SendGrid has an SMTP API that allows developers to send messages directly from the back end system, using any programming languages that can call an API. The "unsubscribe" links are automatically added the e-mail message allowing the recipient to remove themselves. While that will prevent any future messages from being sent, it's advantageous to pull that information to the back end system.
The Business Challenge
The company stores contacts in a back end SQL database and interacts with customers using an ERP system. Messages are sent to customers using the SendGrid API triggered by certain events, such as a technician being dispatched to the place of business. A customer has an opportunity to unsubscribe to the e-mails, and SendGrid keeps a record of bounces that occur due to an e-mail address being incorrect. Those unsubscribes and bounces needed to be pulled from SendGrid so issues could be corrected in the back end system.
Solution Considerations
The solution should be automated to minimize the time employees need to spend.
There should be a "task list" in the form of a spreadsheet that employees can work through, call the customer if necessary, and fix the issue in the ERP.
Once an issue is fixed with an e-mail address, that issue should not appear in the task list the next day
Once an issue is fixed, the customer should start receiving e-mails again under the new address
If the customer has unsubscribed in SendGrid, they should also be unsubscribed to other similar lists within the company
Technical Design
The Solution uses the SendGrid APIs:
Incuvation's Glu Windows Service was implemented and pulls unsubscribes, bounces and activities to the local SQL server each night
An excel report is generated that contains a list of email addresses that failed. This can be used to make corrections in the back end system
As corrections are made, the issue drops off the task list
Unsubscribe data can be used to update the ERP system
Solution's Impact on the Business
Unsubscribes flow to other systems, improving customer experience and falling in line with regulatory requirements
Excel reports provide a streamlined workflow for correcting bad email addresses
Recipients can be sent future emails using the corrected address
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