Managing filters can now be done directly from the contact list page where you can create and edit filters without having to navigate away to another page.

Look for the “Filter” label (near the upper right side of the contact list page) where you’ll find a pull down selector that includes all of your existing filters. In this same release the filter settings fields also got a facelift and use new (AJAX) technology that allows you to manage your filters without having to refresh the page each time a setting changes.

Another addition to this page is the “Narrow list” check box next to the “Search” button. The “Narrow list” option makes it possible to search for contacts within the current view rather than searching the entire database.

In order to provide quicker, more efficient support to our clients we have made a few changes to our support process.

Support issues are now handled via our support ticket system. You can submit a new ticket or review old ones in the HelpDesk area. It is linked from the upper right corner of every page when you’re logged in to your account. This way you don’t need to send emails to one, two or more of us directly, your question is automatically routed to an available support person. You can view responses and add details to your tickets from the user interface and you can refer to previously resolved cases.

If you prefer to call us you can reach us by phone as always (416-840-2300 #2) , however, we ask that you submit a ticket first before you call.

Support response times

Fast and knowledgeable support has always been a priority for us. Based on the latest 200 support cases 81% of ticket submitted via the Helpdesk form are resolved within one day and 13% are closed the day after they were created. The remaining 6% requires additional troubleshooting.

Getting started guide

We have recently published a Getting Started Guide for users who need help with basic BetterMail functionality. The guide covers features that our clients ask about frequently such as contact list importing, creating and editing messages, launching email campaigns and basic account configuration settings.

The contact export function has undergone major improvements.  Here’s what we’ve done:

• Exporting is processed in the background
  What this means is that you can work in your account (or sign out if you wish) while the export is being processed. No more timed-out pages during exporting!
• Multiple exports supported
  You can queue several different lists for exporting with different column setups for each list – they are all processed in the background simultaneously.
• Easier selection of lists to export
  Instead of having to set up a filter for each export job, now you can export the current contact view “as is”. What you see on the contact list page is exactly the same as what gets exported. Whether you’re looking at a list of contacts who clicked in your latest email campaign, contacts on a certain mailing list, unsubscribed records or your entire database, just enter a file name and click the Export button on the bottom of the contact list page.
• Column setup
  The new column setup page allows you to select which fields (column headers) show up on the contact list page. We added the ability to include interest groups, individual interests, auto responders and tracking fields in additional to basic contact fields and custom fields. These column setup settings become your “contact view” or “current view”. You can save multiple views and switch between them easily; your last used view will automatically load when you log in.
• Export status and history
  You can view the status of your export jobs (queued, processing or completed) and keep track of old exports on the Exports page. You receive an email notice when your export is completed.

BetterMail will be down for scheduled maintenance on June 12, 2011 starting at 10pm for one hour. We are upgrading our database servers with the latest software. Thank you for your patience during this time.

Here is what we’ve been up to in the past 3 months:

We installed a new dedicated database server, upgraded the slave DB server and added load balancing for the API servers. What does all this mean to our clients? Faster service with extra redundancy and improved reliability.

We’ve made changes to our billing processes to include more concise notification emails and added overdue payment notices in the interface. Many revisions were also released for the billing engine – while most of the updates were made behind the curtains, the changes will translate into quicker support for billing related questions.

The message editor has also been upgraded to a newer version. The new editor is now the standard content editor for all elements.

We are currently working on a new, site-wide list engine that will result in more consistency and continuity across all pages in your account.

A newer, more intuitive version of the import screen and related pages have been released to address issues around our second most “popular” support calls. *

The updated import process fewer steps to import your contacts, the interface is less cluttered and we’ve added descriptions using help icons (). Mouse over these icons to learn more about the corresponding settings.

There are also four sample import files for you to download and we’ve also added an overview of rules for the upload/import process.

Another new feature for December is the ability to start an autoresponder/engagement campaign on contacts’ anniversary dates (anniversary dates are based on the birth day field) in addition to sending a single birthday message.

It is now possible to export only selected interests and custom fields. The system used to export all interests/custom fields in the past, which resulted in very large data files with many unnecessary fields. The new approach will considerably speed up the export process but some files over 50K records may still be too large for exporting via the interface – we are in the process of addressing this issue by moving the export script to the back-end and sending an email notification when the export is completed. This will eliminate page time-outs and allow for processing more simultaneous export requests.