Managing Email Addresses

Overview

Email addresses are the primary communication channel between your business and customers. The SAFE Billing Platform helps you manage email addresses to ensure reliable delivery, protect customer data, and follow privacy laws.

Good email address management is important for:

Delivering invoices and important account information
Maintaining customer relationships
Ensuring data protection compliance
Reducing failed deliveries and associated costs
Building trust through secure communications

Understanding Email Address Management

Data Protection and Compliance

The platform implements strict data protection measures in line with GDPR, DPA, and PECR legislation. Itemised call records and other usage details on invoices count as personal data, and PECR protects the confidentiality of this call data for both individual and corporate subscribers, so these protections apply whatever the customer’s class.

By default, the platform only sends full itemisation and other sensitive detail to an email address once that address has been verified (see Email Verification Process below). Until then, it sends a de-personalised version of the invoice that contains no sensitive information. This protects both your business and your customers while keeping communication open.

You can release the full detail for a whole account without verifying each address by setting the GDPR & PECR Consent Given flag on the customer record. When this flag is set, full bills, unencrypted CDRs and usage files go by email to every address on the account without each one needing to be individually verified. Only set it once you have a lawful basis for email delivery. See GDPR and PECR Consent for the details and the paper-trail workflow.

Even on a consented account, an individual recipient can still choose their own email security preference - for example asking for password-protected attachments - through their MyAccount email settings. That choice takes precedence for their address, so account-wide consent never forces unprotected full attachments on someone who has opted into protection.

For the regulatory background, see the ICO’s Guide to PECR, and in particular its guidance on itemised bills and traffic data. Our blog post on protecting customer personal data walks through how these controls work in practice.

Email Address Types and Usage

Email addresses in the platform serve multiple purposes:

Primary Contact Addresses handle standard billing communications and account notifications. These addresses receive monthly invoices, payment reminders, and important account updates. Set the primary address on the customer record itself.

Administrative Addresses are used for account management. These often belong to finance teams or account managers. You would typically add these as customer contacts so each person can receive their own bill format and correspondence types.

Technical Contact Addresses receive system notifications, API alerts, and technical updates. These are typically monitored by IT teams or technical administrators. Like administrative addresses, these are best set up as customer contacts with the relevant communication settings.

Email Verification Process

Why Verification Matters

Email verification is the foundation of secure customer communications. It confirms that:

The email address is valid and active
The recipient has access to the address
The customer consents to receiving personal data
Your communications reach the intended recipient

Verification Methods

Email Link Verification

The main verification method sends a secure link to the customer’s email address. This self-service approach allows customers to verify their addresses at their convenience.

To use email link verification well:

Welcome Communications: Create a welcome email template that includes the verification link. Send this immediately when adding new customers to encourage early verification.
Invoice Integration: The platform automatically includes verification links in invoice emails sent to unverified addresses. This ensures customers have regular opportunities to verify.
Custom Correspondence: Add verification links to any customer correspondence using the platform’s template system. This is particularly useful for follow-up communications.

The verification process is straightforward for customers - they simply click the link and follow the on-screen instructions. Once complete, their address is marked as verified and they begin receiving full invoice details.

Phone Verification System

Phone verification gives you another option when customers call your support team. This method is great for urgent queries or when customers struggle with email links.

The phone verification process works as follows:

Initiate PIN Generation: While speaking with the customer, access their account and locate the email address requiring verification.
Send PIN: Click the “Send PIN” button to generate a unique verification code. The system immediately sends this to the customer’s email address.
Verify PIN: Ask the customer to check their email and read the PIN back to you. Enter the provided PIN into the verification screen.
Complete Verification: Upon successful PIN entry, the address is immediately verified. You can now resend invoices with full details or perform other actions requiring verified status.

Support PIN Authentication

Beyond verification, support PINs provide an additional security layer for customer interactions. Use these when:

Confirming customer identity during support calls
Authorising sensitive account changes
Validating access before discussing confidential information

Support PINs work similarly to verification PINs but don’t change the address verification status. They simply confirm the caller has access to the registered email address.

Email Address Actions

The platform provides specific actions at the email address level for verification and security:

Send Verification PIN

When viewing an unverified email address, you can send a verification PIN directly to that address. This action:

Generates a unique PIN for the specific email address
Sends it immediately to verify the address
Allows phone-based verification during customer calls
Updates the address to verified status upon successful PIN entry

Send Support PIN

For already-verified addresses, you can send support PINs to confirm customer identity:

Generates a temporary PIN for authentication
Does not affect verification status
Expires after a short period for security
Useful for validating identity before sensitive discussions

Accessing Email Actions: Navigate to the customer account, click on the email address to view its details, then use the Actions menu to send the appropriate PIN type.

