With the rapid proliferation of new media channels and practices, from DRTV to permission marketing and the internet, many companies have had to adapt their delivery strategies to keep up with the seemingly endless demand.
As many companies already know, just how well the performance levels of their data suppliers can be gauged is of paramount importance. Given that your choice of supplier can make the difference between good and excellent customer service, it's imperative that decisions are based on 'ability to deliver' as well as cost-effectiveness.
The key role played by back-end suppliers is increasingly being recognised.
Indeed, the modern handling house is expected to provide a detailed management reporting system for clients, keen to measure effectiveness and delivery on a regular basis. This is a direct result of success in this sector: as the demand rises, measurement of campaigns is now a key requirement for many.
It is also interesting to note that around 90 per cent of fulfilment houses in the UK are medium-sized. This provides added demands on those companies committed to providing exceptional levels of service. As such, the promises boasted by the 'front-end' will inevitably put greater pressure on the back-end support without the right people or technology.
The purpose of this Guide is to highlight areas of excellence in this sector. I hope that it offers potential clients the ability to understand and define their requirements in a way that benefits all parties. It will also act as a litmus test for clients to establish what can be achieved and to identify where their needs are best served. Hopefully, it will also result in more companies integrating mailing and fulfilment houses within the overall marketing mix. And what might this bring? The three factors most important to every industry: the delivery of a quality service in a time-efficient and cost-effective way.
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