DATA QUALITY - Anatomy of an Email Inbox 10-9-17

Chicago, Club Industry and Marathon

Back home and into the new week after spending the weekend in Chicago.  I presented my SOUR Email session at the Club Industry Show - a National gathering of people in the health club and health services business.  I was glad to be there and in Chicago and it just so happened that the Chicago Marathon was Sunday.  It was my first time attending and I was completely impressed and awed.  I was fortunate to be staying very close to the course route, so woke up early to see the participants get started on the long run - 26.2 miles.  Impressive!  

What was even more impressive was to see those so much less fortunate than us out there giving it their all.  Whether they were without the use of their limbs or simply without limbs or faculties, they were there participating and competing.  Just the fact they were there and going for it made me feel so inspired by them and their attitudes in life.

While at the conference, I covered much of what I write about in this blog, but one area we discussed was DATA QUALITY.  This is an area that often does not receive enough attention in email marketing.  After all, we are marketers, not IT team members.  I think this is SOUR thinking and as marketers we need to be as much technologist as marketers.  It is our responsibility to communicate and communicate well and that means understanding the data we are using and making sure it is being executed on in the right manner.

I spoke in one of my past blogs about the emails I keep getting addressed to "Jean," my mom's name after I order pet medicine and had it delivered to her house when I was visiting this past summer.  Clearly not a good experience.

Here's the latest one that SOURs me on data quality.  I recently change the home warranty company that I had one of my homes covered under.  I had done my research, signed up for some emails and started evaluating the companies.  

While they were aggressive in following up with me and sending me offers, there was NO personalization and no attempt to understand what I wanted and who I was as a real person and prospect of their company.

I ultimately spoke on the phone with a very nice gentleman who helped me understand the offers and differences between the companies and I purchased the coverage.

Here's the rub:  I ordered my coverage in late September and promptly received my contract and information package in the mail.  However, I continue to receive sales offers every 3-4 days.

So, the problem is their back end ordering system isn't connected to their marketing database and now they continue to try and sell me something I already bought.  I've now unsubscribed, so in addition to the errors, after 90 days, they can't send me any future content emails.  Total missed opportunity because no one appears to be watching their data quality to make sure there is a great customer experience.  Instead they are delivering a SOUR one that irritates me and hurts them.

So, in parting and in keeping with my Marathon weekend, run for the goal line and WIN!

-     Make sure all your teams and databases are connected and talking to each other.
-     Consider how your data is updated and timing of those updates.
-     Perhaps use resting rules to allow for the databases to sync if they are not real time.
-     Audit your communications and paths between prospecting and sales.