Important Distinction: These email-specific PINs differ from the customer-level Generate PIN action, which creates portal access codes. Email PINs verify addresses and confirm identity, while customer PINs provide direct billing portal access.

Email Address Fields Reference

Email Address Details

Basic email address information including the email address itself and any dealer code associations.

Field	Description
Dealer Code	Dealer code associated with this email address
Email Address	The email address itself

Verification Details

Email verification status, marketing consent, and account access information for the email address.

Field	Description
Verification Email Sent	Date when a verification email was most recently sent to this address
Verified On	Date when this email address was verified by the customer
Marketing Consent Given	Whether the customer has given consent to receive marketing emails
Reactivation Key Expires	Expiry date for the address reactivation key
MyAccount Access	Whether this email address has MyAccount portal access

Security Details

Security settings including attachment preferences, passwords, and encryption details for email communications.

Field	Description
Attachment Preference	User preference for how email attachments should be handled

Failures Details

Email delivery failure information and status tracking for bounced or problematic email addresses.

Field	Description
Failure Type	Type of email delivery failure, if any
Removable	Whether this failed email address can be manually removed

System Information

System-generated timestamps and activity tracking information for this email address.

Field	Description
Last Modified	Timestamp of the most recent modification to this email address
Created	Timestamp when this email address was created

Managing Email Delivery Issues

Understanding Delivery Failures

Email delivery can fail for numerous reasons, from temporary server issues to permanent address changes. The platform categorises these failures to help you respond appropriately:

Soft Bounces indicate temporary issues such as full mailboxes or server downtime. The platform automatically retries these deliveries according to configured schedules.

Hard Bounces suggest permanent problems like non-existent addresses or closed accounts. These require manual intervention or customer reactivation.

Spam Complaints occur when recipients mark your emails as spam. These result in permanent blocks that cannot be overridden.

Monitoring Email Status

The platform provides comprehensive visibility into email delivery status through multiple interfaces:

Customer Account View displays all email addresses associated with a customer, highlighting any with delivery issues in red. This provides immediate visibility when accessing customer records.

Email Reports Section offers bulk views of email status across your entire customer base. Access these from Main Menu > View Email Addresses to identify patterns or widespread issues.

Individual Email Details show complete delivery information for each sent email, including timestamps, server responses, and diagnostic information useful for troubleshooting.

Finding Problem Addresses

Regular monitoring helps you spot and fix delivery issues before they affect customer relationships. Go to Main Menu > View Email Addresses, then choose the tab you need:

Missing Addresses (shown by default) lists customers who have no valid email address and so cannot receive their bills by email. Use this to prioritise who to contact for a working address.
Customer Failed Addresses lists customers whose address has failed and been suspended.
Missing Verified Addresses identifies customers who have not verified their address, so are receiving only the de-personalised version of their invoice. Use this to run targeted verification campaigns.
Failed Email Addresses shows the suspended addresses themselves, with the failure type, to help you spot patterns or provider-specific issues.
Reactivation Emails Sent shows addresses with a reactivation or resubscribe email currently pending.

The All, Verified and Pending Email Addresses tabs give you the full lists to review or download. Each invalid or unverified address shows a link to send a verification PIN when you are contacting the customer to resolve the issue.

Reactivating Failed Addresses

When email delivery fails, the platform temporarily suspends sending to that address to protect your sender reputation and the customer’s data. Only that address is suspended; the customer’s other addresses are unaffected. How you restore sending depends on the failure and on which email service you use.

This section covers the essentials. For the full step-by-step, see Reactivating failed or unsubscribed addresses.

Your email service affects your options

If you send through your own email server, you have more freedom: you can reactivate an address directly as soon as you are satisfied the problem is resolved, and you contact customers through your own provider. If you send through the shared platform server, reactivation re-checks the address and may refuse it, limits apply, and in harder cases you will need the customer to confirm their address themselves.

Reactivate the address directly

When you have confirmed the issue is resolved (for example the customer corrected a typo, cleared a full mailbox, or confirmed a temporary problem has passed), open the failed address (shown in red) and choose Actions menu > Reactivate Email Address. Read the “Sending Suspended” panel on the address first: it explains the specific problem and whether direct reactivation is appropriate.

Send troubleshooting information to the customer

The Customer Troubleshooting tab on the address gives you ready-made content explaining the specific failure, which you send to the customer from your own email client using the mailto: link or by copying the text. This helps the customer fix a real problem; it does not reactivate the address on its own.

