Expert: Scottgem - 4/5/2006

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Hi. We are a small b&b, dependent on guests making reservations by email. We have a "reservations" form on our website. Recently, an AOL customer sent us a request for reservations from our website. We replied 3 times by email, but they didn't receive our replies. This doesn't happen with all AOL customers, but we're afraid that it may be happening with more than just this one. What's the best way to handle this? If we ask people to add our address to their address book, should that take care of the problem?

Thanks!  
Answer -
How do you know they didn't receive it? Do you get any returned mail that indicates a reason? Its unlikely the mail just gets lost in cyberspace. Its possible, the mail was thought to be spam and automatically routed to a spam folder. Did they look there?

Definitely have them add you to their address book or accepted mail list.

HTH
Scott<>

We did not receive any bounce back messages. I have read that AOL doesn't always inform the sender when messages are not delivered to the intended recipient. We know that they didn't receive our 3 messages because they eventually phoned us. I doubt that they looked in their spam folder. Many people would not know how to look in spam.

Also, I recently read that AOL is going to start charging senders for timely email delivery - free email will be delivered when/as/if. Do you know anything about this?

Thanks again!


Answer -
Without a bounceback message its hard to know what happened. I don't believe that AOL doesn't send them, since its automatic and part of standard mail protocols.

As for the charging. What AOL has proposed is charging companies who want to send bulk mail to AOL members for allowing the mail to bypass their Spam filters. Companies that pay the fee are guaranteed deleivery and the mail comes through as verified.

HTH
Scott<>

I've seen several postings on the web indicating that AOL may not send notifcation of non-delivery.  For example, http://www.dmsiusa.com/aol.htm.

Thanks for your help.  This is a GREAT service!

Answer
Try sending me e-mail at diamondasc@aol.com. If your IP is blocked, ALL mail to AOL should be blocked.

Frankly, after reading that complaint, I'm not sure I agree with it. It really does not make sense for AOL to be doing what he claims they are doing. I've been an AOL member for over a dozen years. I have never had a problem with mail not getting to me.

Scott<>