Sending a Bulk Email Using the Customer List

This page explains how to send an email to many of your customers at once. If you need to write a new message see Create a Bulk Message.

Before You Begin

Your company must be set up to use Unified Billcomm (UBC). Accept Customer Messages and Bulk Messaging Active must be enabled in the Unified Billcomm Setup menu. You must also have a document file (.doc or .docx) to send, either created within Trash Flow or by a program like Microsoft Word.

Context

This function lets you send an email address to all (or some subset) of your customers, often to notify them of a change to their rates or regulations. You can use an existing Word document or follow these steps to create the template within Trash Flow. Please note that customers can go to TrashBilling.com and opt out of receiving some emails. The same options appear on the E.F.T. tab of customer accounts; you can view the settings there and change them at the customer's request. There are four categories and all bulk emails should be categorized as one of these:

  • Immediate Service Notifications
  • Holiday Schedule and Service Time Changes
  • Regulation Changes
  • Promotions and/or New Services

Send the Emails

  1. Click Reports > Customer Reports > Customer List.
  2. Use the options here to choose which customers should get the message.
  3. Set the Format to Bulk Email and click OK.
  4. Choose the document file that you want to use for a message, then click Open.
  5. Trash Flow will ask if you want to preview the file. (If you click Yes you will see an example of how the message to the first customer on the route will look. Close the window when you are done reviewing it. If you are confident you chose the right file click No.)
  6. Trash Flow will ask "Are you sure you want to use this file?". Click Yes.
  7. Type a Subject line for the email.
  8. Choose the appropriate Message Type for what you are sending. Note that all bulk email messages sent through Trash Flow must fit into one of these categories, and you may not use this feature to send "dunning" messages demanding payment.
  9. The last warning window will list how many email addresses you are about to send messages to. Click OK to send.

When You're Done

All customers included in the data filters, who have not opted out of bulk emails, and for whom you have a valid email address will get the message.

See Also

Create a Bulk Message

Sending/Receiving Customer Messages

Set Up Unified BillComm

Understanding Unified BillCom