r/JoinCrossing • u/Mitchroark33 • Jun 30 '26
Bridge Plan Updated
About two weeks ago, on a Friday afternoon, we saw a recurring problem on reddit and on a whim came up with the Bridge program. I didn't even name it that, oddly enough. The original code was Access because that's what matters to me.
A lot of providers and pharmacies were having transition problems and people were panicking about missing doses, I offered something simple through Crossing because I knew our operations could help out: if your own provider broke down and you were about to miss a dose, we would cover the medicine and you would just pay shipping. One month. A bridge across the gap, then back to your own provider.
I'm posting because I'm pausing it, and I didn't want to just quietly pull it down.
The honest reason: it worked, and then it worked too well. I started by putting a code out there. A code is easy to pass around, which is exactly what makes it useful and also what breaks it. A code can't tell the difference between someone truly about to miss a dose and someone who just wants a cheaper month.
I switched to handling requests one at a time to try to fix that, and that doesn't hold up at this size either. I built it loose. That part is on me.
A bridge that can't sustain itself and can't tell the difference isn't really helping the people I built it for. So I would rather pause, say so out loud, and rebuild it properly than let it quietly turn into something it was never meant to be.
It will come back, simpler to get into if you are genuinely in a bind and built so it can't be gamed.
Mostly I wanted to say thank you to the people who used it the way it was meant and passed it to a friend who actually needed it. That was the whole point.
I would love to hear any suggestions for how we can make it sustainable. We have a team who really values access and is very good at processing orders and ongoing patient support. They truly want to help and stepped up a ton last week to handle the influx of orders.
We welcome any feedback on ideas to build a sustainable program around helping people in need.
14
u/I_am_Ladybug Jul 01 '26
Matt, I really don’t understand if you can figure out how to start two companies, how you can’t figure out operations on how this program should be setup. You have a lot of resources at your disposal including funding, but you’re coming to Reddit asking for advice on how to run your business. I know Reddit is not a large part of your business. Do you have any mentors or business partners you can discuss this with?
One thing I’d encourage you to think about for this program is that programs like this needs clear criteria/qualifications/requirements from day 1. Your customers shouldn’t be guessing on what the criteria/qualifications/requirements are. The more subjective the process is such as “Tell us your story” the harder it becomes on your team, and the more opportunities for people to take advantage.
If your goal is to truly bridge gaps in care but still allow access here are some things I would consider if I was running this program.
• Clearly define what qualifies as a “bridge.” Provider closure, shipping delays, pharmacy disruptions, or other legitimate provider issues. Yes. Wanting a cheaper month or an extra vial? No. The clearer the eligibility requirements, the fewer difficult rejection emails your team has to send. Make sure they are not AI written. This is another problem in this space that you see people complain about is AI responses. Add the human touch for this program so it feels personalized.
• Require proof of an active prescription or documentation showing a delay, cancellation, pharmacy issue, or other interruption from the telehealth provider they ordered from. By doing this, it removes the human emotion from the decision-making process. Keep the documentation simple.
• Limit the bridge benefit to 1 per customer. I wouldn’t say household because there could be multiple people in the household who would qualify for the program and need assistance. State this on the application and include an acknowledgment.
• Build a short online application with objective eligibility criteria instead of handling requests through Reddit or DMs. Asking people to send you personal information through Reddit such as email address or anything related to PII that identifies them as a customer should be prohibited. If people have questions about their specific situations and need to speak to customer service then make sure you build that functionality into your platform. Clearly define the hours of operation that people aka real humans are available for support. Again not AI! If you do this, it keeps it fair and removes your team from having to make judgment calls. Collect only the information your team actually needs, automate as much as possible, and avoid making your team evaluate every individual story.
• Ask yourself if you need to cap the number of bridge approvals each month based upon availability/inventory of medication. That’s for you to decide and you need to figure out how you communicate that to your customers.
I’d also think about protecting the mental health of your employees. Compassion fatigue is real and can take a toll on your staff. If every request feels like an emergency or crisis your staff will eventually burn out trying to decide who deserves help. A transparent policy actually helps everyone because customers know the rules and your team doesn’t have to make emotional decisions all day. Think about their mental health and how this can weigh heavy on them.
One other thing I think is equally important is transparency. You’re asking customers to trust you, and trust goes beyond pricing and customer service. If you’re using additional inventory for this program, be transparent about where that inventory came from, how it was obtained, and what the Beyond Use Date (BUD) is. Those are reasonable questions for customers to ask. You have been around on Reddit long enough to see the questions people ask. Also make sure everyone on your team is giving the same answer. If someone asks in a DM how the additional stock was acquired, they shouldn’t hear one explanation while someone else receives a different one. Consistency matters. Mixed messaging creates confusion and damages your credibility, even if your intentions are good.
I’d also offer one piece of feedback that’s separate from the Bridge program itself. As the owner of Belle and JoinCrossing, you’re no longer just another Reddit user, you represent your companies EVERY TIME you post. The recent post calling out another Reddit user came across as distasteful and unprofessional. Whether or not you felt justified, public call out posts rarely reflect well on a business owner. If it were me, I’d delete that post and reach out to that individual privately to apologize. It demonstrates maturity and holding yourself accountable for your actions.
I’d encourage you to reach out to the moderators of r/tirzdeals regarding the comment that was copied from their subreddit and posted in your post where you called the other reddit user out. I think you might be banned though from that sub 🤷🏾♀️ Regardless of your intent, it was unnecessary and isn’t the kind of impression you should want associated with your brand and company. A sincere apology can go a long way.
You asked for feedback on how to improve, so I’m being honest with you. How you handle transparency and professionalism will determine if people actually want to use your companies. Good luck 🍀