Affiliate Marketing Is 24/7
As today is the weekend, it seems apt that Affiliate Bitch should have a rant about the lack of support from Networks and Merchants at the weekend and some evenings. There are some merchants who offer mobile numbers and personal msn details, which is great. What happens when the network goes down, are merchants and affiliates alike supposed to put up and shut up for the weekend? We can post on the forum and send emails ready to be read first thing monday morning, but is that enough? Is it much to ask of the networks and merchants that they have someone on call at weekends? I am sure they can rotate the people around so that there is always someone there in an emergency?
posted by Affiliate Bitch @ 8:34 AM
5 Comments
Links to this post
5 Comments:
I hear you. It's frustrating. But unfortunately it has always been thus and is likely to be for a while.
One of the few positives to come out from the economic downturn will be it will sort out the men from the boys. We've enjoyed the longest sustained period of economic growth since records began and, it means that, for too long too many people have had cushy jobs with cushy salaries in affiliate marketing while only being available around 25 hours in a week of 168 hours.
I'm glad nobody bothers about providing support to publishers outside of the 25 hours a week when they are not on lunch breaks, in meetings, holidays, or chillin' out. It means Azam Marketing's business is booming because we are there for publishers and advertisers 14.5 hours a day, 365 days a year, and more and more people are coming on board with us because we will be there for them when they need us, not when we can be bovvered to deal with them.
Better get back to answering queries on this lovely Saturday afternoon...
I think you'll find that most networks, agencies and merchants are aware of what is going on at all times and if there is something that requires immediate attention, someone will be available. However I can't think of too many things in affiliate marketing that are so critical that it can't wait until a Monday morning.
Fair enough, some affiliates like to work unconventional hours but that doesn't mean that everyone else has to fit in around them. Can networks demand that all affiliates are available 24/7/365 to alter creative, update links and adjust copy??
Nadeem - I think you're insinuations that all networks and agencies are lazy is fairly ill conceived. I have worked at a network and an agency, and so have a fairly good insight into what goes on both sides, and I can guarantee that I don't know many people in this industry who work 25 hours a week. I'm glad your business is doing well, but don't see the need to criticise other people just because they choose not to be as vocal as you about how many hours they do. I also find the suggestion that the amount of hours you work is directly proportional to your effectiveness a bit naive.
Matt, I couldn't agree more. I would be seriously concerned if someone in my team was working significantly more hours than they were contracted to do. There is such a thing as a work/life balance and I'd want to assist any member of my team who was consistently working beyond their core hours.
I don't believe the vast majority of our clients have any expectations that their network representatives work beyond an acceptable working day, just that they provide excellent account management; that is the effective management of their expectations.
It's a shame there's a persistent network bashing attitude that because we don't all strive to work a 25 hour day we're in some way providing shoddy support. Number of hours worked does not equate with effectiveness.
Nadeem, your statement: "I'm glad nobody bothers about providing support to publishers outside of the 25 hours a week when they are not on lunch breaks, in meetings, holidays, or chillin' out" is (with respect) complete nonsense.
I think over time, agencies and networks will realise that this is a 24/7 business model and will see that 24/7 support is required.
AM is a global business and I still find it hard to believe that support is only available during UK office hours.
Personally I can think of 101 things that I personally think cant wait until Monday morning. The sooner affiliates are considered clients, or customers, just as much as merchants are, the better. Remember networks provide a service to both.
we do provide the 24/7 support with our AM staff on rotation. I've been participating in this rotation for 2 years now and I've yet to find a case where a merchant or an affiliate has had a severe issue over the weekend. I've had to inform affiliates over weekend tracking issues, but didn't see anyone actioning them, if I can be blunt. I've needed affiliates to remove their illegal ppc links but I've had to wait till Monday for an answer - or even for them to get back from hols. Did I slag them off on the forum or on a blog? No.
However, it's nice to be able to answer queries over MSN and make people's lives easier, even if it is the weekend or 9 at night. Furthermore, we do want to ensure that at least someone is monitoring things at all time and can be got hold of if need be or pick up the system alert.
What I would like to see is affiliates being less demanding for an immediate answer to a trivial question, irrelevantly of time and day. And that they reciprocate.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home