SERVICE
Email deliverability services: an evidence-led investigation, scoped first
Deliverability help from DemiEmail: an investigation built on bounces, headers and reports, the evidence to collect first, and what to ask any provider.
Whoever you hire for deliverability work, the investigation should start from evidence rather than from a promise. DemiEmail investigates reported delivery problems using the available rejection messages, headers, reports and sending configuration, and ends with prioritized, evidence-based next steps. Work is quoted after we understand your setup and scope, and the price and deliverables are confirmed before any paid work starts.
What DemiEmail investigates
DemiEmail handles scoped technical work. For delivery problems, that covers:
- Bounces and rejection messages.
- Authentication and reputation findings.
- Prioritized, evidence-based next steps.
Whether you need a second pair of eyes or someone to handle the changes, we start with your actual setup.
Evidence to collect before anyone diagnoses
Collect these before you contact anyone, us included:
- The full bounce or rejection message, not a summary. In an enhanced status code (opens in a new tab), a code starting with 5 is a permanent failure, one not likely to be resolved by resending the message in its current form. A code starting with 4 is a persistent transient failure: the message was valid, but a temporary condition delayed or stopped delivery attempts.
- Microsoft's non-delivery reports (opens in a new tab) include an error code giving the reason the message wasn't delivered, plus technical details for administrators.
- The full headers of a message that went to spam. In Gmail (opens in a new tab), open the message and, next to Reply, choose More and then Show original.
- DMARC reports. Google (opens in a new tab) recommends setting them up to monitor email sent, or appearing to be sent, from your domain, and they help identify senders that may be impersonating it.
- Google Postmaster Tools data, if you send to Gmail. Its dashboards (opens in a new tab) show spam rate, reputation, message authentication and delivery errors, but only for messages sent to personal Gmail accounts, and only once your sending volume is high enough to populate them.
- Microsoft SNDS data, if you send to Outlook.com. SNDS (opens in a new tab) gives senders detailed data about individual IPs and includes a Junk Email Reporting Program that sends reports when users junk your messages.
- Your published SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. DemiSignal's free check (opens in a new tab) reads only the public DNS records of the domain you enter, with no account needed, and tries commonly used DKIM selectors. A DNS finding shows how your domain is set up, not where a particular message landed, so keep the bounces and headers above for that.
- A list of every service that sends email as your domain, and who has access to each.
Questions to ask any deliverability provider
- What evidence will you ask for first? Expect the answer to look like the list above.
- What access do you need, and who authorizes changes? Agree it before any work starts.
- What won't you promise? Mailbox providers decide how messages are handled, so treat a promise of inbox placement with caution.
- Is the work scoped and priced before it starts? Ask for the deliverables in writing.
- Does your sending platform already offer this? Mailgun's deliverability services (opens in a new tab) include dedicated technical account managers, and Mailjet's (opens in a new tab) pair its platform with dedicated specialists.
How a project runs
- Tell us what's happening: share your domain, the tools you use and the problem you're seeing, and we'll confirm whether we can help. Leave passwords and access credentials out of your message.
- Agree the scope: we define the work, required access, deliverables and price, and investigation and implementation are quoted to fit the problem.
- Make the changes and check the result: we carry out the agreed work, validate what we can observe and explain any remaining findings.
We can also discuss work with agencies and teams responsible for client domains, and agree who authorizes the changes, the access needed and the handover before starting.
We can't guarantee inbox placement. We investigate the available evidence, address the issues within the agreed scope and explain what remains outside our control.
Who does the work
Jan Demsar (opens in a new tab), founder of Demi Solutions, has developed software since 2007 and has built products and custom software for clients at Demi Solutions since 2010.
Most of that work has been designing the systems businesses run on, including CRM systems, marketing automation, analytics and email deliverability.
In 2022–2023 he was also CTO of Design In DC, a Washington agency, where he led all technology for the agency and its clients.
Sources
- RFC 3463, section 2: Status Code Structure (opens in a new tab)
- Microsoft: Non-delivery reports in Exchange Online (opens in a new tab)
- Google: Trace an email with its full header (opens in a new tab)
- Google: Email sender guidelines (opens in a new tab)
- Google: Set up Postmaster Tools (opens in a new tab)
- Microsoft: Outlook.com Smart Network Data Services (opens in a new tab)
- DemiSignal: Free SPF, DKIM and DMARC check (opens in a new tab)
- Mailgun: Email deliverability services (opens in a new tab)
- Mailjet: Expert deliverability (opens in a new tab)
- Jan Demsar (opens in a new tab)
Questions
Can you guarantee inbox placement?
No. Mailbox providers decide how messages are handled; we investigate the available evidence within the agreed scope and explain what remains outside our control.
How is the work priced?
Work is quoted after we understand your setup and scope, and the price and deliverables are confirmed before any paid work starts.
What should I send before we talk?
Your domain, the tools you use and the problem you're seeing. Please leave passwords and access credentials out.