With the Preference Centre, the customer now has one easy place to manage all their subscriptions – opt-in or out.
More than just a number
A large distribution list is meaningless, without useable data; if the later is not true about every customer on this list, it is time to reassess the relationship.
Re-inventing "the talk"
I have seen a lot of blogs arguing whether there is a valid use-case to “delete” a customer, due to inactivity (ranges in definition).
This approach is very one-sided (never a good thing in any relationship).
It also misses the benefits of the “talk”– setting guidelines and boundaries and assessing them throughout the relationship.
The “talk” should focus less about breaking-up and more about listening and benefitting from one another.
Regulatory compliance making it easy?
The words 'ease' and 'compliance' rarely go hand-in-hand. However, I am going to argue how regulatory compliance might have made it easier for marketing; at least in terms of knowing whether a customer still wants to engage.
Let me explain.
Regulations like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) have not only put certain rules in place to give customers control over their personal data but it has also made companies aware of the advantages of data transparency – even if it is not a mandatory requirement.
For example, enabling “double opt-in” (confirm subscription via email) is not mandatory but highly beneficial. Limiting the impact of trolls or vengeful exes is one big advantage – both for the customer (effort, emotional toll) but also your business (support tickets). But an even greater benefit is it ensures the customer actively wants to opt-in to communications – and that you have the correct email.
Preference Centres expand how you communicate and grow with your customers
Data transparency and customer control over personal data is a regulation for GDPR.
This is where solutions within SAP Customer Data Cloud truly excel.
These solutions amalgamate every opt-in a customer subscribed to under the same email address. This means a user can manage all their subscriptions in one place. This is relevant both for email only accounts (lite accounts), as well as fully registered accounts.
Gone are the days of having to find the unsubscribe link at the end of an email, or search for a link to update your email, or simply not knowing what you subscribed to, in general.
To demonstrate this, I created a few mock-ups for an imaginary retail company, "Camille".
The first screen shows the Lite Registration sign up form, followed by the Lite Registration Preference Centre - no password is required, only an email to identify the customer.
A customer can now opt-in or out of various communications, see the date they consented to receiving this communication, and the channel to receive communications.
In addition, the Preference Centre is not limited to one brand; global companies with multiple brands in a site group also utilise this functionality.
The mock-up below, now shows that “Camille” is part of a larger group, “LÜXE” and displays the other design houses within the site group (7 in total).
The fear that a customer will then opt-out of everything only supports this blog.
If they don’t want to communicate with you, why make it hard for them?
No one is benefitting.
Having the “talk” now removes the out-dated “break up” model and replaces it with setting relationship guidelines. Openness and clear communication from "hello!".
Customer benefits include: providing full transparency over what data you are collecting and how you are using it; promoting the preference centre to give control back to the customer; and providing ways to get to know them better. This builds trust and you are much more likely to "put a ring on it" (convert to a full account).
Give them the tools to build a relationship and keep it up. The rest is left to the customer.
Janet Bewell
Resources:
https://www.sap.com/products/customer-data-platform.html
https://www.sap.com/products/customer-consent.html
- SAP Managed Tags:
