
Bank Simple actually personalise their email - ErrantX
http://www.errant.me.uk/blog/2010/07/bank-simple-actually-personalise-their-email/
======
inerte
If you're a worthy customer (id: rich), lots of banks go personal with you.
Specially on customer acquisition.

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.

~~~
mcknz
Certainly the personalization is not out of pure altruism, but speaking for
myself, after having been pummeled for years with clearly impersonal
solicitations for various financial services (some more dubious than others),
with one credit card offer after another, one could be forgiven for seeing a
personal note as some kind of minor miracle.

~~~
fexl
True ... and the last thing I want is altruism. I want good service, and I
_want_ to pay for it. Personal touches like this are very promising. It makes
me think that if I had a problem or question, they would very competently
"pull my file" and resolve it.

------
ihodes
As I've said before, I cannot wait for their beta to begin.

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!

------
rmah
First, I don't mean to sound overly negative and only wish the best for Bank
Simple.

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.

------
lukeqsee
I, as a member of a small startup that will use banks intrinsically in our
everyday agenda, have had multiple email conversations with them. They are
real people, ready and willing to discuss how they can help you with
life/business/whatever.

Kudos. You will be my bank.

------
logic
I received the same invitation email, but the text you highlighted is missing
from mine. Apparently, I'm just not that interesting. ;-)

(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.)

~~~
ErrantX
Are you easily linked to your email addy? I guess in part that actually shows
it's a human thing.

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 :-)

------
jarin
Every time I go to the business teller window at Wells Fargo, they ask me
things like "How's the iPhone development business going?"

I know they're just reading it off of the screen, but it still makes me feel
like a baller.

------
kacy
Wow, I went back and read my email, and I completely missed the personalized
part in mine. I thought it was just a generated email (sorry Bank Simple!).

"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!

------
dzlobin
They not only send personal e-mails, but go far and beyond. I had coffee with
one of the co-founders for no reason other than for them to get to know their
clientèle

------
duck
_I would love to hear more about how you started _you_ own social networking
site and be updated on its progress._

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.

------
hiroprot
I received the same email, and didn't even notice the personalized language.
After reviewing it now though, it says:

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!)

------
known
There is a _paperless_ mGovernance initiative by a bank in India. Just SMS
_unhappy_

[http://www.eindia.net.in/2010/awards/details/eGov-
mGov-G2B-D...](http://www.eindia.net.in/2010/awards/details/eGov-
mGov-G2B-Details.asp?PNo=27)

------
mattmaroon
I got an email from them that was pretty much the same, minus the
personalization.

