Preference Center Organization

Summary

You know that junk closet where you throw everything? We all have one. You don’t know where to put that unused DVD player, empty picture frame, or extra parts from your disposal, but you toss them in, knowing you’ll need them someday. Then, when the time comes, you’ll know where to find them.

A preference center, the centralized location for your customers to manage communication consents and preferences with your company, is often treated the same way. Marketing and service teams throw whatever communications they think of into the preference center without much thought. The problem is, no one can successfully navigate or find what they need, making it of little value.

We recommend making a list of your company’s communications and separating them by type, such as research, best practices, product information, and service notifications. If you’re a large company, you might need to break them down further by brand, division, or customer type, whichever makes the most sense for your customers. They need a logical way to quickly find what they’re looking for without being overwhelmed by too many options.

We suggest using an accordion format so customers can drill down into areas of interest, then select their preferred content and communication channels. Instead of dumping everything into a cluttered preference center, create a well-thought-out and organized one. That’s a win for everyone. And if you run across an old copy of Napoleon Dynamite, you’ll know where to find that DVD player.