Comments on The Official Blog of 1300 Web Pro: What's your opinion on Virgin Blue's mass e-mail s...

I am pleased to say it is interesting that this bl...

2010-03-03T18:29:07.321+10:00

I am pleased to say it is interesting that this blog has a great variety of viewpoints to better understand the situation and that is what most caught my attention and has a great variety of comments Whether in their hands or someone else's, this is an idea whose time has come. The users want more. And they're ready to help.

Thanks all for your replies. John, you're rig...

2009-11-18T08:08:15.293+10:00

Thanks all for your replies.

John, you're right -- Virgin Blue's problem was much bigger then the typical "Outlook" issue. I was attempting to show a similar issue a small business may experience in comparison to VB.

Dave, I didn't know the fines were that substantial! Thanks for sharing.

Shane, reading about the "wrong recipient" client -- I can only imagine how their heart sank after clicking that send button.

So people who followed the link to Gizmodo might have seen my opinion already, but just in case, I said:

"This story amazed me. We have seen the number of mass-email stuff ups rise dramatically lately.

"Businesses need to be more cautious and have more oversight with their mass-emailing programs. It should be technically impossible to send an e-mail like this — the business logic should prevent it — so I hope for Virgin’s sake it was a true programming bug rather then a lack of business logic altogether.

"All that said, I can completely understand they can’t give a large number of passengers free lounge memberships as it would congest the lounges, annoying genuine members (not to mention annoying frequent flyers who wheren’t lucky enough to get the ‘accidental e-mail’).

"On the otherhand, in my opinion they are mad for not offering *something*. A lot of people will be in your shoes, not sure what emotion to be feeing.

"If they had said 'you can have $50 off you next flight' all the sudden you would be a happy chappy. The cost to the business would not be nil, but would be within the acceptable loss to negate the negative impact of this stuff up.

"All of this is in my humple opinion, of course."

In other words...
I believe, from a customer service and image point of view, providing something, no matter how small, would have been a good plan. But not lounge access...

hhmm mailchimp looks good. I've been using con...

2009-11-17T23:06:18.694+10:00

hhmm mailchimp looks good. I've been using constantcontact with great results, but mailchimp might be worth a look. Thanks for the tip.

I got the virgin email and I must confess my immediate response was that someone had stuffed up. I didn't take it seriously at all... because I only fly once or twice a year so clearly I didn't qualify.

Fortunately I've never stuffed up to that extent, but I'm always cautious about what I say in a 'reply all' incase someone I don't want to see my response is bcc'd...

I have a client though that sent an email to his partner outlining the huge margins he had in a contract he'd won, and unwittingly cc'd the new client. As soon as he'd pressed enter he realised what he had done. Embarrasing times for him when he got a call from the new client asking to 'please explain'.

It is something I'm always conscious of though.

I think we all make mistakes, the severity of virg...

2009-11-17T11:56:00.817+10:00

I think we all make mistakes, the severity of virgin's may have been a let down to some but the fact is, they are in their own right to retract their statement. It's their PR that can suffer.
In saying that though, loosing the revenue that is people flying enough times to be in the 'gold' class could hurt them greatly financially. Especially after they struggled after the GFC and the rising costs involved in flying planes.

Mail Chimp is a great program. Not only is it a safeguard against becoming accused of spamming (Who can afford 1.1 million in fines PER DAY!)

We have been using Mailchimp in the cafe for a few months now and just the post analytics alone is well worth using the program.

Dave
Star Gardentown Cafe

Thanks for the tip on mailchimp James. Might use ...

2009-11-17T11:16:52.505+10:00

Thanks for the tip on mailchimp James. Might use that myself and for some clients. Not sure that you can blame poor old Outlook for "user error" though - clearly that wasn't what happened with Virgin. Must say I was disappointed not to move up to "Gold" class - but I'm firmly in the "we all make mistakes" camp.