Comments on: Technology does not trump policy when it comes to delivery

By: Mike Hillyer

Mike Hillyer — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:45:45 +0000

I think a good analogy is golf clubs: A good golfer can get a better set of clubs and achieve a better game. A bad golfer can get a better set of clubs and his game is just as bad. Better tools on their own can’t improve a bad situation.

By: Al Iverson

Al Iverson — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:22:22 +0000

Great post, I like this a lot. Maybe it highlights more than anything that salespeople have to learn to be more accurate and more nuanced, if they want to be respected. And if, by extension, they want their employer to be respected. I’d be embarrassed for my employer if I had any sales colleagues spouting drivel like this.

By: Tami Forman

Tami Forman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:35:42 +0000

Great post Laura! I think you’ve articulated this really well. I actually think the analogy that both Ken and Matt made to response rates is quite apt. ESPs can help clients achieve higher response with a combination of cool technical features and strategic consulting services. But everyone knows that the client is only going to improve response by using the tools in the right way and taking the strategic advice. No one thinks that because the ESP’s average response rates are higher (or, it should be said, lower) than most that they have better (or worse) technology. Same with deliverability. The technical things that ESPs can do to influence inbox placement rates should be considered table stakes. If they offer additional support and services around deliverability they should absolutely sell that value proposition. But that is very different from what Ken’s original post was complaining about — “Hey, come work with us, our delivery rates are more than 90%!”

Cheers,
Tami Forman, Return Path

By: Nicolas Toper

Nicolas Toper — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:52:27 +0000

Hi Laura,

The two points you describe are actually exactly what our company is about. We provide a simple SMTP gateway that do that exactly: we rewrite HTML into W3C compliant (and add compliance messages) and are able to identify a problematic delivery (we work at the delivery level, not the customers). We don’t send it and our customers are very happy because it protects their user base.