Introducing RentAFriend 2.0 – Our Newest Platform
We have exciting news! We will launch RentAFriend 2.0 on 9/1/2023. RentAFriend.com 2.0 is a complete overhaul from the old system and our newest and much-improved platform. The new RentAFriend.com 2.0 is packed with new features designed to improve the user experience, streamline administrative functions, and, most importantly, make the process of making friends faster, easier, and where certain protocols have been introduced to create a safer environment for our users in the global community.
Why RentAFriend?
The world has never been more connected, yet many of us feel more alone than ever. This paradox is a driving force behind RentAFriend.com 2.0. Throughout the latest version, we are extremely proud to be able to continue our mission of connecting people at the local level to friends from all over the world.
Why the Overhaul?
Since our founding 14 years ago, the data we’ve gathered from the original RentAFriend.com 2.0 is invaluable. We have identified key challenges that have prevented customers from fully embracing our platform. We listened and heard from our large user base and friend’s network. RentAFriend.com 2.0 is our comprehensive response to address their issues. From enhanced matching capabilities to near real-time messaging and amongst new features we have implemented, our RentAFriend.com 2.0 addresses past inefficiencies and adds functionalities that our users will love more than ever.
Why the New System?
The old system was originally designed to manage around 100,000 users and was retrofitted with updates to accommodate 1 million+ or more users globally. However, it was not equipped to oversee the moderation required for approving 1 million+ user profiles on a weekly basis.
There is now far greater demand than the old system could manage or execute at scale. The new system is designed with scalability in mind, allowing us to maintain higher levels of functionality with seamless execution even with 10 million+ users— a feat that is impossible with the old platform. Our primary objectives for the new system are high-quality interactions, stellar friends and members filtering system, and low response and minimizing lag times for tasks, including profile changes, photo uploads, equally important, our first-class messaging system.
What are the Key Highlights of RentAFriend 2.0?
Smarter and Quicker Messaging:
The heart of any friendship is communication. We are in the final stages of introducing the latest state-of-the-art AI-moderated systems to improve the reliability and speed of message exchanges. Soon, you will be able to find a RentAFriend and start a conversation instantaneously within the next several months.
Advanced Search and Matching:
Our revamped search engine offers more targeted results based on versatile matching capabilities. Moreover, our new data analytics tools will allow us to continually improve our user experience based on usage data and AI-driven insights.
Other Features to be Rolled Out Soon:
- Advanced Login and Registration
- Search by City, State, Region
- Streamlined Bookmarking and Profile Viewing
- 3-Tier Helpdesk for Improved Customer Support
- Phone Number Requests
- Messaging
- Friend’s Requests
What to Expect Next?
We plan to roll out the new state-of-the-art messaging and friend’s request systems as our first major features by the third quarter of 2023. Over the next few months, we will integrate AI-powered moderation tools and target a weekly release schedule up to December, with daily patches for minor bug fixes.
Following this rollout, the RentAFriend team will focus on streamlining our systems to prepare for a cascade of new users and friends globally, emphasizing performance and user experience.
We intend to release Apple’s iOS app for the iPhone in 2024, which will be one of our major developments focuses while we also work to address any issues reported by our users after our initial release.
Behind the Scenes:
In terms of numbers, RentAFriend 2.0 represents over 10,000 hours of work. Our technology stack includes Laravel, Nginx, Node.js, TensorFlow, Python, Vue.js, MySQL, and many others. We have also partnered with leading tech companies for specialized services, including Twilio, Google, Strip and PayPal.
How to Give Feedback:
We’re eager to hear your thoughts and feedback on these updates. You can reach our customer support team via email or by clicking on the helpdesk icon.
In Summary:
RentAFriend 2.0 aims to fulfill the promise of making global friendship a sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle. The new features and user-friendly interface are all geared toward offering you a superior friending experience.
We are incredibly excited, after these years of development and significant investments, we are extremely proud to be able to finally unveil what our team has been diligently working on. Thank you for your patience and thank you for being a part of our RAF community. Stay tuned for more updates, and happy friending!