In my last post I bemoaned the fact that the DMA couldn't seem to get their internal processess correct after I received what appeared to be an email from them inviting me to an event but which contained someone elses email address, name, and password.
Well there is a slight correction. It did arrive from the DMA but it was intended as a pass-along viral invitation to a Direct Marketing Club event that was sent out to the Echo Award Judges. The name and password seem to be from someone at the Direct Marketing Club and the DMA claims they were just passing on a nice event.
But this does highlight how important it is to have processes in place when emailing your internal list. The email I received came from someone at the DMA. There was no "FWD:" in the subject line and no instructions or indication that it was a viral email, was passed along from someone else, or how to register for the event with someone else's name and password. And forwarding someone else's password and name in any communications is a bad idea in the first place.
So, is this really a correction? The DMA still needs to firm up their processess when it comes to communicating with their base, but the damage in this case was limited to less than a 100 people.
You decide.