UK email marketing
why use a UK based company?
Modern email marketing software is typically cloud based, this means, that for ease and convenience, you can access it from anywhere. With that in mind, it means that the software can also be based anywhere.
So, if you are using email marketing software that does not need to be tied to a geographic location, is it really important where it is based?
In this article, we are going to address the key areas to consider when looking for a new email marketing supplier. Does it really matter where in the world that supplier is based? - if you are a UK based company, are there any advantages to using a U.K based email marketing company?UK Based servers
When you send out your email marketing, it is sent via the sending server of your service supplier. Even if the email marketing supplier is based here in the U.K, their sending servers may not be. It’s quite common for U.K based companies to house their sending servers in the U.S for example. Here at Email Blaster, we don’t do that, not only are our offices based in the U.K, but our network of sending servers are also. No part of our offices or network are based outside of the U.K.
Does this really matter though? surely in the age of high speed internet, does really matter where in the world your sending servers are? Well, it does an an effect yes, it can have quite an impact on the delivery of your email marketing, this is especially the case if you are a U.K company, sending emails to your U.K based customers and prospects.
Lots of companies have spam filters set up to filter emails from unknown recipients or servers from outside of the U.K. This is especially the case if your recipients are based inside networks with more rigid security controls, these could include finance, education, NHS, Government sector or I.T. Some of these bodies may block email marketing communications form outside of the UK. Here at Email Blaster, we’ve seen this occur frequently over the years, the filtering systems of the NHS and education sectors can be much harder to successfully send emails through to from servers based in the U.S for example.
GDPR Compliant
In May of 2018, The E.U introduced The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), this law is designed to control and regulate how companies collect, store and process your private data. In this instance, GDPR regulates email addresses, if you collect, store and use email addresses for the purpose of email marketing, then GDPR regulates this. So with this in mind, how what does GDPR say about the location of your supplier’s email marketing sending servers? GDPR is a law designed to protect the collection, storage and use of E.U citizen’s private data, such as their email address for example. If your email marketing supplier has sending servers based outside of the E.U, in the U.S for example, then this means that you are effectively exporting their private information outside of the protection of GDPR.
The E.U says that if you are going to export private data outside of the protection of the law, then you need to obtain the permission of the owner of the data. So, in the instance of email marketing tools, this means that you would need to ask the permission of all of your recipients before uploading their details to U.S or other overseas servers.
What if U.S based suppliers says that they are GDPR compliant - is this o.k? Well, if U.S companies say that they are happy to observe GDPR, they are still outside of the E.U. The law does not govern them, this means that they can break it, without any repercussions.
So, even if overseas companies says that they are GDPR compliant, as they are outside of the E.U zone, it still means that you have to ask permission of all of your recipients to export their private information out from under the protection of GDPR.
Other countries laws
Ok, so we’ve established so far that using overseas based email servers means that they are outside of the protection of GDPR, but are there other issues to be aware of?
Well, if your email marketing supplier are based in another country, then that service provider is obliged to follow the laws of that country. So, if your email addresses are stored on a server in another country, then these local laws can and will govern your email addresses.
Most other countries will all have laws that are very similar to GDPR in this country. Some of them, however there are some exceptions to data laws that allow government bodies access to your private data. One of these is the U.S, the U.S law, Privacy Shield does have inclusions that allow government bodies access to your data if they require.
So, if you are considering an email marketing service provider outside of the U.K, then it’s well worth taking the time to find all about the local laws that will govern the service provider who is storing your data.
Telephone support
Possibly one of the biggest advantages of using a supplier based here in the U.K is that, if you want to, you can pick up the telephone and talk to someone. At Email Blaster, we think this is a really big deal, as much as it’s important to offer software that’s really easy to use and is full of great features; sometimes it’s just great to pick up the telephone and talk to a real person!
Lot’s of overseas companies have the same ethos as us, but the big difference is that if they are in a different time zone, then when you are at work, they are in bed.
Here at Email Blaster, relationship building with our clients is a really important part of what we do, this means that we are always here for tips and guidance with your email marketing if you need it. Sometimes, it’s just nice to be able to talk to someone if you need to; when you are at work, we are at work
Email support response times
As well as telephone support, it’s also important to know that your email marketing service provider can offer decent email support. When you are working on a campaign that has a tight deadline, you may have a question or query that needs a speedy answer.
When using an email marketing company who are based in a different time zone, response times are going to be slower. You may have a quick question to ask and could do with a quick answer. It’s often the case that it takes 24 hours for a supplier based in a different time zone to reply, this can be really frustrating if you are up against the clock and need a quick answer.
As much as the internet really opens things, making the world seem like a much smaller place, sometimes it still makes sense to use a supplier that is based in the same country as you.
Technology is great, it makes everything much easier, faster and more convenient, but technology needs to be supported by real people, who are on hand, when you need them.