Technology is one of the key enablers of automation for businesses, so it makes sense that it would eventually creep into email. Automated emails have the power to contribute to more streamlined operations when used well, but they are far from flawless. Today, we want to get you thinking about the pros and cons of automated email as it pertains to running your business.
Before we even get into the benefits of automated email, it must be stated that you should have some type of customer response system to provide updates and information. After all, your customers signed up for your services or products, so it stands to reason that you should have a system to allow communication with them. That said, there are many benefits to automated emails, including the following:
Automated emails have a greater return on investment compared to other systems that help your organization manage its customers and clients.
When you streamline communication from your business, you’re saving hours upon hours that your business’ employees might otherwise spend on rote, manual tasks. Not only does this save time, but it also saves capital that you can reinvest into more money-making parts of your business. Automated emails often achieve a higher click-through rate, triggered by an action and sent right afterward.
To top it off, systems that use automated email often have in-depth tracking tools that can give you valuable insights, making them an effective tool to not only support your email game, but improve it over time.
One of the most underrated parts of business is consistency—something that is appreciated both externally through customers and internally through your staff.
Through email automation, you set a standard message for specific moments and ensure particular information is available to those who need it. Suppose you’re manually sending emails (i.e. the hard way). In that case, it’s practically impossible to achieve the same level of accuracy unless you’re copying and pasting messages, which is mind-numbing in its own right. Consistency helps you maintain a good reputation with your customers and foster trust through reliability.
With the right solutions in place that address gaps in communication, your business will appear dependable and, thus, reliable in the eyes of your customers.
It’s not all sunshine and roses for automated emails, though. We also want to highlight some of the detriments, as they are a direct byproduct of the convenience, consistency, and ROI of email automation. Here are two of the most likely candidates for “worst thing about automated emails” that your organization should consider before implementing them:
Automated emails save you time, but first, you have to invest some of that time into the initial setup.
Automated emails consist of workflows that will trigger email flows. You can customize these flows based on your customers' actions, like signing up, downloading an e-book, showing interest in a product, or abandoning an item in their cart. Naturally, customizing each of these templates takes some time.
Once you get over that hump, though, you’ll have plenty of email templates ready to go for when you need them.
Sometimes, it’s actually nice to hear from a real, live human being rather than an automated message or an AI chatbot.
If the only interactions you have with your customers are automated emails, that might be a red flag in the eyes of your customer. Receiving too many useless messages whenever you take an action can be frustrating. Strive to send emails only when they are actionable or informative; this way, your recipient will be more likely to see them as valuable and helpful rather than an annoyance.
If you don’t take appropriate steps to manage these workflows, you could see your relationships with your customers sour.
First Column IT can help your business set up email automation and other technology solutions to help your operations run smoothly. To learn more, call us at (571) 470-5594.
