We spent a lot of 2010 trying to make the point that an increased focus on the needs of customers is absolutely vital to the sustainability of cultural organisations. Our resolution for 2011 is to keep doing exactly the same thing.
But as I opened my mail in the first week of January, I realised the scale of the task. Out of a fat envelope I prised an expensively produced and costly to mail brochure for a venue:
1. that is more than sixty miles from my home
2. that I have only visited once
3. three years ago
4. for a performance by a company that no longer tours there
Three times a year I get these mailings. I never asked for them. Between the print, the postage and the fulfilment, it must be costing the venue a fortune on an annual basis. And they show no sign of stopping.
But the worst thing is they are not sending their brochure to me, their one-time-not-very-satisfied-customer. Instead they seem to think a ‘Mr Grownlee’ lives at my address.
I am not complaining about an outrageous waste of public money – actually this venue doesn’t receive direct subsidy (although it does receive subsidised product). I’m not even moaning about the marketing staff that inexpertly mails the entire database every time they produce a brochure (probably poorly paid, untrained and inexperienced). I am however incensed by a corporate culture in this arts organisation – and sadly far too many others in the UK – that puts caring for customers way down their list of priorities.
Why didn’t the Box Office staff know the importance of collecting clean data, particularly from new customers? Why didn’t the venue ask me what I thought after my first visit and see whether I was likely to want come again before just dumping me on a database? Why hasn’t the venue asked me once in three years whether my details are correct and if I want to continue receiving mailings? This isn’t rocket science. Some venues get these basics right. Most don’t.
So my plea to cultural managers: before you rush off to that seminar on how you can raise more money from individuals, have you recently really checked to see how you’re communicating with your customers and how content they are? A happy punter is likely to consider your request for a donation seriously. Mr Grownlee will let out a hollow laugh while he dumps it in the recycling.
David Brownlee, Chief Executive, Audiences UK
Comments
"It shouldn't be incumbent on you, but...". No buts - it's bad when other industries (e.g. broadband suppliers!) junk mail: we shouldn't expect special treatment.
If they have to externalise the cost of managing their database effectively onto their customers, they're already on a loser...
Comment feed (What are feeds?)