Buondì.
It’s frustating to hear from clients that they are disappointed that our teaching management team has been slow to contact them to organise their lessons.
Especially when, actually, Lucia and Stefi, who do that work, have been absolutely on the ball. They emailed the customer, but got no reply, so waited a week or so and tried again, yet still nothing.
How do I know about this? Because the unhappy would-be student replied to one of last week’s articles, something along the lines of – yes, that’s all very well but what about my lessons?? My patience is wearing thin!!
Of course, I wrote back immediately to reassure him that we were on it, and checked with our team, who told me what I’ve just told you – that they had contacted him, repeatedly, but received no reply.
And nor was there any reply to my email. So, after 24 hours or so, I wrote another, this time from my personal gmail address, and yet still no response!
What’s probably happening here is that our emails are going straight to the client’s Spam/Junk folder, where he isn’t seeing them.
Spam filters aren’t perfect. What is?
And problems can also be caused by the user – for example, if the guy in question had previously marked emails from our teaching team as ‘spam’. Obviously then, future emails from the same source will end up being filtered out, never reaching his inbox.
To counter this, and remember, we’re talking about individual ‘transactional’ emails that people are expecting to receive, not unwanted ‘bulk mail’, then when we’re having trouble contacting someone, we’ll email from a completely different address, one that has no connection whatsoever with any of the domains we normally use.
If still nothing, then we scratch our heads a little and reason like this_
1.) It’s not abnormal that people don’t check their spam/junk folders, even when they’re expecting to hear from someone and the desired communication hasn’t showed up in the usual time-period. (if this is you, please go check your Spam/Junk folder RIGHT NOW!)
2.) But it really is unusual that all of our emails, including those from addresses that are unassociated with our business, could end up hidden in an unmonitored Spam/Junk folder. Almost unheard of, though sadly not completely so, because…
3.) Pilot error (it’s always the poor pilot’s fault…) We have been told by frustrated, disappointed buyers in the past that, for example, they delete all emails from sources they don’t recognise WITHOUT OPENING OR READING THEM, to protect themselves from whatever imagined threats. Even when they have just ordered something that will be delivered by email… “Oh but I thought it would come from the same address as the articles, so…”
In the last resort, I will actually phone the person up… assuming they gave a phone number on the order form.
But I’m trying the subtle approach first: DAVID, CHECK YOUR SPAM!
N.b. All of our ‘bulk’ email, including this one, will have an ‘Unsubscribe’ link that you can use to remove your email address from the list if you so choose, normally at the bottom. If you’d rather not hear from us, scroll down (it’s at the end) and use it, please. For ‘transactional’ emails – so if I or a member of our team write to you directly, there’s no ‘Unsubscribe’ link, but if you object to those too, just reply to whatever you’ve received asking that your data be deleted.
A mercoledì.
Spaghetti Western Ebook 25% Off!
As mentioned on Friday, this morning I published a new easy reader ebook: ‘Per un pugno di dollari‘, which is part of our Italian Cinema series.
There’s a FREE sample chapter (.pdf) to look at, if you haven’t already done so, and here’s the blub, copied and pasted from our online shop:
An original Italian easy reader by Giovanni Galavotti
‘Per un pugno di dollari’, directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood, was filmed in the deserts of Spain and released in Italy in 1964. The film wasn’t the first of the so-called ‘spaghetti western’ genre, but did a lot to popularise this rethinking of what was, by then, the rather tired western format. Two further films followed, and the trilogy was released in 1967 in the USA – at which point the director and many of the cast took on American-sounding stage names so as to seem more familiar to moviegoers.
Giovanni Galavotti’s re-telling of the story of the film for learners of Italian makes a great introduction before watching the movie itself (ideally in Italian!) Or can be used simply as supplementary reading/listening material which, for lovers of the wild west, is guaranteed to liven up your study program!
- .pdf e-book (+ audio available free online)
- .mobi (Kindle-compatible) and .epub (other ebook readers) available on request at no extra charge – just add a note to the order form or email us
- 8 chapters to read and listen to
- Comprehension questions to check your understanding
- Italian/English glossary of ‘difficult’ terms for the level
- Suitable for students at B1/B2 level and above
- Download your Free Sample Chapter (.pdf)
Buy ‘Per un pugno di dollari‘ just £5.99 | FREE sample chapter (.pdf) | Italian Cinema series | Catalog
How do I access my ebook?
When your order is ‘completed’ (normally immediately after your payment is processed), a download link will be automatically emailed to you. It’s valid for 7 days and 3 download attempts so please save a copy of the .pdf ebook in a safe place. Other versions of the ebook (.mobi/Kindle-compatible, .epub) cannot be downloaded but will be emailed to people who request them.
Laury Burr says
I was briefly worried seeing the words “spam” and “spaghetti” so close together(!) – but yes, it’s surprising how often one finds stuff mis-identified as spam (which makes one wonder, or indeed worry, about all the other algorithms that are being implemented in the oft-misguided belief that they can do everything a human brain can do, only doing it better, faster and (probably most importantly) cheaper…
For example, I had to set up a new email account so you could send me the Easy Italian News (which I recommend to everyone!) because as a result of one careless (and harmless) error some software decided my regular address was dangerous! (And no, this isn’t a criticism of you, David, nor of the Club!)
Daniel says
Gmail is usually reliable, Laury, though in any case it’s a good idea to get into the habit of checking the Spam folder. I do it every day, and just as well, otherwise I would miss things that I’d want to see!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, by the way. Most people never do…
Mayken says
HI Daniel,
I’ve been enjoying your newsletters for a few months now (and listening to the Romans summer series) but this is the first time I comment – I’m wondering if your ruse worked and David finally saw your message?
And while I’m at it, thank you for this fabulous site that I’ve only just started to explore. I’ll be looking for grammar exercises soon-ish, I still hope to finish the Romans summer series before Christmas.
All the best,
Mayken