fulfilment

This has three facets: 1) outbound communication, aimed at stimulating some form of response; 2) handling inbound requests; and 3) the fulfilment of those requests. For example, many organisations wish to enable their stakeholders, customers or other interested parties to request information; sign up for newsletters; book conferences or seminars; order products or services; and more. 1) outbounds may involve the use of advertising or other ‘broadcast’ media, or may involve communicating with your existing customers or stakeholders (call this ‘narrow-casting’), or anything in between eg. mailshots to a list of ‘prospects’. 2) inbounds may be direct from a web form, or received by e-mail, fax or post (PO Box, Freepost or Admail), in all cases such that your requesters believe themselves to be dealing with your organisation, rather than a third party. 3) fulfilment invariably needs to take place in the most timely and cost-effective fashion.

Where requests are for information that already exists on the web (usually in a database) this can obviously be presented in real time. These ‘intangibles’ might include further information about a particular product or service, making conference or seminar bookings, guidance or data on a specific topic, information about job vacancies, etc. More tangible requirements need to be physically sent to the requester, usually from a mailing house or other fulfilment point, and could include almost anything: ordering products or services on-line, requests for stocks of publicity materials etc (for an example of the latter type of project, click here).

In terms of 1), we have handled many outbound exercises, where these involved an electronic or postal mailshot, to either an existing database, or to a newly created list of prospects. These have always been personalised to an individual, and often structured so as to maximise response. Many have also included variable information, based on known details such as type of customer, or tiered pricing information based on past sales history, etc.

Regarding 2), over the years we have found that by far the most successful method of dealing with inbound requests is via a web form. In any event, the trick is to keep the data-gathering process simple for the requester, who in many cases merely has to tick one or more boxes on either a web form (electronic) or letter/coupon (postal) that has been ‘pre-populated’ as far as possible. This epitomises one of our guiding principles, which is ‘Never ask a question to which you already know the answer’; do not, for example, oblige existing customers to fill in their mailing or other details when self-evidently you already know these. In postal exercises, you should always consider providing a Freepost or Business Reply facility, if necessary also enclosing the return envelope.

When handling 3), whether these are the result of advertising campaigns aimed at generating sales enquiries, invitations to seminars or conferences, stakeholder exercises seeking feedback, receiving literature requests, or whatever, it is vital to deal with these as quickly and efficiently as possible. We can process these requests on receipt and if appropriate generate acknowledgments, attendee or delegate lists, leads for your salesforce, etc. Alternatively, enquiries can be collated and transferred, ideally electronically, to one or more fulfilment points or mailing houses (for details of a particularly effective fulfilment project of this type, click here).

So whether you need professional help in generating enquiries, or in processing enquiries that are being stimulated elsewhere, ABC can provide comprehensive, data-driven solutions for a wide range of fulfilment projects.