[c-nsp] OT: How do you fight spam in your enterprise? I need help

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Storey [mailto:tom at snnap.net]
> Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 4:44 AM
> To: Ted Mittelstaedt
> Cc: Felix Nkansah; groupstudy; cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
> Subject: Re: [c-nsp] OT: How do you fight spam in your enterprise? I
> need help
> 
> 
> 
> On 20/12/2007, at 7:32 PM, Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> 
> > Most ISP's run mailservers to help contain customers.  The idea is
> > if you keep them off of gmail, they won't be pitched as often by
> > your competitors.
> 
> And not just because offering customers a free mailbox with their  
> internet connection is the standard thing that ISPs do?
> 

USED to do.  Just about all our new customers these days that
we are getting already have mailboxes on one of the large free
services, and don't want to stop using them.  We give out the
same free mailboxes as the rest of the crowd, but increasingly,
customers aren't using them.

> Ive worked for two ISPs over the past 4 years in varying roles from  
> customer service to network engineer (one a wholesaler), and Ive never  
> heard of an ISP offering free mailboxes simply to retain customers  
> because they can be poached more easily if they use one of the other  
> free email providers.
> 
> One of the biggest reasons for offering a free mailbox has been  
> advertising for the ISP in question.
> 

Right, it's advertising for gmail, yahoo, etc.

> And apart from advertising, its convenient for customers, in  
> particular those who are new to the Internet. Having something at  
> their fingertips that they dont need to think about is most definitely  
> something they appreciate.
> 

All true with the major mailservices on the Internet as well.

However one big difference I think is the market we are operating
in is one of the most saturated and wired markets in the country.
There are -very few- "new to the Internet" customers here.  It sounds to
me like your still in the ignorant bliss of operating in an unsaturated
market, where you don't have customers calling you demanding you knock
$2 a month off your prices to match Joe Schmoe ISP down the street that
just pitched to them, or they will quit.

Enjoy it while you have it.

Ted