Despite the allure of two nights in a converted prison, the lead offer in 'Escape', First Great Western's e-newsletter, was hardly compelling for someone like me, who could escape to the Malmaison on foot. Surely they must know where I live? I decided to investigate.
First Great Western asks new users of its online booking engine to register with their name, mobile phone number, email address and postcode. Of these, only the name and email address are mandatory.If the postcode were a required field, they would know that their other current competition, to win a luxury break in Cornwall, would be more attractive to those of us who long to escape from Oxford's integrated transport system.
How many would drop out of the ticket purchase process if postcode were a required field? And who would object to providing their postcode if, having agreed to receive an e-newsletter, it would result in more relevant offers?
Even without a postcode, an examination of the departure station for most of the tickets I have purchased online would deliver an insight into whether I would rather escape to or from Oxford if, that is, the e-newsletter is segmented (please, @FGW, don't tell me you send the same newsletter to everyone).
Big data may be the latest buzz. But one very small piece of data, combined with intelligence and common sense, could make a big difference to the relevance of your communications to your customers, and their willingness to engage - or escape - with your brand.
