Myspace and Facebook, in which each member can create a personal page for free and link to friends’ pages. However, a Jyngle member can create groups within a friends network and has the ability to send a message to each member in the group instantly via telephone.
“Let’s say you are in a sorority and that sorority has a meeting every Sunday at 7 p.m. At 6:45 p.m. you find out that the normal meeting place had a pipe break and is now underwater. There are 50 girls that you need to tell that they need to meet somewhere else, and unless they are in front of a computer, (a social networking site) is a non-effective way to communicate,” Matt Lautz, chief executive officer of Brevient said.
With Jyngle, group messages can be sent from a computer to each member’s phone through text-to-speech on a voice call, and if no one answers, the application can leave a voice mail. The application will also send a text message.
If a group member is away from a computer and needs to send a message to a group through Jyngle, the member can call (877) 6-JYNGLE, type in a personal identification number, select a group and send a voice message instantly.
Brevient launched Jyngle as a business division of the company and is already marketing the Web site to local colleges. Brevient hopes the application reaches across all demographics and types of social networkers, Lautz said.
“There is an infinite number of ways to utilize Jyngle,” Lautz said. “Everyone I speak to has a different way they wish to communicate with 15 to 20 people.”
Associations, organizations and colleges can use Jyngle for instant communication for bulletins, changes of plans and meeting announcements and reminders.
Brevient plans to market Jyngle as a disaster recovery option for businesses to reach customers with new or temporary contact information.
Some online companies offer real-time communication services, but not for free, Lautz said. With Brevient’s business model, the company’s revenue would be driven by advertisers hoping to catch the attention of the members using the Web site.
Lautz hopes to become the first social network site driven around the telephone and real-time communication. Currently, Jyngle is a fully-funded development of Brevient, and the company is not aggressively pursuing outside investment.
Jyngle was not built to be sold, but if the Web site attracts the volume of customers that other social networking sites have, Brevient would consider a sale, Lautz said.
“Everything is for sale for the right dollar amount,” Lautz said.
