December 2003

Christmas cheers

Robin Houghton

Tis the season of goodwill, so rather than ranting about the bad guys we thought this month it was time to dole out some praise. We all need the occasional good example, even if only to prevent us from becoming complete and utter online marketing cynics.

Yes folks, it's the very first Marketing Karma Awards! I ought to say that these gongs are completely subjective, being based on the experiences of, well basically two people. [Next time we'll throw the net a bit wider and ask you for your opinions - and you won't have to pay for a table of ten seats at a gala dinner to hear the results - honest.]

Speediest email response rates - (sorry, autoresponders do NOT count)

Commended: Supanames for being one of the few hosting companies that really do get back to you within hours, if not minutes.

Best customer service

Winner: Interflora - we love the fact that they have integrated the internet seamlessly into their processes. You can order online, but still call to make changes if needs be. Once I had a call to tell me that someone else going to the same funeral had ordered the same bouquet - and would it be OK if the florist made some substitutions so that they weren't identical? Nice.

Most efficient fulfilment

Commended: Personally I would like to offer a virtual bouquet to Birmingham-based Fabric UK for always delivering the correct style and quantity of fabric, invariably within 24 hours. And their website has improved tremendously in the past year. Also commended: Amazon, Viking Direct, Opodo and others mentioned elsewhere in this piece.

Winner: Filofax - perfectly packaged and delivered faster than you can say 'eighties yuppy, moi?'

Over-delivering - well, I don't know if this counts, but I once ordered 10 wooden coat hangers at about 70p each from a spit-and-sawdust hardware site I found through Google. When they arrived, I'd been sent 10 boxes (12 hangers in each). Now that's what I call an excuse for a walk-in closet.

Winner: the jury's out.

Ease of ordering -

Commended: Sam wants to give Opodo get a special mention for its transparent ordering process and tickets arriving within a couple of days.

Joint winners: The 'We make it so easy to buy, you can't resist' Award - Ukreg.com and Amazon - those damn cookies have a lot to answer for. Amazon is the online equivalent of IKEA. You never make it out without spending something, and every £5.99 adds up.

Best use of CRM

Winner: Viking Direct. Yes, the avalanche of catalogues does calm down eventually, once the system learns your ordering habits. Smart email marketing based on order history, incentives arriving at just the right moment, polite and helpful on the end of the phone, exemplary record of next-day delivery - all the things that so many strive for, and yet so few actually achieve.

Most stylish B2C newsletter

Commended: my vote goes to Land's End, admittedly cosy and on the wordy side, but different and eyecatching. Sam nominates lastminute.com for its weekly themes, useful links and ideas.

Winner: hmmm.

Most useful B2B newsletter

Commended: the quirky APe-mail by ArtsProfessional - a witty and informative round up of arts coverage in the nationals by Catherine Rose. Just about any of the newsletters from MarketingSherpa - consistently useful and, unlike many of the newsletters in our field, not just a load of recycled old news.

Ahem! Perhaps I'd better just stop there. Merry Christmas.