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Why "Customer Service" Is Not On the DM Bill of Rights

July 8, 2010 by Crystal Uppercue
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7. Education that Never Quits
Who would quibble that this 21st century is proving to be a bruiser for folks deeply into the DM business? Only constant education tempered by experience can stand up to this consumer-driven market mix that calls for creativity; technology; metrics; database design and management; market demographics and shifts; the USPS; paper on ink; and human psychology — all on a tight, no-mistakes production schedule.

Bottom line: Your direct marketing production partner is not your father's (or even your older brother's) "printer." This is DM; this is BIG.

8. Online Tools
Today, time demands that you conduct much of your direct marketing work online. You're just too busy to do otherwise. Your DM production vendor should have every current online tool available so that you can upload files electronically, check proofs online, execute efficient Web-to-print strategies, make intelligent data and list selections from your office, retrieve job status updates in real time, and manage your inventory remotely.

9. Customer Service — A Gimme!
OK, I put it here. But it's not really part of the DM Bill of Rights because it IS the DM Bill of Rights. Customer service is the foundation from which the other eight — and all else — build. A direct marketing production company that emulates this bill of rights can be a steadfast partner that shares responsibility for the success of your direct marketing program.

Crystal Uppercue is the marketing manager for EU Services, a 330-employee direct marketing production facility based in Rockville, MD. Download EU's free white paper, "A Marketing Manager's Guide to VDP Project Management," at www.euservices.com. 
 

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COMMENTS

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Most Recent Comments:
Carol Worthington-Levy - Posted on July 08, 2010
Great suggestions to those of us who provide service.

My only frustration - try as I do to find out from clients -- and even those in my own office -- who are tracking response, as a creative I find I'm last on the list for getting information on response. i need to beg for it and even then it's not provided.

Believe it or not, some creatives not only want to find out how the projects did... we also are very dependent upon such information in order to come up with future ideas that are workable and have a chance to beat the current numbers.

If there is a problem reading response, that's something that needs to be fixed immediately. If response numbers are in, but it's hard to figure out what they mean, ask your team, including the creatives who did the work... and often we have the background to provide insight.

We want to help but we need that information to make an appropriate contribution of ideas on things like lists, creative and even campaign strategy.

Please help us to be great vendors by sharing all you can. We'll knock your socks off with insight, ideas and fresh strategies that will move you forward.
Click here to view archived comments...
Archived Comments:
Carol Worthington-Levy - Posted on July 08, 2010
Great suggestions to those of us who provide service.

My only frustration - try as I do to find out from clients -- and even those in my own office -- who are tracking response, as a creative I find I'm last on the list for getting information on response. i need to beg for it and even then it's not provided.

Believe it or not, some creatives not only want to find out how the projects did... we also are very dependent upon such information in order to come up with future ideas that are workable and have a chance to beat the current numbers.

If there is a problem reading response, that's something that needs to be fixed immediately. If response numbers are in, but it's hard to figure out what they mean, ask your team, including the creatives who did the work... and often we have the background to provide insight.

We want to help but we need that information to make an appropriate contribution of ideas on things like lists, creative and even campaign strategy.

Please help us to be great vendors by sharing all you can. We'll knock your socks off with insight, ideas and fresh strategies that will move you forward.