Bank Simple actually personalise their email
errant.me.uk
errant.me.uk
I earn monthly a good salary for brazilian standards (I'm not riiich, but well above average) and when I was researching a bank to open an account to receive the salary from my current employer, one of the bank's branch manager actually said he wanted to meet with me on my own home, and he would bring bread and coffe.
When someone "actually personalise" an email it just means they thought the time spent doing this will be paid when the sale is closed. In this particular situation, it just means Bank Simple reeeally wants the author as a customer. Now I don't know if the author is rich, or well connected or popular (well, his article is featured here) but it's not that complicated. It's not magic, good will or anything like that.
It's incredible what excite some "geeks" (yes, you, HN reader). Ooooh a personalized email from a bank. Gee... It just meant someone ran the numbers and this might offer a nice ROI.
But, I'm not in the US so I couldn't be a customer - anyone that found out about Live Meta must have found that out too.
From a comment on my blog it appears they are just using Google (props to that!). In which case I am guessing they got me via a HN (a HN post is on the first page for searches on my email) and, so, there is a tentative argument that they are pitching for this coverage right here now.
You know what; I don't begrudge them if that really is the case. It's not hard to go from Google to HN to my site and then read about Live Meta but it is still valuable time.
Certainly my current bank, who does know I am worth a "lot" of money to them doesn't go personal in that way. It is all auto generated personalisation.....
Find me another company that actually does this
Yes and no! It's a good point you make, yes, people are after their interests. But it also indicates that they take the time and allocate resources towards a personal touch. They probably also put a little more time into learning details about you and generally caring for you. Carried forwards, it's probably a more customer-centric, personal touch type company and you're more likely to get good service there than elsewhere (as long as this touch isn't just on customer acquisition).
I've used a fair number of banks, Citizen's Banks kicks the hell out of everyone else. I mean, sure, it's probably part of their strategy, but it's still pretty awesome that when I was a nobody with no cash in their bank that I was able to meet the VP of a branch and talk with him an hour about my goals and get some advice. Later when I had more money I got close to the business banker at a new branch I moved to and I was in his office once every two weeks... I'd have business there to do wire transfers about that often, but even if I didn't I'd often drop by and lend him a book or he'd lend me a book, things like that.
Heck, you could make the same argument about a French restaurant - they're not really cooking the food nicely to please you, they're doing it as a strategy to keep you coming back. But as long as they serve a good meal, do you care? I say three cheers for good customer service and personal touches if you want it in a certain industry. And banking is definitely an industry that you might want a personal touch with your bank.
(Sadly, the UK's banks are less focussed on efficency.)
They took the time to extensively reply to both of my emails asking them questions and even suggesting a few things. Who knows how sustainable this is, but boy are they hooking users for life; that is, if their product lives up to their service.
Please, let them release soon!
But really, haven't any of you guys ever dealt with the private banking groups of consumer banks? They'll give you a rep, will bend over backwards for you, and generally kiss your ass.
Bank Simple will not be able to deliver this sort of personalized attention if they succeed in getting a large number of customers. Personal attention is expensive. Run the numbers and you will see why it's simply not possible for 99% of customers.
Kudos. You will be my bank.
(Also, just FYI: I was prompted to log in, which then errored out, when I tried to leave this as a comment on your blog.)
Re the blog Yeh that's an ongoing problem I need to fix. Swapped host and loads of problems cropped up. Thanks for the reminder :-)
I know they're just reading it off of the screen, but it still makes me feel like a baller.
"Meanwhile, we'd love to hear about your banking experience and what you're looking for in a bank. Given your experience, I'd also love to chat about development."
I'm a developer. That's pretty damn cool. It's so small, but it means so much to me now. You will be my bank. I can't promise a lot of cash in my savings account, but I can promise loyalty. Thanks guys!
I read somewhere that it is good to misspell words so it makes it look like a non-form letter. Not sure if I agree with that... but they seemed to have used that strategy even though it wasn't a form letter.
Even if you don't want to talk about banking matters, I'd love to hear more about your own start up. (I'm sure that from that you also have some great suggestions for us!)
http://www.eindia.net.in/2010/awards/details/eGov-mGov-G2B-D...