Email to customers

Posted by Rob on September 13, 2008, 3:20 pm

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Hello,

My client would like to send mass emails to her clients.

1. Is it possible for Outlook to somehow use the customer data in the RMS
database as an address book?

2. If no, is there functionality within the RMS system to email to
customers? I can't seem to find it.

3. If 1 and 2 aren't possible, what's the best option? I can create a SQL
statement against the database using 3rd party software, but that seems like
the least preferable path. I have seen posts from others to add customer
email to one of the standard reports, but that also seems cumbersome. Is
there a more integrated option?

Thank you for any help!

Posted by Ryan on September 15, 2008, 12:01 pm

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Rob,
You have a number of options available to you.

You can use Microsoft Outlook/Word to do a mail merge using the RMS Customer
table as your data source. If the steps needed are acceptable to the
customer, then this is a good option.

RMS does not have built in functionality to make this happen, however you
can use a Customer List report that has been modified to included email
address, export it to a .csv file and again use the Work/Outlook Mail Merge
functionality.

If you need something more streamlined, we do offer a tool that will allow
you to use a HTML template and a customer list to send out mass emails. The
process is a bit more stream-lined to an end user, but again if you have a
tech-savvy user, the Outlook/Work process is just fine.

--
Thank you,
Ryan Sakry
Program Manager
Retail Information Technology Enterprises
320-230-2288
rsakry@rite.us
www.rite.us

> Hello,

> My client would like to send mass emails to her clients.

> 1. Is it possible for Outlook to somehow use the customer data in the RMS

> database as an address book?

> 2. If no, is there functionality within the RMS system to email to

> customers? I can't seem to find it.

> 3. If 1 and 2 aren't possible, what's the best option? I can create a

> SQL

> statement against the database using 3rd party software, but that seems

> like

> the least preferable path. I have seen posts from others to add customer

> email to one of the standard reports, but that also seems cumbersome. Is

> there a more integrated option?

> Thank you for any help!

Posted by DRS Support on September 15, 2008, 6:53 pm

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Sending mass emails using a standard email client will likely get your
customer blacklisted by their ISP or their customers' ISPs.
It only takes a few spam reports for this to happen.

The retailer should use a email broadcast service instead that includes an
opt-out opton embedded in broadcast emails. This also provides them with
promotional and newsletter templates and open/click-thru tracking.
You can export emails in RMS using a customer report setup for this
function.

If your customer wants more, our V.I.P. Zone add-in extracts email addresses
in two clicks (all or selected by filter options) and generates a CSV file
for use with these type of services. You can even force cashiers to ask for
email address at POS and much more.

Watch the back-end tutorial for exporting lists at:
http://www.digitalretailer.com/2torials/VIPzone2b.html

Or watch the front-end tutorial for capturing customers at:
http://www.digitalretailer.com/2torials/VIPzone2a.html

Digital Retail Solutions
www.digitalretailer.com/RMSaddins -- v1.x/2.x compliant add-ins from $49
Trial downloads -- www.digitalretailer.com/trial
Search this newsgroup -- http://tinyurl.com/2lmk4w

> Hello,

> My client would like to send mass emails to her clients.

> 1. Is it possible for Outlook to somehow use the customer data in the RMS

> database as an address book?

> 2. If no, is there functionality within the RMS system to email to

> customers? I can't seem to find it.

> 3. If 1 and 2 aren't possible, what's the best option? I can create a

> SQL

> statement against the database using 3rd party software, but that seems

> like

> the least preferable path. I have seen posts from others to add customer

> email to one of the standard reports, but that also seems cumbersome. Is

> there a more integrated option?

> Thank you for any help!