Greed, plain and simple.
When I receive a request for information from a potential client, I respond immediately using one of my pre-designed HoneyBook templates. The problem is that far too often, my client’s spam filter grabs the HoneyBook email before the customer ever sees it.
Because of this, I’ve been forced to send a separate text message saying something like:
“I replied immediately to your request for information, but it still shows as unopened. Please check your spam/junk folder.”
Now HoneyBook has found another way to add to its bottom line by charging for texting. Sure, it may only be an additional $8 this month—but what will it be next year? $16? $20?
What makes this especially frustrating is that I feel forced to use texting because so many of the emails I send through HoneyBook are apparently being caught by spam filters. In my experience, approximately 74% of my HoneyBook emails are affected.
And HoneyBook’s response demonstrates just how disconnected they are from the actual problem.
I was told, “Send us a screenshot of the email that was grabbed by their spam filter.”
Seriously?
If I knew the email had been caught by the spam filter, I wouldn’t have this problem in the first place! I generally don’t discover that the customer never saw my email until many hours later—sometimes around 24 hours later.
That is exactly why I started texting customers every time I sent something through HoneyBook. I learned that I simply could not trust the HoneyBook email to reach the customer’s inbox.
And now HoneyBook wants to charge me additional money for the very workaround I’ve had to use because of problems with emails sent through their system.
That’s the part that really bothers me.
Instead of addressing why so many client emails are ending up in spam folders and improving email deliverability, HoneyBook is charging its customers for another communication method that some of us have been forced to rely on.
HoneyBook needs to spend more time listening to the business owners who actually use its platform every day. We aren’t asking for another fee or another revenue-generating feature.
We need the basic service we are already paying for to work reliably.
When a prospective customer asks me for information and I respond immediately, that customer needs to actually receive my response.
That shouldn’t be an add-on.
That should be the minimum expectation.
Dan Bodamer
Amazing Day Weddings
231-632-8099
