When to remove customer from your database

[fastbreakrob]

At what point in time do you remove somebody from your database? I’v got a few customers that won’t respond to mailers, haven’t ordered in 6 months but I’v verified that they are still at that address…

They are always included in my lazy customer mailers, so I’m pretty much just wasting postage because they never respond.

Does anybody call their customers?

Thanks

 

[RobT]

i let them go after 180 days.

They usually move or are broke or jumped ship to a competitor.

If you want to salvage them, make a very competitive offer… maybe a bogo or something…

 

[pizzapirate]

Definitely send a “very” aggressive offer before taking them off the list. I would even go as far as giving away a free pizza.

You don’t always know when someone is not coming in however. What if they just started using a different phone number? or they bring the coupons to work to use? or their mother who lives across the street buys the pizzas? or they have been walking in and buying?

Personally, I have never used coupons and although I have had food delivered, I always pick up my food. So, if you are sending coupons to my house because you have delivered “once” you would think that I’m not a customer anymore. All the while those coupons are keeping your name fresh in my mind. If, however, I saw a coupon for a “free” pizza I may use it if I didn’t loose it first.

Tough call, but I would at least try different tactics before removing them.