• by January 29, 2003

A recent study from Jupiter Research found traditional CRM needs fixing on both the marketer and consumer ends. The study found that email response for online companies could use some improvement. Out of 227 companies surveyed, only 38% responded within six hours and 23% either responded after three days or not at all. On the other hand, U.S. consumers received an astonishing 140 billion emails in 2001, so how many of these messages are getting through.

This news hits legitimate email marketers hard, and leaves them looking for new ways to get their message in a person’s inbox, without having it deleted before its read. Using their already existing CRM database, companies are personalizing their messages to boost open and response rates. Here’s a look at a recent CRM case study doing just that.

Wells Fargo wanted to branch out to a larger audience, and enlisted the help of its existing consumers. Using MOJO mail, Wells Fargo participated in a viral marketing campaign that encouraged its audience to send Wells Fargo content emails to their friends. Called “Forward this email to an Associate,” each email sent in the campaign came with a link to click on, should a person choose to send this information to a colleague. The thought behind this was that if the Wells Fargo email was sent by someone the person knew, it would be better received than if it came from a generic Wells Fargo address. This campaign allowed Wells Fargo to increase their audience and track the number of friends that received the email along with those that clicked through to the site.

Wireless
eMarketer Bullish on 3G
by Amy Corr, amyc@mediapost.com

J. D. Power and Associates recently released a study showing that wireless phone use is up 7.6% in the largest U.S. markets, but despite increased usage, a drop-off in subscribers is simultaneously occurring nationwide.

Another study, by the Yankee group, found that wireless usage in the U.S. will practically double its 2001 levels and reach 200 million subscribers by 2006. Overall, both surveys deliver some hope to an industry that took its share of hits this year. Meanwhile, eMarketer has conducted a study on 3G and whether wireless users in the U.S. are ready to fully embrace it.

Here are some of its findings. The audience showing the most interest in mobile data services is adults under the age of 25. According to Ben Macklin, senior analyst at eMarketer, with 3G, “mobile Internet users will be playing games, surfing the Web, using instant messenger, watching video, buying goods and services, and even taking pictures with their mobile devices.” Macklin also expects to see hard-hitting campaigns directed toward this young crowd, but warns that companies must price and brand their products accordingly to fit in a young adult’s budget.

New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles are some of North America’s largest mobile cities, and the report concludes that the United States is not as far behind Europe and Asia when it comes to wireless technology as everyone thinks. Macklin says that the United States may very well have more 3G subscribers than all of Europe (though Europe has more prepaid subscriptions).

Macklin says that extracting more revenue from current mobile customers will come from added features and capabilities. Recent examples of this include the launch of a combination cell phone/digital camera device by both AT&T and Sprint.