My hotel wants me to put together a database of guests that have chosen to put their email address on their registration cards so we can email them hotel solicitations.
I know we don’t send out snail mail (for privacy issues) but isn’t the email considered spam?
Is there any legal issues with this?
Strictly IMO, Mark:
1/ These people HAVE chosen to stay with your hotel/hotel chain at least once. There is a reasonable chance the same set of circumstances may occur & lead them to do so again. They might reasonably be expected to appreciate special offers, etc.
2/ They have voluntarily left their e-mail address with you.
I think that sending out a one-time e-mail announcement stating that your hotel will be sending out e-mail announcements of special offers, and would they like to receive these would not be considered spam, as long as they could easily opt out.
A gray area would be doing this in such a way that in the absence of a response, they would be included in your database, but a lot of places do do business that way. DO include an opt out instruction in every announcemnet, and rigorously scrub those people opting out off your database, and I think you’re in the clear.
Sue from El Paso
Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.
When I leave my email address with a business I EXPECT to be contacted. I’ll email them back if I don’t want any more contact with them.
Jack