# Let members ask for help without posting in the group

> Milvao adds private requests in WhatsApp groups you already run, without anything being posted in the group. A member sends what they need to the community's own business number, one to one, as a normal message. Milvao turns it into a brief they confirm, and only members who opted in and fit are asked. The group never sees the request, who asked or who answered.

Source: https://milvao.com/features/private-requests · Updated 2026-11-05

## Key takeaways

- Requests go to your community's business number, one to one. Milvao never reads or posts in the group.
- The member confirms a short brief before anyone else sees anything.
- Members who are asked see the brief, never the asker's name, number or exact words.
- Text only, up to 10 new requests a day per member, and a finished profile is needed first.

## Why members hold back from asking in the group

Asking a large group for help means asking in front of everyone. Some needs feel awkward to post: a lawyer for a family matter, a new job, a loan, a supplier who replaces the current one. Others get buried under the day's messages, or collect a few polite replies from people who can't really help. And every post asks the whole group to read something meant for one or two people.

A private request removes the audience. The member writes once, to one number, and the community's helpers hear about it only when it matches what they offer.

## How private requests in WhatsApp groups work

1. The member joins once by tapping the group's join link and finishes a short profile.
2. They write what they need to the community's number, in their own words, for example a 1,500 sq ft office to rent in Mohali.
3. Within seconds they get a brief back, with a one-line summary, the service, the city and any details, plus Confirm, Edit and Cancel buttons.
4. They choose whether their number may be shared, for this request only, if someone agrees to help.
5. Milvao asks one member who offers that service in that city. That member sees the brief and can accept or decline.
6. If they accept, each person privately receives the other's name and number. The member who asked is told when someone has agreed.

## Who sees a private request

|  | Person asking | Member asked | Your team | The WhatsApp group |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The brief | Yes | When asked | Yes | No |
| The original message | Yes, it's theirs | No | Yes | No |
| The asker's number | Yes, it's theirs | After accepting | Masked | No |
| That a request was made at all | Yes | Only if asked | Yes | No |

## Limits on requests

- Text only. A photo or voice note gets a polite reply asking the member to type instead.
- Up to 10 new requests per member a day.
- One request at a time while it's being confirmed: the next message is read as the answer, so a member taps Cancel first to start over.
- Two messages sent close together, while the first is still being read, are treated as one request.
- Only members with a finished profile can ask. Others are sent their profile link.
- A member can cancel an open request by sending /requests, even after confirming it, until someone has agreed to help.

## What the group keeps doing

Nothing changes in the group itself. Milvao doesn't join it, read it, post in it or moderate it, so announcements, events and conversation carry on as before. The only thing members see there is the join link your organisers pin. See [WhatsApp community or group](https://milvao.com/whatsapp-community-vs-group) for how the two fit together.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Milvao read our WhatsApp group?

No. Milvao never joins, reads or posts in WhatsApp groups. Members message your community's business number one to one.

### Do members need an app or an account?

No. They use WhatsApp as usual, and Milvao is free for members. The community pays for its plan.

### Can a member send a request to one specific person?

Yes, when your community turns on Contact on its mini-site. A member presses Contact on someone listed in the directory or with a public profile, and only that person is asked. Otherwise Milvao chooses who to ask from the members who fit the brief.

### What if the request is unclear?

Milvao asks the member at most one question. If it's still unclear, the request goes to your organisers, who can fix the brief or reply to the member.

## Sources

- [Milvao Help Center: Asking for an introduction](https://milvao.com/help/members/asking-for-an-introduction) (checked 2026-11-05)
- [Milvao Help Center: Who sees what](https://milvao.com/help/privacy-and-security/who-sees-what) (checked 2026-11-05)

## Related pages

- [How it works](https://milvao.com/how-it-works)
- [AI request summary](https://milvao.com/features/ai-request-briefs)
- [Who sees what](https://milvao.com/privacy-and-consent)
- [WhatsApp community or group](https://milvao.com/whatsapp-community-vs-group)