Have we lost the plot - excessive emails and texts

[Fulshaw]

I ordered something from a high street retailer. This resulted in no less than 12 emails and 4 text messages about my order. Confirmation, updates on the delivery etc.

Made a dentist appointment - I got 3 emails and 3 text messages about one appointment. Each text and email said the same thing as the other. Confirmation, reminder etc.

That’s 22 pieces of communication about two mundane, everyday activities.

We’ve gone insane haven’t we? Our constant and incessant need for information.

Clothing website e-mails do my head in!

Thanks for ordering
It's on it's way
She's just round the corner
She's delivered it.
Did she deliver it OK?

Yes I have eyes and can see the bloody parcel and have taken it in!

It would make so much more sense if they simply said:

'Thanks for ordering. If you don't get it, let us know'

pmsl at getting "meetings in warehouses" stickers!

So they can metricise their demographic for more targeted marketing

I don't mind "thanks for your order, we've got it, it will be delivered on xxx " and I don't mind "it's been despatched"
It's everything other than that I object to

Oh I know why they want my dob, they just aint getting it!

Yes to people asking for reviews too. I made the mistake of renewing my passport recently and now keep getting emails asking me to review how they did, and reminding me to finish the review I started (which I haven't started, because I don't actually plan on reviewing them 🙄)

Thanks for ordering
It's on it's way
She's just round the corner
She's delivered it.
Did she deliver it OK?

Absolutely this^^

I wouldn’t mind quite so much if the parcel was delivered properly but half the time it goes to a pick up point I haven’t specified, or they leave a card saying “we missed you” when they didn’t even bother to ring the doorbell!

The managers need to divert their attention away from communication, although that’s important, and focus on the delivery practical end of the service.

Exactly IamRoyFuckingKent. Confirmation and tracking are helpful.

It's all the 'how was the delivery?' ones 😂

The retail ones are so shit, I unsubscribe from as many as I can but still get far too many.

The dentist one I can kind of understand as no shows cost them so much in wasted time. However my dentist has a system where you tell them how you want to be contacted - email, or text, or phone call for reminders and they are very good at sticking to the one method. I get a text 2 weeks before and then 3 days before. If I then didn't show up in the 48 hour notice period, I'd be charged. Fair enough.

I make a point of answering those review messages now and I absolutely give them the shittest review I can.

I mean, it's fucking rude, demanding my time like that. I don't do it to them!

And then as soon as you place an order, they can rely on an exemption from the requirement to obtain consent to send you marketing communications, so you get bombarded by millions of boring irrelevant marketing communications (and I unsubscribe to all of them with just a couple of exceptions). And you also start receiving catalogues by post ffs!!

To book one NHS Xray I had 5 texts, 4 emails and had to download an app I didn't want! Then I had 3 texts and 2 emails asking me to rate my experience. Would I recommend them to my friends and family? 🙄

Oh God yes - the endless requests for reviews. And they’re so bloody needy! “Do you have five minutes to leave a review?” “Just a reminder to leave a review”. “We still haven’t seen a review from you”. “We haven’t heard from you. Did we do something wrong? Could you explain in a review?”

Bloody Speedo were still emailing a month after my purchase! If I haven’t reviewed it by then, I never will. And the LinkedIn ones where you’re reminded you have an invitation to connect waiting are interminable. They actually come across as quite stroppy, like a reminder to pay your bill! It’s like they’ve forgotten they’re not doing you some kind of favour. Yes, I’m ignoring the invitations - they’re all from overpriced agencies claiming to specialise in the very thing I’m already doing!

M&S asked me why I gave a low review. I sincerely hope that they regretted asking but given M&S's attitude to feedback they don't like (i.e ignore it) I doubt it.

Where I work, there is such a barrage of emails, and the more senior you get the more emails you get, that if you don't alert someone via Teams to something they really have to respond to you will never hear back from them. Most of them ask for this extra Teams message, which annoys me as it puts extra effort on me to double up on messaging just to make sure they reply. And I can't just Teams them in the first place as it's not considered a very 'official' way of communicating/creating a record.

I do agree that the extreme number of emails/texts you get when you place an online order, all the way through to the delivery and post-delivery process is annoying. But for appointments, if you don't remind people in every way possible then there is quite a high rate of no-shows and then they claim that they didn't get a recent reminder in x,y,z preferred format about the appointment. Just another example of people being unable to manage themselves so these extra messages become necessary.

Then add on top all of the spam and sales calls and messages and emails when they all sell on your data.

I'm making a point of only replying to messages where I've been asked something. I am hopeful I'm saving teachers and office workers an eye roll each time at least!

Omg yes! I unsubscribe and then they still come back…’are you missing us?’ . No, F off!

Another point on the spam/scam emails and calls - why do they think you are going to click on an unsolicited email or answer an unsolicited call in this day and age? I struggled the other day with my bank asking for details over the phone despite me calling them, because I was worried about it somehow being used for fraud. Even my council has had a cyber attack so everyone under the council has had their data breached - it's insane!

Totally agree. I was actually just thinking this today! I don't remember ever having this many emails 10 years ago. Every time I buy something or use a website it requires an account so they have your email. I'm constantly getting marketing emails and even though I unsubscribe or block it's still not enough!

The other one that annoys me is the likes of eBay for example that are constantly emailing saying we've updated our privacy statement, or you need to update your details. Argh!

The “how did we do?” emails re deliveries drive me crazy. I’ve lived in a large apartment building for 15 years and all of our parcel are taken in at the reception desk for us to collect later. Consequently, I have never met any of the delivery drivers, I have no idea if they are friendly/surly and I don’t know/don’t care if the parcel was delivered at 2pm rather than 1pm. I’ve answered the surveys and told them this, but it’s all automated and no one reads it, so it makes no difference. If I ignore them, they continue to send needy emails pleading for me to tell them. Fuck Off!

Check out as guest, then get an email (in addition to the thank you for your order and emailed receipt) telling you all you need to do to set up an account is click a link. I know. I do not want an account, it’s not some exclusive club I can get an account any time I fancy but I do not fancy.

Yep

Have you ever sold anything on Vinted? Jesus wept the emails. Jane wants to buy your jeans. Don't forget about the jeans now. Here's the label for the jeans. Thanks for putting the jeans in the big cupboard outside Tesco. The man has collected the jeans form the bog cupboard outside Tesco. The jeans have arrived in the big cupboard outside Jane's Tesco now. Jane's collected the jeans. Jane's paid you for the jeans. Jane's left feedback on the jeans, see what she thinks.
A fucking message for each of these bastard events. If I want so addicted to decluttering I'd come off there completely.

Just exacerbates the inability to think for ourselves (the youf of today) - spoon fed and absolutely yes there's far too much communication.