Triggers in Action: Welcome Messages That Go Beyond Thanking the Customer
July 2007
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With more than 10,000 new subscribers a day, a prominent media and entertainment company was having difficulty cost-effectively managing phone inquiries from new customers. It needed to develop a welcome program that immediately touched new subscribers, introduced them to the product, answered questions, and increased customer service and retention, while keeping costs down.
Working with a multichannel marketing provider, the entertainment company developed a welcome program based on individual customer triggers that were activated by a new subscription. The program consisted of a multi-pronged series of communications to new subscribers that was created to eliminate unnecessary phone calls and increase customer satisfaction. The program structure:
Day Two: The first e-mail was sent two days after account activation, welcoming the customer to the service and providing information about the company’s Web site. A second e-mail was sent out later that afternoon confirming the customer’s subscription with a set of frequently asked questions.
Day Three: On the third day, the company sent another e-mail providing tips about using the product.
Day Four: On the fourth day, the entertainment company sent an e-mail promoting other products it offers that might be of interest, using dynamic content based on the customer’s profile and preferences.
By timing messages effectively, the entertainment company decreased calls to its customer service department in the first week by 10 percent to 18 percent. In addition, the welcome message program enjoyed a 50 percent to 60 percent open rate and as high as a 30 percent clickthrough rate, generating results far outpacing standard industry rates.
—Andrew J. Frawley
Working with a multichannel marketing provider, the entertainment company developed a welcome program based on individual customer triggers that were activated by a new subscription. The program consisted of a multi-pronged series of communications to new subscribers that was created to eliminate unnecessary phone calls and increase customer satisfaction. The program structure:
Day Two: The first e-mail was sent two days after account activation, welcoming the customer to the service and providing information about the company’s Web site. A second e-mail was sent out later that afternoon confirming the customer’s subscription with a set of frequently asked questions.
Day Three: On the third day, the company sent another e-mail providing tips about using the product.
Day Four: On the fourth day, the entertainment company sent an e-mail promoting other products it offers that might be of interest, using dynamic content based on the customer’s profile and preferences.
By timing messages effectively, the entertainment company decreased calls to its customer service department in the first week by 10 percent to 18 percent. In addition, the welcome message program enjoyed a 50 percent to 60 percent open rate and as high as a 30 percent clickthrough rate, generating results far outpacing standard industry rates.
—Andrew J. Frawley
Companies Mentioned:
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