Send a reactivation email

Sometimes the platform reports an address as invalid but the customer is certain it is correct. In that case, choose Actions menu > Send Reactivation Email. The customer receives a link, and the address reactivates automatically once they follow it and confirm the address works. Where the customer has unsubscribed, this becomes Send Resubscribe Email so they can opt back in. Reactivation emails have sending limits, so make sure the customer has resolved any underlying issue first.

Handling permanent blocks

Spam complaints result in a permanent block that protects your sender reputation and cannot be overridden. When an address is permanently blocked:

Inform the customer: explain that their address is blocked because of a spam complaint.
Request an alternative address: ask for a different email address for future communications.
Update records: add the new address and verify it before sending sensitive information.
Document the change: note the reason for the address change in the customer’s account notes.

Best Practices for Email Address Management

Proactive Verification Strategies

Good email management starts with getting addresses verified early. Use these approaches to get more addresses verified:

New Customer Onboarding: Make email verification part of your standard onboarding process. Send welcome emails with verification links immediately after account creation. Train staff to explain the importance of verification during initial customer contact.

Regular Verification Campaigns: Run quarterly campaigns targeting unverified addresses. Combine multiple communication channels - email reminders, phone outreach, and account manager discussions. Track verification rates to measure campaign effectiveness.

Invoice Integration: Use every invoice as a chance to verify. Include clear calls-to-action explaining the benefits of verification. Highlight what additional information customers will receive once verified.

Maintaining Email Hygiene

Clean, accurate email records mean fewer delivery failures and happier customers:

Regular Data Audits: Schedule monthly reviews of email delivery reports. Identify addresses with repeated failures and prioritise them for updating. Look for patterns that might indicate systemic issues.

Proactive Updates: Contact customers before problems occur. During annual reviews or contract renewals, confirm email addresses remain current. Update records immediately when customers notify you of changes.

Multiple Contact Strategy: Maintain alternative contact methods for critical customers. Record mobile numbers for SMS notifications and postal addresses for important documents. This ensures communication continuity if email issues arise.

Security and Compliance

Protect customer data while working efficiently:

Access Control: Limit email address management permissions to authorised staff. Implement role-based access matching your organisational structure. Audit access logs regularly to ensure compliance.

Verification Documentation: Maintain clear records of verification status and consent. The platform automatically tracks verification dates and methods. Use account notes to record any special circumstances or customer preferences.

Privacy-First Approach: Always respect customer preferences regarding email communications. Honor unsubscribe requests promptly and completely. Provide clear options for customers to manage their communication preferences.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

When email issues arise, systematic troubleshooting resolves them quickly:

Delivery Failures: Start by checking the failure type in the email details. Verify the address format is correct and matches customer records. Check whether the customer’s email provider has specific requirements or restrictions.

Verification Problems: Ensure verification emails aren’t being caught by spam filters. Advise customers to check spam folders and add your sending address to their contacts. Provide alternative verification methods if email links consistently fail.

Provider-Specific Issues: Some email providers implement aggressive filtering or unique requirements. Document provider-specific solutions as you discover them. Share this knowledge with your support team for faster resolution.

Integration with Customer Management

Email addresses are integral to customer relationships. Good integration helps both systems work better:

Customer Record Integration: Email addresses link directly to customer accounts, enabling quick access to communication history. Use customer notes to record email preferences or special instructions.

Automated Workflows: Configure the platform to handle common scenarios automatically. Set up welcome emails for new customers and reminder sequences for overdue accounts. Use verification status to trigger different communication templates.

Reporting and Analytics: Combine email metrics with customer data for deeper insights. Track verification rates by customer segment or account manager. Identify correlations between email engagement and payment behaviour.

Advanced Features and Configuration

Managing Multiple Addresses

The platform offers two ways to send bills and communications to more than one person.

Comma-separated email addresses: Add several addresses to the customer’s email field, separated by commas (e.g., [email protected], [email protected]). All addresses receive the same bill in the same format. This is the quickest option when everyone needs the same information. See Email Addresses on the Customers page for details.

Customer contacts: Create a contact record for each person who needs communications. Contacts let you choose a different bill format per person, select which correspondence types they receive, and control ticket update copies. You can also share one contact across several customer accounts. See the Contacts guide for full details.

Email Format Preferences

Different customers have different needs for email content. The platform supports multiple invoice formats:

Short Format: Summary information only, ideal for customers who need quick overviews or have bandwidth limitations.

Long Format: Detailed breakdowns suitable for customers requiring more information without full itemisation.

Full Format: Complete details including itemisation and graphs, perfect for customers needing comprehensive records.

Configure format preferences at the customer level to ensure each receives information in their preferred format.