Most of the transactions you complete on the web generate an automated confirmation email. These come from email addresses like these:
- auto-confirm@amazon.com
- SouthwestAirlines@mail.southwest.com
- system@backpackit.com
Have you ever hit reply and responded to one of these emails? Your email probably bounced right back to you.
I’ve written before about making your reply-to email address a real company monitored inbox. However, if companies insist on having no-reply emails they need to better communicate that the email address isn’t monitored.
Most companies throw a sentence in the email stating you shouldn’t reply to the message. Others have a more jovial approach. What if the “from” email address clearly stated the situation?
Website monitoring service Montastic sends emails from this address:
no-reply-i-am-a-computer@montastic.com
When I saw that address I immediately understood its purpose:
- I knew I couldn’t reply to the email
- I knew the email address wasn’t monitored
- I didn’t have to read the email message searching for an obscure “Please don’t reply” sentence
- I knew the Montastic guys had a sense of humor
If you’re stuck with automated emails for which you can’t monitor responses, at least spice up the return address!
My local independant radio station uses the following at the top of all their no-reply emails.
***************************************
This is an automated message… Replying is futile…
***************************************
=)
I haven’t been lucky enough to experience a reply-to address like that before, but I’m somewhat jealous now! I must admit, I’d be rather entertained…
Daniel -
It always helps to have a sense of humor. Your radio station definitely tailors its message accordingly because it knows its audience. A “Replying is futile” message could be construed as nonchalant to an audience with a more serious demeanor. Thanks for the example!
You make an excellent point about monitoring the auto replies. As the CRM Manager for my organization, I’m going to take a look at ours. Thanks for the idea.