How will this all work?
Each client of the agency will have some minimum requirements pertaining to customer totals, annual revenue, and time in business. There will also be some requirements for hardware and software available in the center.
An agent (software that runs in the background) would be installed on a selected computer in your center. This agent is used to report the IP address of the computer, which allows DHM to connect via the Internet.
Within a predetermined time and date range, DHM will connect and execute the marketing data queries, scheduling, and commands necessary to complete the planned activities.
It’s that simple. No one has to monitor anything or even think about what is on the marketing plan.
How will I know what activites are happening?
The next day, you, or whomever you designate (i.e., your salespeople), will receive a report on the activity executed and the customers or prospects scheduled for contact.
Who will be sending the direct mail or email?
Third party resources are utilized to complete some actions such as printing, postage, email, and data services. Additional costs above the base service may apply, but everything will be planned in advance and there will be no surprises.
What do I have to agree to?
You would allow DHM access to your center network, POS data, and their usernames and passwords for other resources. Additionally, you would provide DHM a credit card for payment of services and other pre-approved expenses.
What about your other clients - would I be competing with them?
In the initial stages of DHM there will be a very limited number of very qualified initial clients. It does not allow for multiple clients in the same “market” or where they could be perceived as direct competitors. It would be a breach of confidence if DHM was prospecting for customers for one client, when that prospect could be another client’s biggest customer. To avoid this, plans call for the client list to be published regularly and the client list will be limited to approximately thirty clients in stage 1 (the first year). These clients will be known as “Charter” clients.
Charter clients will be exempt from future agency fee increases for two years, providing they maintain their base level of services.
How much will all this cost me?
$300 per month for the base service of marketing activity on a weekly basis (48/year). Those clients who would only allow access to their POS after regular business hours would pay slightly more.
Clients who wish to customize plans beyond the available menu of services would pay more due to the added costs involved.
As previously mentioned, third parties are utilized for other services, so if you have postcards scheduled to go out in your plan, you would know there will be added expenses for printing and postage. These expenses would be pre-planned and carefully monitored by the agency.
