Ah, personalized email. Even basic personalization like using a customer’s name in the greeting can help maintain engagement. Woe to the marketer who gets it wrong.
Unfortunately, however, mistakes do happen. Whether it’s human error or a technical glitch, it behooves marketers to act, and fast, to resolve the error. And when your business is marketing or customer experience, there’s even more pressure to save face.
Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) did just that, excellently, and with humor. Following on the heels of its 2014 Insight Exchange, the association sent an email requesting feedback on the event from attendees (as it would, of course). However, instead of the emails being addressed to the individuals who attended, everyone received an email addressed to “Shannon.”
Within just a few hours, CXPA sent a clever follow up with the subject line, “You’re Not Shannon…” and a witty apology that included the actual recipient’s name, and a call to action that involved Shannon. Plus, the association got the real Shannon to take a photo with a note about the conference to include in the message.
Now that’s what I call a full and speedy recovery.
Before (subject line, “We Want Your Feedback | CXPA’s 2014 Insight Exchange”):
After (subject line, “You’re Not Shannon…”):
