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| Newsflash #36 |
2nd May 2006 |
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Managing your Email Database
The ability to capture and efficiently manage a customer's contact information, is the most critical & fundamental aspect of digital communication. Yet the majority of companies that we talk to, do not currently have this relatively simple capability. Such companies have quick and very effective options in this regard, that they may not be aware of.
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'Managing your Email Database'
Sending and receiving large volumes of email to and from your customers requires:
- Being able to capture the email address
- The functionality to automatically handle permission & deliverability statuses
- Systematic address data scrubbing
- Reporting & analysis
- Inbound email workflow & escalation
- Updating of your CIS / CRM system
- Legal compliance
Previous Striata Newsflashes have dealt extensively with the many benefits of secure and non-secure email communication. Billers & financial institutions have two options when it comes to email database management, handling it internally or outsourcing this functionality:
Managing your own email database:
This is always the preferred option for all parties. A company's CRM or CIS system has the necessary functionality to maintain the email address and at least three subcategories / 'flags' for permission.
As it is extremely poor customer service to send email and not to allow customers to reply, sophisticated organizations also have implemented email workflow tools which integrate with their contact centre platforms, and allow the CSR's to respond, ticket, escalate and archive customer emails.
These companies can therefore capture, automatically maintain and service their customers via email. Attaining this level of advanced functionality is however extremely expensive and may take up to two years to implement. Many companies have thus chosen to outsource all of these functions to Service Providers that specialize in email database management.
Outsourcing your email database management:
Striata offers complete outsourced email database management as well as inbound email workflow. These services include:
- Database functionality:
- Email address capturing via a secure web interface, automated email subscription and mobile text messages
- Automated unsubscription
- Automated replies to both subscribing and unsubscribing
- Data scrubbing
- Multiple email templates with secure access for template maintenance
- Automated email notifications
- A daily database file delivered to the biller (in their required specific format) for automatic upload into their CIS / CRM system
- CAN SPAM and other legal and regulatory compliance
- Inbound Email:
- Inbound email workflow
- Automated responses
- Automated & timed escalation
- Archiving & retrieval
- Escalation break-out to fax and / or mobile text messaging
- CSR alerts & follow up reminders
- Detailed & summary queue/s & CSR reporting
Whether you 'do it yourself' or outsource this capability, establishing & maintaining a current and compliant email database is the first step to taking advantage of the two main areas of email communication: (Each of these two links through to dedicated articles.)
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Striata is holding its International Conference in Africa from 15th to the 19th of May. I'm looking forward to bringing you the latest updates & news from our operations in Europe, AsiaPac & Africa.
We are currently completing a very exciting Vodafone / Vodacom case study (one of our largest Telecommunication billers) and will probably feature it in the next Newsflash on the 16th May.
Regards,
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